Giving USA - Milwaukee 2021
About the Event
Giving USA will release its annual report on philanthropy on June 15, publishing in-depth research on the who, what, and where of giving in 2020. To mark the release, Campbell & Company is hosting Giving USA 2021 Milwaukee on June 17, an online gathering for leaders across the nonprofit sector. Together, we will discuss the current environment, explore what past trends can—and cannot—tell us, and forecast what’s next for our sector.
During the event, we will pinpoint the biggest headlines from 2020, with a focus on what has changed in 2021 so far, how the COVID-19 pandemic is reshaping philanthropy, and where we go from here. A panel of Southeastern Wisconsin nonprofit leaders will weigh in on the data, sharing on-the-ground experiences and practical advice for their peers. Panel includes:
- Jennifer Mehr, Director of Advancement, Riverwest Food Pantry
- Chuck Rozewicz, Chief Development Officer, Milwaukee Repertory Theater
- Rebecca Stoner, Director of Development Operations, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
- Maxine Webb, Development Director, ACLU of Wisconsin
Helping to inform and moderate the conversation:
- Melissa Berliner, Vice President, Campbell & Company
Have a question for our panelists? There will be some time for Q&A during the event and throughout the presentation.
Event Details
Prior to this local session, you are also invited to attend the national reporting webinar on June 15. The recording of this webinar will be made available promptly after it airs. The link to the recording will be sent to all registrants of their webinar and published promptly.
About our Panelists:
As a Senior Vice President at Campbell & Company, Melissa Berliner has expertise in quickly identifying the core challenges facing clients and developing tailored, innovative strategies to address them. Collaborating with individuals who have a variety of personalities and skill levels, Melissa builds consensus among organizational leadership, staff, and volunteers to cultivate and execute carefully developed plans. In her client work, Melissa most values opportunities to:
- Help clients develop successful major gift strategies to secure the high-level support to achieve their goals
- Develop tailored systems and/or processes to help clients work more efficiently in areas ranging from maximizing return on investment to managing donor relationships
- Interview donors and/or volunteers to determine their values, motivations for supporting an organization, and philanthropic needs
- Create effective partnerships between board members and staff
- Strengthen and sustain board effectiveness
Melissa is a leader of Campbell & Company’s arts and culture practice. Her work includes significant engagements with the Zoological Society of San Diego, Zoological Society of Milwaukee, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and Joffrey Ballet. Melissa is also a seasoned guest speaker and lecturer on a variety of fundraising topics, and has spoken at the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Women in Development Professions, DePaul University, and Columbia College.
Prior to coming to Campbell & Company, Melissa managed multi-million dollar fundraising programs at the Columbia Art Museum, Victory Gardens Theatre, and Steppenwolf Theatre. She is the immediate past President of the Chicago Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Melissa graduated from the Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in English.
New to the Milwaukee community by way of her hometown in New Jersey, Jennifer Mehr joined the Riverwest Food Pantry as Director of Advancement in March 2020. With more than 25 years of fundraising and non-profit leadership experience, she has spent a majority of them in the social services sector but also in the education field. An active member of her New Jersey community, Jennifer has earned recognition for her commitment to service with Shelly Sobala Exemplary Service Award from the Junior League of Elizabeth-Plainfield of NJ, the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society, and the Eleanor Hangley Award from The Advertising Council. She has been a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals since 1999, having joined the Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter in January of 2021. Jennifer earned her B.A. in Communication from Villanova University. She and her husband David now live in his hometown of Shorewood with their three children, her father, and menagerie of pets.
Entering his seventh season at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Chief Development Officer Chuck Rozewicz leads the theater’s fundraising efforts. Rozewicz previously worked for United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County, and United Performing Arts Fund. He graduated with his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from UW-Milwaukee, and has served on the boards of UW-Milwaukee Athletics, The Park People of Milwaukee County and AFP Southeastern Wisconsin.
Rebecca Stoner is a fundraising, communications, nonprofit leader passionate about community development and the City of Milwaukee. She completed her Masters in Nonprofit Leadership from Marquette University as a Trinity Fellowship recipient-a competitive University wide fellowship. Rebecca currently serves as the Director of Development Operations for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee where she works to improve operations and increase resources available to Milwaukee's future leaders. She has ten years' experience in the nonprofit sector, including six years in leadership roles. Rebecca lives on Milwaukee's north side with her husband Adam and daughter Sophia. In her free time, she can be found doing improv comedy, playing overly complicated board games, and drinking lots of coffee. Her core values are loving community, increasing access, building equity and sharing joy.