CASE xChange

We hear from Associate Professor Wendy Scaife, Director of The Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (ACPNS) at the Queensland University of Technology in this episode. Wendy shares what defines a culture of philanthropy and the evolution of Australian donors. Listen in for unexpected results from some of Wendy’s major research projects and future ACPNS projects that you can look forward to.

Research papers referenced in this episode can be found here.

In this episode, Heather and Brad chat with Sharon Yao, Assistant Director of Data Analytics at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, about how Sharon’s background in mechatronics engineering led her to prospect analysis in the education sector. Find out more about NTU’s 2022 Circle of Excellence Awards entry “Empowering Alumni Giving by ML-Driven Targeting” which won a Grand Gold, and how the ability to predict the probability and capacity of alumni donation will impact the institution’s future fundraising efforts.

This week, we are joined by Soha Hmaidan, Chief Advancement Officer at King’s Academy, a boarding and day school in Jordan. Hear about Soha’s career journey, which includes over 22 years of experience in advancement, the history of King’s Academy, its mission, and how Jordan’s philanthropic trends affect the school’s fundraising efforts.

Our guest for this episode is Fiona Menzies, CEO of Creative Partnerships based in Melbourne, Australia. Fiona shares about the work that Creative Partnerships do, including why government support and philanthropic funding are important for Australian artists. Listen in as Fiona discusses how the emergence of corporate social responsibility has transformed the ways businesses sponsor the art sector, and why fundraising should be at the core of any non-profit organisation’s activities.

This episode, we welcome back Serge Sych, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Career Services and Alumni Relations at Central European University in Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary. Serge shares the lessons he has learnt through experiencing political unrest and forced relocation of Central European University, including how to best manage a crisis, and why engaging with your alumni and stakeholders is vital during challenging times. Also, find out why a crisis communications plan is not enough and how you can best prepare your institution for the unpredictable.

Our voice from the field is Gustavo Segui, Director of Marketing & Advancement at International School of Curitiba in Brazil and Group Leader–Admissions, Marketing & Communications and Advancement at American International Schools in the Americas (AMISA), a non-profit association. Gustavo shares how he became passionate about education, why fighting against the status quo in the education sector is important, and how design thinking as an approach to challenge our assumptions and solve problems can lead to the creation of innovative solutions. Also, find out what he hopes to leave as his legacy and what the next 12 months looks like for him and his team.

We welcome another voice from the field, Mikaeli Costello, Chief Community Engagement Officer at The University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia. Mikaeli shares her passion for delivering authentic value to UQ’s alumni community and how her team meets the needs of their international alumni, including bringing together alumni and partners through their award-winning alumni campaign ChangeMakers. Also, find out how UQ provides a platform for researchers to tackle world issues on Doomscroll Remedy, a podcast series launched earlier this year.

More information on the CASE Global Reporting Standards referenced in this episode can be found here.

This episode, we are joined by Anna Rottenecker, Executive Director at Chapel & York Hong Kong Foundation. Anna shares about her career journey and how she first encountered the challenges of international fundraising during her time with the Association for the Prevention of Torture. Also, learn about the intricacies involved in an organisation setting up an international foundation compared to utilising a pre-existing foundation, and hear her insights on the philanthropy landscape in Hong Kong, including how the legacy of giving is evolving through the generations.

Our voice from the field this episode is Beth Smith, CASE Executive Director, United States and Canada. Listen in to get to know Beth including how she was lured out of retirement by CASE, how she is tackling current challenges shared by millions, and what she is looking forward to this year. Stay tuned for the occasional episode with Beth joining Brad as co-host for CASE xChange.

This episode we are joined by John Gough, Senior Executive Director for Advancement Data Operations, The University of Texas at Austin, United States and conference chair for CASE DRIVE/ 2022. Listen in to hear why collecting and analysing data is so important for all areas of an institution, including leadership. John gives us a sneak peek into what attendees can expect at DRIVE/ 2022 and provides recommendations for advancement professionals who want to utilise emerging cloud-based solutions and AI technology.

Our voice from the field this episode is Peter Hayashida, former Vice Chancellor for University Advancement, University of California, Riverside (UCR) and former President, UCR Foundation. In Peter’s 25 years with the university, he has had many career highlights including helping to raise over $300 million in the most recent campaign Living the Promise: The Campaign for UC Riverside. Listen in as he reflects on the fundraising trends that have contributed to developing the art and science of advancement and why he believes a diverse workforce and dynamism is important for the future of fundraising.

Joining us for our first episode of 2022 is Nick Blinco, Vice President (Advancement) at The University of Melbourne in Australia. Upon the conclusion of the University’s Believe campaign in 2021, Nick shares some campaign successes and his outlook for the coming year. As the conference chair for CASE’s upcoming Asia-Pacific Advancement Conference, he also shares his vision for the conference, ensuring cross country and multisectoral content.

Joining us for our last episode of 2021 is Mike Richey, Vice President for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, United States. In Mike’s 50 years with the university, he was a pioneer of advancement and has had many career highlights, including helping to raise over $2.5 billion. Listen in to hear about the University of Kentucky’s current fundraising campaign called Kentucky Can: The 21st Century Campaign, his views around giving trends that will continue well into the future, and why he believes student philanthropy is important.

Kade Hamalainen, Philanthropy Executive at Bush Heritage Australia joins us in this episode. Hear about his experience in the CASE Graduate Trainee Programme, where he was hosted at the University of Sydney, and his current role focusing on partnering with Indigenous communities to protect the Australian landscape and native species. Discover how the Bush Heritage Australia story began in Tasmania with a doctor, deposit of prize money, and a national fundraising campaign to support the purchase of the founding property, as well as how the next decade will be a critical time for the organisation and the Australian environment.