Tiffany Christopher

Director of Development, Discovery Program, Cornell University

With over 14 years in the development industry, Tiffany Christopher currently serves as the Director of Development for the Discovery Program at Cornell University where she also fundraises as a major gift officer. She spearheads the strategic vision of the team, focusing on a dual mission: to identify and grow future major donors to the organization and to develop industry talent into proficient gift officers prepared for successive roles in development. Holding an MBA from Cornell, Tiffany is passionate about business strategy, team culture, onboarding, and leadership. She is particularly committed to making the field of development more inclusive and supportive for new professionals of all backgrounds.

Joanne Curry

Head of Client Success & Principal, Creative Fundraising Advisors

Joanne comes to CFA with over 10 years of nonprofit experience in operations management, development, and accounting. Her career began with serving as Director of Operations and Rehearsal Assistant for two contemporary ballet companies in Missouri: Missouri Contemporary Ballet and Owen/Cox Dance Group. There, she managed operations for fundraising and donor management, communications and marketing, and performance and educational outreach programs. She then went on to work as a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor Accountant with Support Kansas City, providing accounting, support services, and training to nonprofits throughout Kansas City.

Most recently Joanne served as the Head of Revenue and Interim Head of Development at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, TX. There, she oversaw strategy for earned revenue and development, and was responsible for the database, Membership, Special Events, Visitor Services, and Museum Store. During her time at the McNay, Joanne launched a monthly membership program and developed and implemented a prospect management system.

As Head of Client Success & Principal, Joanne focuses on campaign planning and management, prospect development and strategy, and membership programs. Joanne serves as an accountability partner for our clients. She mentors development staff, coaching individuals on team leadership, donor strategy, and more.

Michele DeSantis O’Mara

Symphony Space, Chief Advancement Officer

Michele DeSantis O’Mara is a seasoned fundraising professional with over 30 years of development, campaign, communications, and special events experience. She is currently the Chief Advancement Officer at Symphony Space in New York City. In her prior position as Chief Advancement Officer at National Dance Institute, she led the organization’s annual fundraising programs, advancement strategies, and special events, as well as its capital and comprehensive campaigns.

Previously, as Director of Corporate Relations at New York City Ballet, Michele guided the institution’s robust philanthropic and sponsorship efforts with the corporate sector. Before that, she worked as Senior Associate Director of Development at the American Museum of Natural History where she was responsible for securing general operating support, as well as sponsorships for museum exhibitions and education programs.

Michele launched her career at the Business Committee for the Arts, a national not-for-profit organization that fosters increased business support to the arts. There, she oversaw membership and program development and, as Director of National Programs, spearheaded special events and conferences including the national Business in the Arts Awards sponsored by Forbes Magazine.

Through the years, Michele has lectured on various Development-related topics, and has consulted on projects ranging from fundraising to program development and management.

Sarah Pita

Director of Development, CIDNY

Sarah Pita is Director of Development at the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York, where she leverages AI tools daily to maximize impact as a department of one. An accomplished nonprofit professional and engaging speaker, she has extensive experience in grant writing and strategic fundraising communications across diverse sectors. Her presentations on practical applications of AI consistently receive praise for making complex technology approachable and immediately useful.

Carolyn Vine

Chief Development Officer, Robin Hood

Carolyn oversees all fundraising activities at Robin Hood and leads the Development, Marketing, and Events team in their work raising funds to support the organization in its critical poverty-fighting work.

In that capacity, she is responsible for reaching annual fundraising goals upwards of $150mm per year and drives the organization’s future development strategy by identifying new partners and initiatives to grow Robin Hood’s fundraising platform including planned giving and endowment campaigns; a next-generation leadership group, and multi-year initiative focused on the intersection of AI and poverty alleviation.

Prior to joining Robin Hood in 2010, Carolyn worked at the global investment firm, D. E. Shaw & Co., in the Resource Development and Fundamental Research groups, focusing on business development, recruiting, and research.  She has an M.Sc. in African Studies from the University of Oxford. She earned a B.A. in English Literature from Columbia University.  A native New Yorker, Carolyn is passionate about making this city a more equitable engine of opportunity for all, and she has fought to do so in her fundraising roles at Robin Hood for over ten years.  She lives in Manhattan with her husband and two small children.