Mentorship Matters: Recent Episodes
EverTrue
A podcast that examines the current and future landscape of fundraising leaders and the power of inclusive mentorship in advancement.
Edgar Gonzalez is an experienced and proven leader, team-builder, and collaborator with almost 20 years of experience in higher education advancement and program development. He currently serves as Vice President of University Advancement at Seattle University. Prior to joining Seattle University, Edgar held leadership roles at Oregon Health and Science University, the University of Washington, and the Alliance for Education.
A native of Argentina, Edgar and his family emigrated to the US when he was 9 years old in pursuit of the American dream. After earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, he has dedicated his entire career to working in higher education and ensuring that everyone has access. Edgar is passionate about the positive impact philanthropy can have on the institutions, communities, and individuals he is fortunate to serve. His career has always been focused on building institutional capacity through cultivating deep relationships, transformative philanthropy, leadership development and impactful storytelling.
Lishelle Blakemore ‘89 (she/her/hers) is the Associate Vice Chancellor (AVC) of Development in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for the University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR) department at the University of California, Berkeley.
Lishelle has served as the AVC of Development since 2017. Prior to this role, Lishelle established and led the Annual Programs department in UDAR. Before joining UDAR in 1994, Lishelle served as Assistant Vice President for The Pacific Group, where she provided consulting and fundraising services for universities throughout the country.
On campus, Lishelle serves on the University Athletics Board, the Executive Advisory Committee for UC Berkeley Discovery, and the BSFO Program Committee. Outside of Cal, Lishelle has been an active volunteer with CASE District VII and currently serves on the US/Canada Council, the Summer Institute for Educational Fundraising and Black Leaders in Philanthropy.
Brent Swinton brings more than 20 years of fundraising experience in higher education and the non-profit sector to his position as Vice President of Advancement at Bowie State College. Swinton has a variety of first-hand experience in major gift fundraising, development operations and strategic communications, gathered from a career that has been dedicated to helping mission-based organizations achieve their strategic goals.
Prior to joining Bowie State, Swinton led fundraising at the national headquarters of Advancement Project and the Children’s Defense Fund. Previously, he was assistant vice president for institutional advancement at Notre Dame of Maryland University and senior director of advancement services at Howard University. Swinton is credited with training hundreds of grassroots organizations to sustain themselves financially through the Compassion Capital Fund, the cornerstone grant program of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
At Notre Dame of Maryland, Swinton provided leadership and oversight of all campaign and alumni relations activities. Earlier, he worked for a fundraising software provider, guiding colleges across the nation on campaign planning and implementing donor databases.
Bathsheba Philpott, CFRE to serves as the Vice President of Philanthropy for National Medical Fellowships, Inc. (NMF). In this role, Philpott will lead all fundraising and partnership efforts for the organization whose mission confronts, addresses and solves for pervasive inequity in health care.
With more than 20 years of experience in development and philanthropy, Philpott has made an impact with many nonprofit organizations, including the Smithsonian Institution and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, as well as health care-focused and serving institutions such as the Children’s National Hospital and The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Philpott joins NMF from the American Council on Education, where she most recently served as Vice President of Advancement.
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Shane Carlin's professional career has been in fundraising and Student Affairs where he was the Director of Development for Student Life and Scholarships at Northwestern University, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Advancement at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Shane has also worked as the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), as well as in Residence Life and Housing at Miami, Northwestern, and Capital Universities.
Shane is a Korean American adoptee where he grew-up in northern Kentucky. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications from the University of Kentucky and his Master of Science in College Student Personnel from Miami University.
Shane not only has over 20 years of experience in higher education administration, but also has mentored students in international settings. Besides his expertise in higher education, he is an experienced public speaker. He has been invited to speak at universities from coast to coast. In addition, he was a speaker for TEDx Lakeshore East in 2011. Internationally, Shane presented the “Western Way of Networking” to students at Hong Kong University Science & Technology (HKUST) and managers at General Electric (GE) in Shanghai at the China Technology Center.
Heidi Lee leads the major donor advising team in building lasting relationships with donors who support MVP and grassroots organizations across the country. As a development professional she knows that lifting the voices of women and women of color in the philanthropy world will make an enormous impact in our society.
Her experience includes over twenty years in the philanthropic environment, working with and for social justice organizations, educational institutions and political action committees. She has seen first hand how passionate people can make a difference. Born in South Korea and raised in Las Vegas, NV to immigrant parents, she learned at an early age that giving voice to the voiceless was her calling. After spending over eighteen years in California, she is back in Las Vegas with her spouse, son and cat.
Jennifer Mora is a Director of Development with the Student Experience and Diversity team at University Development and Alumni Relations. In her role, she partners with alumni and friends on philanthropic opportunities to advance the university’s vision for student access and success. Jennifer has been on the UC Berkeley campus since 2007 and began her career in higher education advancement at the Cal Alumni Association. She received her B.A. in Chicana and Chicano studies from UCLA and her Masters of Public Administration from Sonoma State University.
As Senior Associate Dean of Development at UNC Kenan-Flager Business School, Shontel Grumhus leads a team of 27 development professionals and reports to the dean of the business school. Under her leadership, the UNC Kenan-Flager has exceeded a $400 million campaign goal for the School, overseen a successful new building campaign; and broke the record for best fundraising year ever at UNC Kenan-Flagler in '21 and '22. She has personally closed more than $33.3 million in gifts and commitments in FY21-22 and $50 million in FY20-21.
Erick Harper has worked in university athletics administration for more than 30 years. He joined UNLV as senior associate athletics director for development in 2012 and has overseen fundraising efforts for the department and has served as a sport administrator for multiple sports, including football and women’s golf.
Prior to UNLV, Harper was associate athletics director for football operations at the University of Arizona from 2003 to 2011. He began his athletics administrative career at Kansas State University (1990-2003), where he served in development, marketing, and compliance roles and as a sport administrator for multiple sports.
Harper received his bachelor’s degree in 1992 from Kansas State University, where he was a four-year starter and standout defensive back for the Wildcats football team. He later earned a master’s in organizational management and leadership from Ashford University in 2013. Harper and his wife, Patrice Hester-Harper, have two daughters, Sydney (14) and Avery (5).
Laura K. Padron recently joined the UConn Foundation as the new Senior Vice President for Advancement (SVPA). A member of the foundation’s senior leadership team, Padron is responsible for leading the advancement team and will play a crucial role as the foundation embarks on the largest campaign in its history.
Padron is an innovative leader with extensive experience in development, donor relations, and campaign planning. She joins UConn from the Florida International University (FIU) Foundation, where she served as associate vice president. Padron led FIU’s $750 million Next Horizon Campaign with major gift officers across the academic colleges and schools, athletics, and student affairs.
Padron’s return to FIU in 2012 followed five years at the University of Miami, where she served as assistant dean for development at the School of Business and spearheaded the school’s role in the university’s $1.6 billion campaign. Previously, Padron served as senior director for donor relations and stewardship and established FIU’s first Donor Relations and Stewardship Office. Before working in academia, Laura directed national programs, including the Presidential Scholars in the Arts and YoungArts programs at the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.
“We are delighted to be able to recruit someone of Laura’s caliber and experience level to the UConn Foundation,” says Jake Lemon, president and CEO of the UConn Foundation. “I have no doubt she will build on the foundation’s recent success, and we enthusiastically welcome her into UConn Nation.”
Padron has earned multiple awards in recognition of her work, including a 2005 Council for Advancement and Support of Education Gold Award and a 2021 Global Forum for Education and Learning Top 100 Visionaries in Education Award.
Padron is a graduate of Florida State University and a former president-elect and board member of Miami’s Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Nico Yantko (pronounced: Nick-oh Yank-oh) was named the 10th athletics director in Murray State history on Aug. 15, 2022.
A Murray State alumnus, Yantko returned to Murray State University as the Racers began their first year in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2022-23 and joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2023.
Nico is a former Racer quarterback (2007-09). He returned home to Murray State after career stops at North Carolina State, the University of Missouri and the University of Louisiana.
Dr. Noelle Lefforge, Ph.D., is a Clinical Associate Professor & PPC Director of Professional Psychology at the University of Denver.
Dr. Lawrence Chatters currently serves as the Executive Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Initiatives. In addition to leading the department's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, Dr. Chatters serves as a senior administrator advising the Director of Athletics. He also provides support to the Human Resources department, directs departmental professional and leadership development, and provides oversight of the implementation and progress of Nebraska Athletics' strategic plan. Chatters is the primary sports administrator for Women's Gymnastics and Swimming and Diving and also serves as the secondary sports administrator for the men's and women's cross country and track and field programs.