DONOR
OPPORTUNITIES

Bill works actively with existing and prospective donor families and their trusted advisors to articulate and carry out their charitable intent. Before joining the Foundation in 2002, Bill spent 16 years in the financial services industry with Citicorp in New York and Los Angeles, and with Piper Jaffray in Minneapolis. Bill holds a B.S. in entrepreneurship from Babson College. He currently serves on the board of Mission Animal Hospital, the first nonprofit full-service animal hospital and clinic in the nation.

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Chris oversees the Philanthropic Services department, partnering with the Foundation’s donors to help them achieve their charitable goals and increase their positive impact in the community. Before joining the Foundation in 2019, he was the president of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota’s Foundation and its chief development officer. As a key member of that organization’s senior leadership team, he was responsible for building financial resources to support greater organizational impact and visibility throughout Minnesota. He was also responsible for its property department and statewide volunteer program. Chris received a B.A. in English literature from Saint Mary’s University in Minnesota. A few years later, he returned to Saint Mary’s, where he earned a master’s degree in educational leadership.

Eric is committed to providing an optimal experience for individuals, families, and organizations that partner with the Foundation. His responsibilities include overseeing donor-engagement programs and services, assisting fund advisors in achieving their charitable goals, and grant screening and selection. Before joining the Foundation in 2000, Eric held positions at Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and Augsburg University. He believes that time with family, friends, and outdoors is time well spent.

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Jenny partners with families to bring clarity, focus, passion, and strategy to their charitable giving. She joined the Foundation in 2015, bringing 13 years of fundraising experience, most recently as vice president of resource development at Aeon. She serves on the board of the Minnesota Council on Foundations and on committees for Project for Pride in Living and Our Lady of Peace. A lifelong Midwesterner, she spends her free time chasing her kids outside in the summer and playing broomball with her husband in the winter.

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Paul strategizes with existing and prospective donors and their professional advisors to inspire impactful philanthropy. He also leads the Minneapolis Climate Action and Racial Equity Fund and Foundation partnerships related to social finance innovation and environmental justice. Before joining the Foundation in 2018, he spent seven years as a major gifts and planned giving officer at Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media and five years in development at Macalester College, his alma mater. Outside of work, you can find him chasing his children, playing trumpet professionally, or walking his boxer, Greta.

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Russell has more than 20 years of experience in fundraising and alumni relations at major research universities. At the Foundation, he focuses on serving the charitable needs of corporate executives, their families, and the companies they lead. Russell came to the Foundation in 2016 from the University of Minnesota Foundation, where he served from 2013 to 2016 as a development officer for the university’s Department of Medicine. Prior to that, he spent a decade at the University of Wisconsin Foundation, where he served as director of development covering the Southern United States, then athletics, and eventually the Law School. He began his career as the director of diversity and assistant field representative for the Wisconsin Alumni Association. He holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Steph, who joined the Foundation in 2018, enjoys supporting her donor families in achieving the greatest possible impact with their giving. She also serves as a charitable planning resource for attorneys, accountants, and financial advisors with philanthropic clients. Prior to joining the nonprofit sector in 2010, Steph spent more than 12 years in the financial services industry, most recently as a Trust Officer with U.S. Bank’s Private Client Group. She holds a B.A. in political science with a minor in philosophy from Loyola University of Chicago and a law degree from Hamline University School of Law. She is an active volunteer in her church community and serves on the alumni board of Mitchell Hamline Law School.

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Susan supports the integration of the recently transitioned WCA Foundation to a Signature Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation. Before joining the Foundation, she was the executive director of the WCA Foundation for six years and held a variety of other roles in corporate and community philanthropy. Born and raised in Minneapolis, she holds a B.A. in psychology and a master’s degree in nonprofit management. Susan loves dogs and is at her best with her family by her side.

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