We are focused on growth and outcomes in fundraising to advance Michigan Tech through creating, developing, and enhancing quality relationships with donors, alumni and friends, foundations, and other university and academic partners.
- Assistant Vice President for Advancement and Gift Planning
- Corporate Secretary, Michigan Tech Fund
- kaho@mtu.edu
- 906-487-1811
- ATDC 207
People could reach out to me for:
- Fundraising strategy
- Charitable giving tax law and policy
- Michigan Tech Fund policy and procedures
- Advancement and FSO/MTF policy and procedures
- Fundraising productivity and campaign progress reports
- Donor pipeline and engagement
- Advancement and Gift Planning operations
Joanne Anderson
- Director for Charitable Giving
- joanne@mtu.edu
- 906-487-2288
- Alumni House 203
Specialties
- Meet with alumni and established donors to secure major gifts valued at $25,000 or greater
- Identify and develop key potential alumni/friends/donors as top prospects within portfolio
- Meet with prospects to determine their affinity and readiness, introduce strategic opportunities, and discuss gifting options for their consideration
- Present gift proposals that best represent the donor's intention and capacity
- Assist in the gift process, follow up, and stewardship of secured gifts
- Represent College of Business and College of Computing as areas of special concentration
Jessica Comfort
- Executive Director for Advancement Services and Operations
- jcomfort@mtu.edu
- 906-487-2328
- ATDC 208
Specialties
- Provides strategic leadership to the University’s Advancement and Alumni Engagement information infrastructure
- Aligns business support functions, policies and procedures and technology infrastructure with the strategies, resources and priorities of Advancement and Alumni Engagement and the University
- Leads a team of business, data and research analysts
- Supports the stewardship and donor relations team
- Responsible for data management, advanced find, report output and dashboard creation within CRM Advance
- Provides support for the fundraising campaign consulting team
Marney Kloote
- Executive Director for Charitable Giving
- mkloote@mtu.edu
- 906-487-3395
- ATDC 212
Specialties
- Maintains a portfolio of alumni and donors to secure major gifts valued at $25,000 or greater
- Collaborate with campus partners to understand initiatives and strive for best donor outcomes
- Meet with prospective donors to gage capacity and interest in supporting university initiatives
- Offer strategic coaching to the frontline fundraising team to accelerate the donor's journey/experience
Debra Linn
- Senior Administrative Aide for Gift Administration
- dhlinn@mtu.edu
- 906-487-3340
- ATDC 217
Specialties
- Supports the Advancement and Gift Planning Team
- Drafts correspondence, maintains scholarship files, and assists with planned giving files.
- Coordinates planned gift recognition, including delivery of acknowledgement and gift.
- Assists in processing gifts, biographical updates and donor correspondence.
Mike Olson
- Associate Director for Strategy and Market Development
- olson@mtu.edu
- 906-487-4334
- Alumni House 101
Specialties
- Develops and implements the moves management and strategies relevant to a diverse set of potential donors.
- Assists in fundraising strategy for special initiatives.
- Implement specific methods and tactics to expand market potential in high- and ultra-high net worth individuals.
- Consults regularly with colleagues regarding marketing and outreach programming to identify, qualify, engage, and elevate new prospects and sustaining and legacy donors.
- Consults with Directors of Advancement to make informed recommendations for strategic qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of managed donors.
- Actively and strategically manages portfolios and pipelines to maximize donor involvement.
James Shortt
- Director for Charitable Giving
- jashort@mtu.edu
- Cell: 989-750-3465
- Alumni House 205
Specialties
- Meet with alumni and established donors to secure major gifts valued at $25,000 or greater
- Identify and develop key potential alumni, friends, donors as top prospects within portfolio
- Meet with prospects to determine their affinity and readiness, introduce strategic opportunities, and discuss gifting options for their consideration
- Present gift proposals that best represent the donor's intention and capacity
- Assist in the gift process, follow up, and stewardship of secured gifts
Joan Tapani
- Donor Relations Coordinator
- jetapani@mtu.edu
- 906-487-2907
- ATDC 214
Specialties
- Manage the day-to-day activities, correspondence, email and calendar management of the AVP for Advancement and Gift Planning
- Coordinate the Flagship Campaign working committees
- Liaison between the department and the Provost Office for management of the academic endowed positions
- Works with Alumni Engagement on the Time and Talent Initiative
- Works with Alumni Engagement on the alumni award nomination process
- Assists advancement colleagues with visit preparation materials and follow up after the visits
- Associate Director for Gift and Estate Administration
- Lean Facilitator
- llthoune@mtu.edu
- 906-487-3305
- ATDC 216
Specialties
- Leads the gift administration team, who ensures the correct entry, designation, and acknowledgement of all gifts to the University
- Leads the gift proposal and documentation process in support of the advancement team, preparing proposals and gift agreements
- Leads the management of the planned gift registry and related files and oversees the recording, acknowledgment, and realization of planned gifts
- Leads a personalized and donor-centric advancement multi-channel marketing and outreach program, with special emphasis on education
Cera Trevino
- Senior Administrative Aide for Gift Administration
- trevino@mtu.edu
- 906-487-2527
- ATDC 216
Specialties
- Supports the Advancement and Gift Planning Team
- Processes monetary gifts, gifts of securities, and gifts-in-kind
- Submits matching gift forms and verifies and confirms matching gift receipt
- Manage gift receipts and gift acknowledgement
- Updates biographical data for all constituents, including merging duplicate IDs
- Enters contact and receipt preferences and exclusions to donor records
- Director for Charitable Giving
- kvandyke@mtu.edu
- 906-487-2464
- Alumni House 204
Specialties
- Meet with alumni and established donors to secure major gifts valued at $25,000 or greater
- Identify and develop key potential alumni, friends, donors as top prospects within portfolio
- Meet with prospects to determine their affinity and readiness, introduce strategic opportunities, and discuss gifting options for their consideration
- Present gift proposals that best represent the donor's intention and capacity
- Assist in the gift process, follow up, and stewardship of secured gift
- Represent College of Science and Arts, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, and Graduate School as areas of special concentration
- Director for Charitable Gift Planning
- baweathe@mtu.edu
- 906-487-2937
- Cell: 906-370-9149
- Alumni House 205
People could reach out to me for:
- A donor situation where they might have a question on how a planned giving vehicle might help them.
Specialties
- A front-line fundraiser as a certified Specialist in Planned Giving
- Possesses maintains, and shares expert knowledge in the field of gift planning with a special emphasis on acquiring and staying current with technical expertise in the tax and legal aspects of charitable giving
- Manage onboarding of new employees to implement best practices for frontline fundraising team
- Oversees Directors for Charitable Giving as the University's major gift frontline fundraising team
- Coordinate and approve travel for frontline fundraising team