Director Spotlights

Natalie Cross Mesko, Denver, CO

Assistant Vice President
Recruitment Officer

Image"In the seven years I have been with CCS, I have grown more professionally than I ever could have imagined.  After a career in university admissions, I had many of the skills required of a successful director, but with minimal experience in development.  Through excellent supervisors, an amazing on-going training program, and an exceptional team of coworkers, I have grown to love not only the field of fund-raising consulting and campaign direction, but CCS in particular.  I have had the opportunity to work with some of the finest non-profits in the western United States.  I know that I am using my expertise to help more non-profits achieve their goals, and therefore having a greater impact on the communities in which I live.  I can’t imagine working for anyone other than CCS."

  
Education:Loyola University New Orleans – BA in Communications;
University of New Orleans – M. of Education in Higher Education
Time with CCS:
Seven years
Prior to CCS:
University admissions
Dollars Raised:
Over $107 million combined on various campaigns
Sectors Served: Education, Religious, Environmental, Cultural, Human Service

Natalie Cross Mesko's clients include:

  • Bishop Machebeuf Catholic High School, Denver, CO
  • Denver Zoological Foundation, Inc. Denver, CO
  • Colorado Symphony Orchestra,    Denver, CO
  • Elder Care Alliance, Oakland, CA
  • Fulcrum Foundation, Seattle, WA
  • Jesuit High School High School,   Portland, OR
  • Kent Denver School, Englewood, CO
  • Mercy Housing - Intercommunity Housing, Seattle, WA
  • Mercy Housing Idaho, Nampa, ID
  • St. Augustine Catholic Church,    Brighton, CO
  • St. Clare Parish, Roseville, CA
  • St. Jerome Catholic Church, Jerome, ID
  • Valley Floor Preservation Partners, Telluride, CO

 

Lillian Alonzo Marin, New York, NY

Executive Director
Marketing Officer

Image"CCS is where all that I have experienced and prepared for in life converges. Growing up in Mexico, among a population that experiences daily struggles to make ends meet, I felt a responsibility and deep desire to give back to all those needing assistance beyond their means. Today, after graduating from Columbia University with a Masters in International Affairs, I am proud to say that making a difference in the world is my way of life. Whether it be by helping raise funds for scholarships, to clean the earth, support the arts, find a cure for terminal diseases, or to bring people out of poverty, CCS has given me the opportunity to not only play my part, but to work with some of the most outstanding leaders in the non-profit sector. Together, we are individuals changing the world, one organization at a time."

  
Education: Universidad de las Americas - Puebla, Mexico;
Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, New York, NY
Time with CCS:
Four years
Prior to CCS:
 Government of Mexico, World Bank, United Nations
Dollars Raised:
Over $70 million combined on various campaigns
Sectors Served: Conservation, Arts and Culture, International Development, Education, Religious

Lillian Alonzo Marin's clients include:

  • The Chapin School, New York, NY
  • Christ Church, New York, NY
  • Drawing Center, New York, NY
  • Human Rights First, New York, NY
  • The Joyce Theater Foundation, New York, NY
  • The Maine Historical Society, Portland, ME
  • Penobscot River Restoration Trust, Augusta, ME

 

Melissa Watkins, Springfield, IL

Associate Director
Diversity Officer

Image"I joined CCS over two years ago and since then I have successfully managed projects independently, supervised a team of people, and gained a wealth of fund-raising experience.

I started out seeking an organization that would allow me to travel and work with a variety of non-profit organizations.  What I've found is a career in fund raising and an opportunity to work with phenomenal clients all across the country."

  
Education: Central Michigan University
Time with CCS:
Two years
Prior to CCS:
 Project manager for a non-profit organization
Dollars Raised:
Over $26 million combined on various campaigns 
Sectors Served: Religious, Secondary Education

Melissa Watkins' clients include:

  • Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Lawrence, KS
  • Diocese of Springfield, Springfield, IL
  • Our Lady of Good Counsel, Aurora, IL
  • Pius X High School, Lincoln, NE
  • St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Geneva, IL