CCS Fundraising

Type: Leadership

Access and equity motivate Marc’s career in the philanthropic sector. Early on, his interest in education and LGBTQIA+ rights compelled him to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector. He launched his career working for premier education and justice-minded institutions in Chicago, and volunteering for the Human Rights Campaign.

With a desire to do more and improve access to other needs, Marc joined CCS in 2011 and has since dedicated himself to diverse causes bringing education, healthcare, and human services to communities locally, nationally, and worldwide. Every day, Marc provides leadership, strategy, and philanthropic advice to the non-profit sector and social impact space. He brings more than 15 years of professional fundraising and non-profit experience to CCS.

Marc designs, advises, and directs a diverse portfolio of clients across the non-profit spectrum, primarily in healthcare, education, religious, and human services sector. He has resourced fundraising initiatives that have raised more than $500 million.

Originally from San Diego, California, Marc earned his B.A. in Political Science at the University of California, Santa Cruz before moving to Chicago to pursue an M.P.P.A. at Northwestern University. Marc moved to New York City in 2014 and lives in the West Village neighborhood with his fiancé, Michael. He enjoys running marathons, traveling, learning languages, and trying new restaurants.

select client partners

  • Catholic Health Services of Long Island, Long Island, NY
  • Ellis Medicine, Schenectady, NY
  • Maurice A. Deane School of Law, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
  • Teach for America New York, New York, NY
  • The Lustgarten Foundation, New York, NY
  • Futures in Education, Brooklyn, NY
  • Staten Island Academy, Staten Island, NY
  • Northern Westchester Hospital
  • Peconic Bay Medical Center, Riverhead, NY
  • Diocese of Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY

Dr. Ashutosh Nandeshwar thrives on creating effective systems and processes with tools and technology. With his education in systems engineering, artificial intelligence, and design thinking, he built solutions to improve fundraising results at the world’s top higher education institutions. He has written multiple books, including a co-authored book titled “Data Science for Fundraising.”

Ashutosh says, “CCS works with a range of nonprofit organizations, and that offers a unique opportunity to apply data science and analytics at scale to make a significant impact in the world.”

Ashutosh earned Ph.D. and MS in Industrial Engineering, specializing in machine learning, and an MS in design thinking. He loves speaking about the power of data and is invited to give keynotes at national conferences. He is an active member of various professional organizations, including a term on Apra’s board, where he led the planning of the data science curriculum for the fundraising industry. 

Charlie Michaud, Principal and Managing Director at CCS, brings more than 27 years of professional fundraising experience to the clients we serve. Based now in New York City after 15 years in the UK and Ireland, Charlie’s career spans working in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Charlie’s counsel has helped our clients raise more than $1 billion worldwide to advance important causes including: education, food security, global health, human rights, international relief and development, medical research, and poverty eradication. His areas of expertise includes campaign design and management, corporate partnerships, and mobilizing resources from governments.

Charlie has provided strategic counsel and high-level coaching to senior executives, board members, philanthropists and government officials. He has trained fundraising volunteers across diverse cultures and regularly presents on fundraising trends and best practices.

Elizabeth is a thought leader in philanthropy and expert in fundraising. She has led capital campaigns and development initiatives that have collectively raised nearly one billion dollars for education, healthcare, arts and culture, and advocacy organizations.

Since joining CCS in 2013, Elizabeth has partnered with institutions to plan and implement large-scale fundraising campaigns with revenue goals ranging from $5 million to over $1 billion. In this role, she provides counsel on strategic planning, major gifts fundraising, and board engagement. She has directed campaign feasibility studies, served in interim development roles, and managed annual campaigns and special fundraising events.

Elizabeth is an Instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches “Fundraising & Philanthropy: The Donor Journey” to graduate students in the Nonprofit Leadership Program. She serves on the board of the Nonprofit Leadership Program Alumni Association, and in 2020, she was inducted into the School of Social Policy and Practice Alumni Hall of Fame for her work with mission-driven organizations.

In 2022, Elizabeth was recognized by BELLA Magazine as a “Woman of Influence in Philanthropy.” She is a board member at the Association of Fundraising Professionals NYC Chapter, where she also serves on the Mentorship Committee, and is a regular contributor to NonProfit PRO. You can find Elizabeth offering her fundraising expertise at industry conferences, on nonprofit podcasts, and on social media platforms including LinkedIn and Instagram.

Elizabeth holds a Masters in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter and is an avid hiker, traveler, and tea drinker.

Elizabeth’s Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access:

Elizabeth’s belief in social justice influenced her fundraising career: In rural Rwanda, she volunteered at a youth village for vulnerable Rwandan youth that was founded in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide. In Jaipur, India, she lived and studied the generational empowerment of Indian women, working with mothers seeking to build lives of dignity and prosperity for themselves and their families. These global experiences—grounded in the values of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access—motivated Elizabeth to improve the world through philanthropy.

Select client Partners

  • ADL (Anti-Defamation League)
  • Baptist Health South Florida
  • Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
  • The Chapin School
  • The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
  • Columbia University School of Nursing
  • E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation
  • Friends Academy
  • The Hewitt School
  • Larchmont Temple
  • The Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
  • Museum of West African Art
  • New York Youth Symphony
  • The Newark Public Library
  • NYU Stern School of Business
  • The Parkinson’s Foundation
  • The Police Athletic League
  • The Ramaz School
  • The School of American Ballet
  • The Spence School
  • The Speyer Legacy School
  • Sutton Place Synagogue
  • Two Ten Footwear Foundation
  • Versiti Blood Research Institute

recent resources

Jessica brings more than a decade of professional fundraising and non-profit management experience to the clients we serve. A talented major gift fundraiser and strategist, she has partnered with local and global organizations to design and manage successful fundraising initiatives.

Jessica has significant experience conducting fundraising audits and feasibility studies; developing major gift strategies for individuals and corporations; conducting prospect research; coaching and mentoring organizational leaders; and managing transformational campaigns.

Jessica has worked with a diverse group of not-for-profit organizations spanning education, advocacy, international relief and development, health, arts, and other global imperatives.

Prior to joining CCS, Jessica worked with organizations including Umbrella Foundation in Nepal, Concern Worldwide, Robin Hood Foundation and the Office of the President of the General Assembly at the United Nations.

Jessica earned an M.A. in International Development from University College Dublin, and a B.S. in Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University. Jessica lived and worked in Dublin, Ireland for four years with CCS and now resides in her hometown of New York City with her husband, son, and Bernadoodle, Murph.

select client partners

  • The Motley Fool Foundation
  • Asia Society
  • Lehigh Valley Health Network
  • The Nature Conservancy China
  • Stamford Symphony
  • University College Dublin
  • Philanthropy University
  • Science Gallery International
  • Mercy International Association
  • Aurora Humanitarian Initiative
  • New York Common Pantry

Hannah’s professional fundraising experience spans from working with individual donors to extensive capital campaigns across all sectors. From campaign planning and management, to implementing feasibility and planning studies, Hannah has a broad range of experience with CCS. Her feasibility study engagements include extensive strategic conversations, peer benchmarking, prospect qualification and campaign approaches. Hannah has directed campaigns, with goals upwards of $100 million, through strategic planning and execution with an emphasis on board development, major and planned gifts, and building sustainable cultures of philanthropy.

Hannah is a key leader within the firm’s gift planning work, advising on client gift planning strategy, providing training opportunities, and elevating mission-based giving through current and deferred gifts. Serving on the executive board of the Colorado Planned Giving Roundtable, Hannah shares her knowledge of gift planning across the Mountain West and with other gift planning associations in the United States.

Originally from Minnesota, Hannah resides in Denver, Colorado where she spends time outside of work creating a wildflower garden at her home, taking her pup on hikes, and sipping tea on her patio with her cat.

Select client partners

  • Castilleja School; Palo Alto, CA
  • Denver Center for the Performing Arts; Denver, CO
  • Food Bank for Larimer County; Loveland, CO
  • Judi’s House; Denver, CO
  • Miami City Ballet; Miami, FL
  • Portland Art Museum; Portland, OR
  • Rowland Hall; Salt Lake City, UT
  • St. Anthony Health Foundation; Lakewood, CO
  • The Salvation Army Intermountain Division; Denver, CO
  • University of California Merced; Merced, CA
  • University of Utah, Health Sciences; Salt Lake City, UT
  • Women’s Bean Project; Denver, CO

resources

Estate & Charitable Planning 2020 | Insights on the Generational Wealth Transfer
The State of Planned Giving in Fundraising: Legacy Gifts as the Future Cash Opportunity

Polly is a Senior Vice President at CCS Fundraising. In this capacity, she has successfully partnered with nonprofit clients in a variety of sectors across Colorado. Polly believes in the transformative power of philanthropy and has worked with organizations to help them reach the most ambitious fundraising goals in the history of their organizations. Polly has effectively conducted feasibility and planning studies, developed major gifts programs, led teams through change, built systems, and led her clients in the planning and execution of major capital and comprehensive campaigns.

Polly is from Denver and is active in the Colorado community. She is on the Board of Trustees at Denver Academy and sits on the governance committee. Additionally, she recently completed two terms on the Board of Directors for KIPP Colorado Schools and was the co-chair of their development committee. Polly is an alumnus of the Institute for Leaders in Development through the University of Denver. Previously, she was the Managing Director of Development and Managing Director of Individual Giving at Teach For America Colorado where she led the team in raising over $35 million. She also taught 3rd grade in Los Angeles (LA) and served as an instructional coach in LA and Denver. Polly has a B.A. in Spanish Literature from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a certification in elementary urban education from the University of California Los Angeles.

Polly lives in Denver with her spouse and two young daughters.

Select client Partners

  • Book Trust
  • Center for the Arts
  • Civic Center Conservancy
  • Colorado Public Radio
  • Colorado Rocky Mountain School
  • Denver Academy
  • Denver Health Foundation
  • The Denver Foundation
  • Denver Indoor Pools
  • Girl Scouts of Colorado
  • Mile High United Way
  • National Jewish Health
  • Santa Fe Preparatory School
  • St. Elizabeth’s School
  • St. John’s Cathedral
  • Temple Emanuel Denver
  • Women’s Foundation of Colorado

Allison Willner founded and leads CCS Fundraising’s Systems practice area, partnering with complex organizations to holistically analyze fundraising operations and assess the integrity of key development workflows.

Centered on ‘data in practice’, her work evaluates the ability of client systems and processes to support effective, impactful development programs – given where each organization is now, and where they aim to grow. A strong believer in the power of storytelling, she helps clients take ownership of their data narratives and create clear sight lines from individual activity to big-picture goals.

Allison has an MBA from Columbia Business School, and a BA in creative writing from SUNY Binghamton. She loves good coffee, magical realism, unusual houseplants, and making data visualizations for fun.

select client partners

  • American Museum of Natural History
  • Bard College
  • Catholic Health
  • Child Mind Institute
  • Duke Health
  • Duke University
  • Inova Health Foundation
  • Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health
  • NAACP
  • Operation Smile
  • United Way Worldwide
  • University of Maryland Medical System Foundation
  • Wesleyan University

Edward Van Saders leads Financial Operations and Business Strategy for CCS. Edward has 30 years of experience in leadership roles across a broad range of start-ups, global media companies, and nonprofits. In this role, Edward oversees all financial functions.

Prior to joining CCS, Edward was the Chief Strategy Officer of a portfolio of privately owned media assets, leading finance, corporate development, and administration for 12 years. Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer of AccuWeather, the digital brand Heavy.com, and the environmental media company EcoMedia (subsequently sold to CBS). Earlier in his career, he held financial leadership positions at NBC-Universal, News Corporation, and the Jim Henson Company.

Edward holds a BFA and a certificate in nonprofit management from Marymount Manhattan College where he currently serves on the Board of Trustees. Edward resides in Rockland County and Cape Cod with his family, including triplet daughters.

Leigh has more than a decade of experience working with and within nonprofit organizations. Since joining CCS in 2013, she has partnered with organizations throughout the country and across the spectrum of nonprofits sectors, including arts and culture, healthcare, and education to raise over $500M in capital and programmatic funding.

She has led the design of large-scale fundraising initiatives and extraordinary campaigns and has counseled organizations with financial targets ranging from $2M to $1B. Much of Leigh’s work has focused on campaign design and planning, principal and major gift strategies, board engagement and growth, organizational and development assessments, feasibility and planning studies, and interim development management. She has partnered with organizations to develop strategic donor engagement plans and drive overall philanthropic revenue.

Leigh is a graduate of Tulane University where her passion for philanthropy grew as she coordinated logistics and communication efforts for several Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. She has visited more than 25 countries, on 5 continents, witnessing the great challenges in developing nations. She recognizes the direct impact of generosity on a global scale and remains inspired by partnering with clients to achieve their philanthropic goals and see real impact in the world.

Select Client Partners

  • Abington Friends School, PA
  • Archdiocese of Hartford, CT
  • Bideawee, NY
  • Diocese of Charlotte, NC
  • Easy Water for Everyone, NY
  • Film at Lincoln Center, NY
  • Jazz at Lincoln Center, NY
  • Lincoln Center Theater, NY
  • New York Genome Center, NY
  • St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, MD
  • Virtua Foundation, NJ
  • Weill Cornell Medicine, NY