The professionals of Consultants in Association Philanthropy have a combined 120 years providing hands-on and tailored best practice services to advance and enhance philanthropic and sponsorship income to nonprofit organizations.
Joe Skvara, CFRE, recently served as Vice President of the Advocate Charitable Foundation focused on fundraising operations. Previously Joe worked for 20 years as Senior Vice President at the Marianjoy Foundation in support of Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, IL where he was responsible for all fundraising activities including two capital campaigns. Earlier Joe worked as a fundraising consultant for Campbell & Company, a national fundraising consulting firm. Joe is a graduate of Indiana University and has served on the faculty of the College of DuPage’s Academy for Nonprofit Excellence.
Doug Diefenbach, an accomplished marketing and communications professional, has spent more than 30 years helping a wide range of nonprofits develop and then meet and exceed their goals for strategic alignment, brand visibility, constituent engagement and philanthropic revenue. Doug served as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Philanthropy for the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, a national network of 450 community-based human services organizations, and in senior positions with Advocate Charitable Foundation and Lipman Hearne Inc., a national nonprofit marketing consulting firm. Doug graduated from Miami University.
Marc Hilton worked for 25 years as Vice President for Campbell & Company, a national fundraising consulting firm, where he headed the firm’s professional society and association practice. Previously, Marc served as Vice President at the Chicago History Museum and as Director of Development at Illinois Institute of Technology. Marc has been a faculty member for 12 years at Northwestern University’s School for Professional Studies in its Nonprofit Management Certificate Program. Like Joe, Marc is a graduate of Indiana University and he also earned his MA at the University of Chicago.
Mike Bates, CFRE, is a senior advancement professional with expertise in capital campaign design/implementation, major gifts, annual giving, board development, volunteer management, and strategic planning. He is known for ability to recruit, mentor and coach staff into highly effective teams. Mike directed the $150 million Campaign for Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, the $10 million Building Orthopaedics campaign for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and the $1.5 million Take Root campaign for Quest Academy. Mike is a proud graduate of Drake University and earned his MS at DePaul University.
P. Joanne Ray has served in senior executive and CEO roles with national associations and foundations in orthopaedic research (OREF), urgent care (UCAOA), cardiac and pulmonary rehab (AACVPR), restaurant and food management (NRAEF), GI endoscopy (ASGE), emergency nursing (ENA), and veterinary medicine (AVMF). Key expertise includes major gift, capital and planned giving campaigns, feasibility studies, corporate sponsorship, volunteer training, institutional accreditation, marketing, scholarship and medical grants programs, strategic planning, and relationship management. Joanne is a graduate of Valparaiso University and is a member of AFP, ASAE, Association Forum, AAMSE, Chicago Council on Planned Giving, and AFG.
Brad Hutchins is a recognized leader, consultant and author on issues related to fundraising, non-profit leadership, and shared values between associations and for-profit organizations. Brad served as Director of Development at the American Academy of Pediatrics, Senior Vice President of Development at Easter Seals, and Chief Operating Officer at Oral Health America. In these roles, he advanced key areas of development including corporate development, individual giving, major gifts, foundations and planned giving. Brad serves on the boards of the International Pediatric Association Foundation (its first non-physician member) and the Centers for Speech and Hearing Disorders. Brad holds B.S and M.A degrees from Eastern Michigan University.
Lori Vega has over 25 years of professional experience in the not-for-profit sector with a focus on business and strategic development and fundraising for major medical societies and other not-for-profit organizations. She has served in senior executive roles for national medical associations including the Chief Development Officer for the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and Director of Strategic Partnerships for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the AAFP Foundation. Lori’s primary focus is fundraising through corporate sponsorships, developing corporate giving programs and identifying and securing grants for educational initiatives and research, both at the national, local and international levels.
Consultants in Association Philanthropy 