At this year's annual meeting, NEDRA welcomed five new NEDRA board members. Get to know them here!

James W. Cheng, Ph.D.

Assistant Director of Analytics, Development Research

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute & The Jimmy Fund

 

James currently holds the position of Assistant Director of Analytics in Development Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Like many folks in development research, James' background is not directly related to philanthropy or fundraising. Other than resource development, he's made intellectual and professional forays into cell and development biology, secondary science education, as well as educational research, measurement, and evaluation. While finishing up a doctorate degree in applied statistics in education at Boston College, James' interest in development was piqued when he also took on the role of Prospect Data Mining and Modeling Specialist at MIT from 2006 to 2008. After spending time in the corporate world as a healthcare market researcher, James returned to "the Light," working at Dana-Farber since January of 2011.

 

 

Anne Brownlee

Director of Development Research

Harvard Medical School

 

Anne Brownlee is the Director of Development Research at Harvard Medical School. She was previously Assistant Director of Research and Training Manager at Harvard’s Office of Alumni Affairs and Development, where she oversaw research efforts in the New York Region and London, and worked to educate researchers and fundraisers on wealth and philanthropic trends. Anne joined Harvard in 2006 after two years as a Senior Research Analyst at Brown University. She started her career in development research in 2002 at Brandeis University. She has a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College and a master's degree in library science from Indiana University.

 

 

Ian T. Wells

Associate Director of Development, Prospect Research

Massachusetts General Hospital

 

Ian T. Wells serves as Associate Director of Development, Prospect Research at Massachusetts General Hospital.  In this role, he oversees a team of research officers, manages fundraiser portfolios and provides proactive and reactive research on prospective donors.  His accomplishments include leading efforts to create several development plans for the $1.5 billion Campaign for the Third Century of MGH Medicine, developing a training program for new researchers, orienting new development staff to research and initiating proactive research protocols.

 

Prior to joining Mass General in 2008, Mr. Wells was a Senior Prospect Researcher at the Children’s Hospital Trust, the fundraising arm of Children’s Hospital Boston.  He previously worked in a number of positions at the Trust, where he first entered the industry as a Development Associate of Prospect Research in 2001.  Mr. Wells is an alumnus of Boston College.   

 

 

Lisa Foster

Director of Development Research

Phillips Academy

 

Lisa Foster graduated from Phillips Academy in 1984, and from Oberlin College 1988.  She worked in a variety of industries prior to her life in development, doing everything from organizing a summer exchange program for students from France, to selling Tupperware.  In 2007, she joined the staff of Phillips Academy as a Prospect Researcher and is now the Director of Development Research there.  She sits on the Community Service Advisory Board at Phillips Academy and is the founder of the Sunshine Committee.  She also serves as a Director of the Haverhill Foundation for Excellence in Education and of the Discovery Club Programs in Haverhill.  Lisa has written an article for the NEDRA news, is a member of the Editorial Committee of the NEDRA Industry News Blog, has coordinated the Room Monitors for the NEDRA conferences, and has served as a Room Monitor at the annual conference for the last several years.  She lives in Haverhill, MA with her four children, an exuberant puppy and a parakeet.

 

Suzy Campos

Director of Advancement Research

Amherst College

 

Suzy Campos has been in the fundraising field for over ten years. She is the Director of Advancement Research at Amherst College. Previously, she was Assistant Director of Research and Prospect Management at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. Her first prospect research position was at Children’s Memorial Hospital Foundation in Chicago. Earlier in her career, she had stints at Grenzebach Glier & Associates, McKinsey & Company, the Chicago Public Library, and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco. Suzy holds an MILS degree from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s in Comparative Literature from the University of Massachusetts. She has served on the NEDRA Conference Planning Committee for the past two years. As a NEDRA board member, she is looking forward to serving as Conference Co-Chair, Board Secretary, and representing the Western New England region.