OUR BOARD

A career dedicated to the art of philanthropy.  Jackie Thomas-Suggs has been a fundraising professional for over 35 years.  A student of and advocate for the promotion of the profession of development to a new and energized community. She has been a mentor to many young minority professionals who had not considered development as a career choice.

During Jackie’s career she has raised millions of dollars for higher education institutions around the country.  Her career includes fundraising for the USO in Europe, The National Office of the NAACP, The American Lung Association and the Dioceses of Baltimore and DC.  She has managed four successful capital campaigns that have resulted in institutional enhancements that will benefit those organizations for years to come.  Her professional experience in fundraising has covered all facets of a development office direct response to leadership gift acquisition.  Her focus has been the analysis of advancement operations and the processes necessary to improve donation rates and returns on investments

Jackie has been a federal applications reviewer for numerous agencies.  In this capacity she reviews applications for funding from federal agencies focusing on adherence to guidelines for compliance to eligibilities. In 2001 she launched The Dissemination Group a fundraising consultancy that works specifically with higher education advancement offices in analysis of their effectiveness and staffing patterns.

A dedicated volunteer, Jackie is on the board of directors for 3 non-profits.  She is an active member of her parish and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.  As well as an election judge for the Maryland Board of Elections and a notary public for Maryland and the District of Columbia.  She is a graduate of Howard University, and has completed graduate programs focusing on fundraising from the Kennedy School at Harvard.