Dear friends,

May has been a busy month for conferences, in-person meetings, and client events! One highlight on my calendar was the 20th anniversary and annual benefit for Collegiate Directions (CDI), where I volunteer as a board member. CDI helps low-income, first-generation students in Maryland apply, attend, and graduate from college. They offer a unique combination of mentoring, tutoring, application assistance, wellness counseling, and ongoing support that has resulted in extraordinarily high levels of success. As both a Marylander and an advocate for education, I’m excited to lend my support to their students and staff.

Navigating Uncertainty

Avalon senior leaders met in person last week to advance priority work. This included a deep dive on emerging trends in fundraising, where economic and political uncertainty is a major theme. Senior VP Jackie Libby shared a helpful resource from Harvard Business Review that outlines the situation well. Author Cheryl Strauss Einhorn explains, “Amid geopolitical instability, climate shocks, AI disruption, and more, today’s leaders aren’t navigating the occasional crisis—they’re operating in a state of perma-crisis.” This is daunting; however, we can lead through it. Einhorn recommends four guiding questions for leaders in uncertain times:

1. What decision today will still make sense a year from now?
2. If a year from now this decision was used as an example of our leadership, what would it teach?
3. What if this isn’t the storm—it’s the climate?
4. What’s the cost of waiting?

– Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, Harvard Business Review

Data-Driven Acquisition

Last week, Avalon attended the Feeding America Direct Marketing Fundraising Summit, a conference for food banks in the Feeding America network. Senior account director Kristin Dlesk presented with Lauren Webb Tolstoi of Maryland Food Bank on “Data-Driven Donor Acquisition: Advanced Targeting and Analysis,” and I participated in the closing panel on the future of direct marketing. It was inspiring to see so many organizations come together to share expertise and collaborate on Feeding America’s bold vision: “an America where no one goes hungry.”

(Left) Kristin Dlesk (Avalon), Lauren Tolstoi (Maryland Food Bank), Alexis Spence-Locke (Mercer County Food Bank), and Liz Lowe (Allegiance) after their session on data-driven acquisition. (Right) Allison Porter and Lauren Tolstoi.

American Museum Membership Conference

Say hello to Avalon if you are attending AMMC 2025 this week! On Thursday morning, VP Dara Igersheim will present with David Saunders of the National Museum of the American Indian and Colleen Morith of Friends of Smithsonian on “Building Your Midlevel Pipeline.” This session will address how to create lasting relationships with your donors, to support upgrading and deeper engagement across channels. We hope to see you there.

Together We Rise

Thank you to our clients at Bread for the City for hosting an inspiring gala on May 10, featuring a keynote by 82nd Attorney General of the United States Eric J. Holder. This year’s theme was “Together We Rise,” and our team especially loved the event’s interactive quilt-making. Attendees were invited to write messages of support on fabric pieces, which were sewn into a beautiful quilt that symbolizes the “tapestry of care” that Bread for the City weaves every day with its services. Thank you for having us!

(Left) Marketing VP Barb Perell, senior copywriter Maria Croes, and VP Dara Igersheim at the Bread for the City gala. (Right, top and bottom) Interactive quilt-making.

Sabbaticals at Avalon

Welcome back to VP Nova Cohen-Prohow, who returned from sabbatical last week. I am proud that Avalon offers this benefit—and grateful to have so many people who choose to stay with us and evolve their careers for 10+ years. Their longevity is essential to Avalon’s stability and success, and this is how we say thank you and give them an opportunity to take an extended break. If you are considering sabbaticals for yourself or your team, The Sabbatical Project is a great resource. And I’m always happy to talk about Avalon’s experience, so please reach out.

Happy Memorial Day

Avalon will be closed on Friday, May 23 and Monday, May 26 for Memorial Day. I hope everyone enjoys the break and the kickoff to summer. As we reflect on democratic values and the courage they require of every generation, I hope we will find inspiration for the path ahead. As always, I’m proud to be working alongside you.