Client recognition, a direct mail revival, marketing lessons from a classic condiment, how to reduce public speaking anxiety, our favorite SNL skit, and more—all in this week’s @AvalonFYI dispatch. Read it here!   Dear friends, Greetings from my home in Annapolis, where I’m preparing to host the entire Avalon team for a dinner party! The […]

In this week’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, you will find benchmarks, data-driven AI, the problem with nonprofit jargon, leadership fitness, college basketball, and more. Read it here!   Dear friends, This month, as Americans filed their taxes, threats to abortion care have been all over the news. Arizona’s Supreme Court ruling, cases underway at SCOTUS, and debate […]

In this week’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, you will find advice on readability, changes at Microsoft, and a new report on the experiences of BIPOC leaders. Most importantly, we honor our former colleague, Amelia Stanley, who passed away on April 2. As Jackie Libby wrote in her moving tribute, “Amelia will be missed by all who knew […]

Hi everyone, It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the news that former Avalonian Amelia Stanley passed away from breast cancer on April 2nd. In 2012, our client at the Kennedy Center reached out to me about this amazing candidate that he interviewed but did not have a position for. He […]

In this week’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, you will find questions to ask your donors, trust-based philanthropy, high-energy meetings, Avalon career opportunities, and more. Read it here!   Dear friends, It was shocking and very sad to watch the Francis Scott Key Bridge fall in last week’s shipping accident. I’m grateful that they were able to halt traffic […]

The first quarter of calendar year 2024 is winding down! In this week’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, learn how we’re taking stock and get the latest on the TikTok ban, AI, trauma-informed messaging, introverted leadership, Avalon team building and more. Read it here:   Dear friends, We are winding down the first quarter of calendar year 2024. Wherever […]

In this week’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, the latest on big tech’s new email security requirements, donor advised funds, conference news, how to procrastinate less, teambuilding, and more. Plus, a tribute to an old friend. Read it below:   Dear friends, Today is the first day of spring. We made it! Right on cue, the cherry blossoms […]

In this week’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, you will find a time capsule, mentorship, HR trends, communication across generations, a new typeface, your deep-sea personality, and more. Read it here!   Dear friends, Today marks 4 years since we sent our staff home to work remotely, due to COVID closures. I am reminded of the first email […]

Below is the text of the email I sent to clients on March 10, 2020.  Subject: Avalon is prepared Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at 9:08:23 AM EDT From: Allison Porter Greetings! As we continue to watch the impact of COVID-19 unfold, please know your Avalon teams are prepared to respond to changing dynamics and […]

Back in the fall, Google and Yahoo announced a new set of email security requirements for any group sending emails to more than 5,000 names at once, and now that the deadline for the new requirements is approaching, we’re focused on ensuring our clients are up to speed and in compliance. Combined, Google and Yahoo […]