Elevate your fundraising skills with our masterclass on “Making the Ask and Major Gifts.” Led by accomplished and renowned local fundraisers, this session will provide you with expert techniques and strategies for securing major gifts. Learn how to effectively prepare for and execute your asks, and maximize your fundraising potential. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to major gifts, this session offers invaluable insights to help you achieve remarkable results.
- Karen Bissonnette, Chief Development Officer, Falmouth Housing Trust
- Michael Lach, Executive Director, Harwich Conservation Trust
- Beatrice Gremlich, Executive Director of Advancement, Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation
About the Presenters
Karen Bissonnette
Chief Development Officer, Falmouth Housing TrustKaren has over a thirty-five-year career in fund raising and non-profit management. She is currently the Chief Development Officer for Falmouth Housing Trust having recently stepped down as the Executive Director after seven years.
Karen was previously Chief Development Officer of the Community Health Center of Cape Cod and Executive Director of the Falmouth Hospital Foundation. She also serves as President of the Falmouth Scholarship Association and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Kelley Foundation. Karen is a Corporator of the Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, serves as a Falmouth Town Meeting Member, was a member of the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Cape Cod for more than twenty years and Falmouth Road Race, Inc for more than ten.
A resident of Falmouth, Karen graduated from Falmouth High School and from Northwestern University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology.
Michael Lach
Executive Director, Harwich Conservation TrustMichael was raised on the Cape and after seeing dramatic changes to natural lands, he started on a path of land preservation to help protect our shared sense of place. He attended Cornell University and then UMass Dartmouth graduate school.
He started with the nonprofit Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) in 2000. Concurrently, he served for 19 years as Assistant Director of The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, a regional land trust organization that provides technical assistance to more than 30 land trusts and watershed organizations on the Cape and in SE Mass.
Thanks to the work of the HCT staff and Board of Trustees as well as dedicated volunteers and forward-thinking donors, HCT has accelerated and expanded land preservation and water resource protection success in Harwich as a leading land trust on the Cape. Over the past several years, Mike, the HCT team, generous donors, and project partners have raised $12 million to preserve priority lands that protect our shared waters, wildlife habitat, walking trails, scenic vistas, and other environmental elements that create our unique Cape Cod setting. To learn more about HCT’s land-saving work and volunteer opportunities, please visit harwichconservationtrust.org.
Beatrice Gremlich
Executive Director of Advancement, Cape Cod Healthcare FoundationA proud graduate of Boston College (go Eagles!), Bea spent the first two decades of her career working in sales and marketing for the hospitality and high tech industries. When she decided to make a meaningful career change, Bea attended Philanthropy Day on Cape Cod to get a better understanding of non-profit fundraising. That day she was fortunate enough to meet the Executive Director of the Cape Symphony, who eventually made her an offer to join their organization. Bea spent four years as Director of Development, an exciting time during which they celebrated their 50th Anniversary and merged with the Cape Conservatory. She left Cape Symphony to join the Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation, where she has spent the last twelve years. Bea is grateful to play an important role in the mission of Cape Cod Healthcare (CCHC) to coordinate and deliver the highest quality, accessible health services, which enhance the health of all Cape Cod residents and visitors. During her time at CCHC, Bea has been involved in two successful fundraising campaigns, one to build two new Emergency Rooms (Cape Cod Hospital, Falmouth Hospital) and the most recent Campaign for Cape Cod Healthcare – Quality. Trust. Partnership. Bea was able to secure two significant gifts for this campaign: an $800,000 Bitcoin gift from an anonymous donor, the first ever for CCHC, and a $10M gift from the Barbey Family to name the new Edwin Barbey Patient Care Pavilion, the largest single gift to Cape Cod Hospital.
Event Timeslots (1)
The Hyannisport Room
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Session 1C - Meet the Masters