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For nearly four decades, Jim Lyddy has provided senior level leadership and consulting to healthcare institutions.

Prior to starting his consulting career, Jim served as Chair, Department of Development, with Mayo Clinic, where he was responsible for the leadership of the philanthropic program and the management of the Department of Development. Jim joined Mayo in February 2005 as Associate Chair, Department of Development, becoming Vice Chair in 2006 and Chair in 2007. Jim’s signature accomplishment at Mayo was to help design and successfully manage a $1.25 billion five-year campaign.

In addition to his work in healthcare, Jim has had a wealth of experience in the higher education sector. Jim was Senior Vice President for University Advancement at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey before joining Marquette University in Milwaukee, where he served as Vice President for University Advancement. At Marquette, Jim was responsible for designing and successfully implementing a $300 million comprehensive campaign.

Jim holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in higher education administration from The Catholic University of America, a master’s degree in teaching from Fairfield University, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgetown University.

During his 30-year career, Stuart Sullivan has catalyzed multibillion-dollar fundraising campaigns at world-renowned institutions. Stuart is a first-rate campaign strategist and thought leader in the healthcare and higher education sectors.

His bold and authentic approach benefits Graham-Pelton clients as they seek to launch transformational campaigns, achieve step changes in philanthropic support, and galvanize volunteer leadership.

From 2009 to 2016, Stuart served as executive vice president and chief development officer for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which raised over $100 million annually. Prior to 2009, he served as Senior Vice President of Advancement at Temple University raising over $50 million annually. Prior to Temple, he managed 14 of 17 development programs at the University of Pennsylvania. Stuart has also provided development and alumni relations leadership to Roanoke College and Lynchburg College, where he started his fundraising career.

Stuart earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government from Roanoke College.

Recognized as one of the nation’s leaders in philanthropic coaching and training, Walt Edwards has served many of the top academic medical centers and universities across the country. Walt holds a position at the University of Texas at Austin as the Assistant Vice President for Talent Development, with a focus on creating a new fundraising culture, along with strategic visioning for academic leadership across the university. He also oversees and helps lead a comprehensive training program for TEXAS Development.

A specific area of focus for Walt has included advanced and in-depth coaching and training for physicians, veterinarians, researchers, board members/volunteers, and leadership engaged in academic healthcare philanthropy. His efforts have helped shape clear and compelling strategic visions and philanthropic engagement opportunities.

Among those that Walt has worked with are Penn Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, UNC-Chapel Hill Medical Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Emory Health, Rutgers Health, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Mississippi State University, NC State College of Veterinary Medicine, Penn Veterinary Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Conquer Cancer Foundation (ASCO), along with many others.

Walt is a graduate of Colby College and has a J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law along with a M.B.A. from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. Walt and his wife Alicia have three children, one grandchild, and currently live in Austin, Texas.

One might say that fundraising for healthcare is in Sarah Van Blarcom’s blood. Coming from a family of physicians, Sarah has long experienced the transformative effects of medical breakthroughs and compassionate care. For more than 10 years, she has harnessed this enthusiasm during her career in academic medicine and healthcare organizations.

Most recently, Sarah served as Executive Director of Philanthropy at Lahey Health, where she led the integration of fundraising efforts across the five-member system, developed and implemented campaign goals and fundraising strategies, partnered with physician staff and executive leadership, and led efforts related to physician and volunteer engagement. While at Lahey, Sarah also served as Director of Campaigns and Strategic Initiatives and Associate Director of Major Gifts. In these roles, she led campaign strategic planning for member hospitals, established the system’s first physician-engaged Philanthropy Campaign Steering Committee, and managed a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects.

Prior to Lahey, Sarah held roles as Director of Individual Giving at University of Massachusetts Medical School and UMass Memorial Health Care, Associate Director of Development for Major Gifts at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Director of Program and Marketing Development at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine, and Director of Volunteer and Internship Services at The Home for Little Wanderers.

Sarah considers her vocation “a privilege,” citing the joy derived from her work with donors who have experienced highly personal, profound life events and then channel their generosity and energy toward funding far-reaching, transformative solutions.

She is a graduate of the University of Dayton.

Prior to joining Graham-Pelton, Meg Bailey served as the Assistant Director of Development at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. Her relationship management skills enabled her to manage over 100 high-capacity major gift prospects as well as an additional portfolio of donors that drove the campaign to establish a new kidney transplant center. Meg also focused on grateful patient programming, having worked with over 40 physicians to identify and capitalize on their gift capacities.

Meg has additional development experience at The University of Chicago, College Development Office as the Assistant Director of Parent and Family Philanthropy and earlier as a Development Associate. Her responsibilities included prospect management of two main groups: non-alumni parents and the College’s most philanthropic families. She has led committee meetings and cultivation events to drive strategy. She also directed the College stewardship program by producing nearly 200 annual impact reports.

Meg earned her Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Park Administration from Illinois State University and her Master of Science in Strategic Fundraising and Philanthropy from Bay Path University.

Jim Rude brings to Graham-Pelton proven leadership in nonprofit management, with a focus on cost-effective solutions that increase efficiencies and improve service. He serves as Graham-Pelton’s leading expert in analytical solutions.

He is also an expert in donor cultivation, volunteer management, team building, and budgeting, with an emphasis on diversifying funding sources through constituent relationship management, top-class event planning, and forging private and public partnerships.

Prior to joining Graham-Pelton, Jim served as Director of Development and Communications at Worldwide Orphans Foundation, where he aligned development, communications, and program departments to turn around declining revenue.

Previously, Jim served as Director of Development at FXB International where he developed and executed aggressive fundraising strategies designed to access multiple revenue streams; researched and formed relationships with potential corporate, foundation, and individual donors; began a major gifts initiative and recognition program; and worked with USAID on a multi-year funding grant.

Jim earned his BA in Business Management from Muhlenberg College and an MBA from Monmouth University, where he graduated summa cum laude and was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society. He is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).

Adele Beekman brings to Graham-Pelton a depth and breadth of experience in development, including major gifts, prospect management, and research.

Prior to joining Graham-Pelton, Adele most recently served Harvard University in the University Development Office. Adele identified opportunities for major gift donors and conducted in-depth donor and alumni research assessing capacity and propensity. Her research developed strategies for international, capital, and principal gifts spanning several schools including the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and Harvard Business School.

Earlier in her career, Adele served as a Staff Assistant Specialist where she focused on supporting gift officers, outlining gift terms, and maintaining a corporate and foundation pipeline. Adele also drafted donor briefings for senior leadership and coordinated and executed a high-level donor’s annual stewardship event.

Adele is a graduate of Boston College, Lynch School of Education, where she earned a B.A. in Human Development and an M.A. in Higher Education. Adele was a guest lecturer at Harvard Extension School and a member of the Board of Freshman Advisers at Harvard University.

Jennifer Harris is a dynamic fundraising professional who focuses on major gifts and grants to achieve organizational growth. She has a proven record in healthcare - from developing strategic plans to engaging community partnerships to building board networks - that drive fundraising outcomes.

Prior to joining Graham-Pelton, Jennifer served as a consultant at Northwestern Medicine Office of Philanthropy where she successfully developed and launched a comprehensive community granting program in the western suburbs of Chicago and developed and designed the plan and proposal that resulted in the largest individual gift in the foundation’s history. She also helped secure $19M for the Office of Philanthropy over a two-year period.

Jennifer has served in numerous advancement roles, including Executive Director at National Louis University (NLU), where she led the team to secure its largest historic grants. Under her leadership at NLU, the team tripled fundraising in four years and decreased the cost to raise a dollar from 31% to 17%.

Jennifer has provided volunteer leadership to several nonprofits including the Poetry Center of Chicago, Heartland Alliance, and Drepung Gomang Monastery. She also founded InSight Collaborative that supported homeless youth throughout Chicago.

Jennifer earned her B.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona, an M.F.A. in Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in Community Psychology from NLU, where she also served as an Adjunct Professor in addition to her fulltime fundraising role.