Adrienne Capps
Leadership Studies, Marketing and International Business graduate from University of Richmond with MBA from Pace University. Currently working as professional fundraiser with a burgeoning food empire on the side.
| Headline: | Entrepreneur |
| Work status: | Employed Full-Time |
| Website: | http://www.vegetarianized.com |
| Industries: | Entertainment, Food and Drink, Lifestyle, Retail |
| Skills: | Business, Copy Writing, Editing, Entrepreneurship, Event planning, Investment, Leadership, Management, Marketing, Negotiation, Public Relations, Public speaking, Sales, Writing |
| Next step: | We are transitioning www.charityvintner.org to an online wine store where you can buy wine and choose your favorite charity for a portion of the proceeds to go to. Otherwise, I am writing for Davis Life Magazine, Sacmag.com Food & Drink blog, Edible Sacramento and hope soon, Chow. com, in addition to my blog, Vegetarianized.com. I also teach cooking classes twice per month. |
| Location: | Davis, CA |
| Groups: | Big Bang! Business Plan Competition |
| Interested in: | Brainstorming, Career advice, Consulting opportunities, Employment opportunities, Finding experts, Finding mentors, Getting press, Growing my group, Meeting new people, Professional opportunities, Promoting my startups, Raising money, Receiving feedback, Starting a company |
| Tags: | Cooking, exercise, food, food blog, food empire, food writing, health, Running, Traveling, vegetarian, Wine |
| Schools: | New York University, Pace University, University of Richmond |
WORK EXPERIENCE
| Employer: | Sacmag.com Eat & Drink Blog, www.sacmag.com |
| Position: | Food Blogger |
| Time period: | February 2010 - Present |
| Description: | Write weekly for Sacmag.com's Eat & Drink blog with a new recipe and photo. Published on Mondays. |
| Employer: | Edible Sacramento, www.ediblesacramento.com |
| Position: | Food Writer |
| Time period: | December 2009 - Present |
| Description: | Write quarterly articles about food and wine for the Sacramento region. |
| Employer: | Davis Food Coop/City of Davis Recreation |
| Position: | Cooking Class Teacher |
| Time period: | February 2009 - Present |
| Description: | Teach monthly classes for both groups on a variety of topics. Past classes include Vegetarian Spanish Tapas, Soups & Stews, Local In-Season and Homemade Veggie Burgers. |
| Employer: | Davis Life Magazine, www.davislifemagazine.com |
| Position: | Food Writer |
| Time period: | August 2008 - Present |
| Description: | An exclusively online monthly magazine about Davis, CA. My contribution is articles about food and wine in and around the city. |
| Employer: | Vegetarianized.com |
| Position: | Founder, Blogger |
| Time period: | March 2008 - Present |
| Description: | A blog where I transform meat dishes into vegetarian or improve vegetarian recipes and put the results up in a weekly post called the Sunday Serving. |
| Employer: | Vintners Charitable Cooperative, www.charityvintner.org |
| Position: | Managing Director, West Coast |
| Time period: | March 2008 - Present |
| Description: | The Vintner’s Charitable Cooperative (VCC) is the first international organization of winemakers dedicated to charitable causes. VCC plans on being the vehicle by which the worlds’ great winemakers are introduced to main stream consumers. Via internet sales and wine club memberships, nonprofit organizations will receive 50% of the net profits from all the wine sold from club memberships purchased on their unique VCC website. |
| Employer: | University of California, Davis, Graduate School of Management, Davis, CA. www.gsm.ucdavis.edu |
| Position: | Senior Director of Development |
| Time period: | September 2007 - Present |
| Description: | Total Funds Raised to Date: $200,000
• Provide leadership in the key areas of planning, administration, analysis, and execution of major gift solicitations to assure the achievement of School objectives. • Responsible for creating an extensive program of engagement between the School and external constituencies that will encourage private philanthropy to the School from alumni, friends, parents, foundations and corporations. |
| Employer: | Swish, New York, NY. www.swishpride.org |
| Position: | Board of Directors, Treasurer |
| Time period: | December 2003 - Present |
| Description: | Swish is a gay-straight alliance that provides opportunities for straight women and men to contribute their time, energy, and talents to furthering the LGBT rights movement. Swish envisions a world in which the equality and freedom of all LGBT people is valued and celebrated. |
| Employer: | Pace University, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, New York, NY. www.pace.edu/dyson |
| Position: | Director of Development and Alumni Relations |
| Time period: | August 2004 - July 2007 |
| Description: | Total Funds Raised: $2.9M
• Cultivate, solicit and secure major/planned gifts from prospects with capacity of $25,000+ for $100M Centennial Campaign (College Goal: $13.5M; Raised by Aug 2007: $9.9M). • Manage and track a portfolio of 150+ alumni, corporate and foundation prospects using strategic ‘moves management’ techniques (from identification to stewardship). • Work with dean, faculty and fundraising colleagues to successfully secure more than 80% of funds requested of new prospects and lapsed donors for key College initiatives and programs. • Establish and provide fundraising education to a Campaign Steering Committee to increase financial commitment, and employ their expertise, resources, and alumni connections. • Ensure appropriate, timely acknowledgement of gifts, financial reports, and scholarship recipient information in coordination with central philanthropy and finance offices. |
| Employer: | New York University Child Study Center, New York, NY. www.AboutOurKids.org |
| Position: | Acting Director of Development, Associate Director of Development |
| Time period: | June 2002 - November 2003 |
| Description: | Total Funds Raised: $11.7M
• Ensured a smooth transition and continued fundraising success as Acting Director of Development through immediate contact with foundation, corporate, individual donors and board members, the assessment of the current fundraising position and building relationships with staff leadership. • Oversaw all philanthropic fundraising efforts as sole development officer for $18M research institution with 200+ employees and $8.4M annual fundraising goal. • Planned and implemented organization’s first annual fund raising more than $65,000 in first year. • Coordinated solicitation for an annual major event with 800+ guests and revenue of $3M+. • Secured $6M+ in grants from corporate/private foundations, annual fund donors and through government appropriations. |
| Employer: | Gateway Homes of Greater Richmond, Richmond, VA. www.gatewayhomes.org |
| Position: | Director of Development and Public Relations |
| Time period: | January 2000 - May 2002 |
| Description: | Total Funds Raised: $1.2M
• Led development and communications department after just 18 months in the field. • Established annual fundraising budget and marketing plan to ensure more than $0.80 of each dollar raised was earmarked for programs. • Assisted in the matching of a key foundation pledge of $500,000, which not only was the largest gift ever received, but provided the momentum to successfully finish the first capital campaign. • Constructed a brand identity that defined the organization’s work in the community, including logo creation and developing a consistent image/message that permeated through all materials. • Gained exposure in regional media outlets for programs, mission and organizational leaders to educate target audiences about important social issues and/or increase financial and volunteer support. |
| Employer: | Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond, Richmond, VA. www.bgcmr.org |
| Position: | Special Events Volunteer |
| Time period: | December 1999 - November 2002 |
| Employer: | Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond, Richmond, VA. www.bgcmr.org |
| Position: | Director of Development Information, Development Asst |
| Time period: | August 1998 - December 1999 |
| Description: | Total Funds Raised: $3.0M
• Conducted research to identify new, appropriate prospects for Annual and Capital Campaigns. • Facilitated staff and board committees to plan and implement several annual fundraising events generating more than $250,000 and a 10% increase in new donors in one fiscal year. • Assisted in the revision of gift and stewardship policies in preparation for capital campaign. |
EDUCATION
| University: | Pace University |
| Time period: | 2005 - 2008 |
| Degree: | Financial Management: Investment Management, MBA |
| University: | New York University |
| Time period: | 2003 - 2005 |
| Degree: | Fundraising Administration, None |
| University: | University of Richmond |
| Time period: | 1994 - 1998 |
| Degree: | Leadership Studies, BA |
| University: | University of Richmond |
| Time period: | 1994 - 1998 |
| Degree: | Business Administration: Marketing/International Business, BSc |
PUBLICATIONS
| Articles: | "Stone Beer Festival" Davis Life Magazine Mar 2010
"Wicky Wacky Woo" Edible Sacramento Winter 2010 “Gastronomy and Giving.” Advancing Philanthropy Mar/April 2008: 20-21. |
| Books: | Nonprofit Guide to Going Green, Dec 2009, editor/chapter author
Internet Management for Nonprofits: Strategies, Tools and Trade Secrets, Apr 2010, chapter author |
INFORMATION
| Hobbies: | Professionalization of fundraising field; writing for professional fundraising and food/wine publications; food, wine, and nutrition; exercise (completed Manhattan Half-Marathon, 2004). |
| Memberships: | Association of Fundraising Professionals, Davis, CA, New York, NY and Richmond, VA. www.afpnet.org.
Member, California Capital Chapter. 2007 – present. Board of Directors, Greater New York Chapter. 2007. National Philanthropy Day Committee, Greater New York Chapter. 2002 – 2007. National Philanthropy Day and Nominating Committees, Central Virginia Chapter. 2000 – 2002. Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, Davis, CA and New York, NY. www.case.org. Member. 2004 – present. Lubin Graduate Society, Pace University, New York, NY. www.pace.edu/lubin. Board of Directors. 2006 – 2008. Virginia Fundraising Executives, Richmond, VA. www.vafre.org. Board of Directors, Membership Services Chair, Member. 1998 – 2002. |
| Awards: | Investment Management Award Lubin School of Business (May 2008); Beta Gamma Sigma International Honors Society; Sigma Iota Epsilon Management Honors Society; Omicron Delta Epsilon International Economics Honors Society; Gateway Homes Award for Outstanding Service (Dec 2001); AFP: George Peterson Scholarship Recipient (Nov 2001); Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond Employee of the Month (Mar 1999). |
