Amy Schiffman, MSW

Since founding Giving Tree Associates in 2008, Amy Schiffman has assisted her clients in raising over $8 million in major gifts and nearly $2 million in grant funding. As a principal of the firm, Amy manages annual campaigns, conducts board leadership and solicitation training, builds strategic marketing and communication plans, and assists with the recruitment of lay leadership.

Amy has worked in the nonprofit sector for over eighteen years.  Prior to founding Giving Tree Associates, Amy served as Director of Development at Ida Crown Jewish Academy, where she managed a $35 million capital campaign and a $3 million annual campaign incorporating corporate, foundation, major gift and planned giving programs. Before joining ICJA, Amy served as Director of Development and Communications at Jewish Council for Youth Services, where she raised over $6 million in annual, capital and planned gift campaigns, managed the agency’s marketing program, and developed its first formal alumni council. Amy also held several positions with United Jewish Communities, where she led a national leadership development effort and a $4 million major gifts program. Her career began at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago as Director of Campus Campaigns for The Hillels of Illinois. 

Amy’s work in the nonprofit world also includes extensive experience as a volunteer board member and community activist. She served for three years as Vice President of Chicago's Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society Board of Directors and on fundraising committees for the Evanston I Have a Dream Project and the Romona School PTA.

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Stefanie Pessis Weil, MSW

Since founding Giving Tree Associates in 2008, Stefanie Pessis Weil has assisted her clients in raising over $5 million through annual and capital campaigns. As a principal of the firm, Stefanie plans and implements capital campaigns, manages annual campaigns, coordinates major gift efforts, creates strategic campaign material, designs direct mail initiatives, builds committee structures and helps the organization to identify effective volunteer leadership.

Stefanie has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 15 years. Before founding Giving Tree Associates, Stefanie served as the project manager for Ida Crown Jewish Academy's $35 million capital campaign. She coordinated all campaign logistics, including the strategic plan, real estate, campaign budget, major gift development and a community campaign plan.

Before joining ICJA, Stefanie served as Assistant Director of Capital Projects at Jewish Council for Youth Services, where she raised over $3 million in private donations and government funding. Stefanie began her career as the Recruitment and Volunteer Coordinator at Jewish Big Brother & Big Sister Association in Boston, MA.

Stefanie enjoys volunteering for community and national organizations and currently serves as the Co-Founder and Chair of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Next Generation Group of Chicago.

She received her Bachelor's degree with honors in History from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Masters of Social Work with a Certificate in Jewish Communal Service from the University of Michigan, School of Social Work and the Sol Drachler Program in Jewish Communal Leadership. She lives in Highland Park, Illinois with her husband and three children.

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Consultants

Judy Gadiel, MSW, MS

Judy Gadiel joined Giving Tree Associates in November 2010 as a Consultant specializing in major gift development and endowment planning. She currently works with GTA clients to build capacity through campaign management, board development, special event planning and prospect list development.

Judy has over 16 years professional experience in the non-profit sector. Her most recent position was as Development Associate, Endowment at Jewish Child and Family Services, where she wrote grants and managed their Endowment Campaign. Judy is an experienced clinician, educator and trainer, with excellent written communication skills.

She holds both a bachelor and masters degree in social work from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and Jane Addams College of Social Work, respectively. In 2005 she graduated from Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, Center for Non-Profit Management, with a Master of Science degree.

Active in her community, Judy's volunteer experience includes three years at Chicago Women's Health Center and five years leading a Chicago based Girl Scout Troop.   She lives in Chicago with her husband and three children.

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Senior Associate Consultants

Lizzy Sternberg

Since joining Giving Tree Associates in 2009, Lizzy has played a vital support role for Giving Tree clients. As an Associate Consultant, she has implemented donor software programs and designed fundraising materials such as newsletters, training manuals, invitations, letterhead and commitment forms. She has managed volunteer efforts and worked with client administrative staff to execute Giving Tree Associates' strategies.

Before joining Giving Tree Associates in 2009, Lizzy worked for the Obama for America Campaign in the Constituent Outreach Department. In this position she both researched and wrote comprehensive reports on constituent groups, as well as prepared targeted materials for various constituent fundraising and educational events.

Currently, Lizzy volunteers at the PAWS Chicago adoption center. In 2008, she volunteered her time to the Get-Out-the-Vote Campaign in Toledo, OH as well as the Dan Seals for Congress Campaign.

As an undergraduate in Political Science at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Lizzy worked in fundraising with the campus Hillel as a phonathon fundraiser. She also presented Sex Education Reform to the Michigan Legislature as a member of the Michigan Student Caucus.

Email Lizzy at:

 

Associate Consultants

Jason Melo Hall

Jason Melo Hall joined Giving Tree Associates in the fall of 2011 as an Associate Consultant.  He supports client projects and manages Giving Tree’s business development and human resource functions. Jason’s expertise in database management solutions, social media and training allow him to effect positive change for clients and their leadership.

Jason was the Local Committee President in 2009 for AIESEC-Madison, an international internship and leadership program. During his term he led his committee to a 35% revenue increase by improving volunteer utilization, governance and information management.  In early 2011 Jason worked with Chicago Non-Profit, a nonprofit networking organization, to increase business development efforts through customer relations and social media interaction.

Jason’s blogging website, PICARESQUE.org, is run on 100% volunteer power and his blog, Tangible Strategy, is a step-by-step guide for organizations to develop strategic plans that propel them toward their vision. He remains active in AIESEC Life, AIESEC United States’ alumni organization.  Jason received his bachelor’s degree in Finance, Investment and Banking from the University of Wisconsin – Madison Business School. He now resides in Wicker Park with his wife Lilian.

Email Jason at:

Lisa Sheridan

Lisa joined Giving Tree Associates in May of 2012 as an Associate Consultant. Her experience managing event logistics, drafting communications, and developing creative and innovative programming allows her to play an integral role in helping clients to meet their goals.

Lisa joins us from JCC Camp Chi where she served as a Program Coordinator for three years. During her tenure at Chi she created and implemented new strategies to increase program efficiency, launched and executed social media objectives, and assisted with campaign appeals such as the 90thAnniversary Celebration.

Lisa also spent three years in the political fundraising world working on press and media projects for Mayor Dave Cieselwicz’s Re-election Campaign, serving as a Legislative Assistant to Representative Mark Pocan, and providing communications and campaign consulting to candidates and teams in 12 state races in Wisconsin. During this time, Lisa created taking points, fundraising letters, constituent outreach pieces, timelines, fundraising plans, and event strategies.

Lisa enjoys volunteering and participating in community outreach activities. In 2010 she co-founded the Chicago chapter of JCorps, an international organization that provides volunteer opportunities for young adults. Lisa graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Consumer Science, Political Science, and Legal Studies, as well as a certificate in Criminal Justice.

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Other Partners

Giving Tree Associates believes our clients deserve the highest level of expertise our firm can offer. We partner with a variety of professionals in the nonprofit industry to yield the best results. Below is a list of GTA Consultants that help us achieve our clients' goals.

Halee Sage

Halee Sage joined Giving Tree Associates in February 2012 as a Consultant specializing in strategic planning, marketing and program development. She currently works with GTA clients to improve systems and increase outreach for long-term sustainability and measurable impact.

Halee has spent the past 17 years fundraising, strategizing, designing programs and developing products for the social sector. After graduating with a BS from Northwestern University, Halee was a Teach for America Corps Member in Baltimore, MD.  After moving back to Chicago, she went on to work for organizations including the Chicago Children’s Museum, Thresholds, and Civitas.  Most recently Ms. Sage has worked as an independent contractor with companies, foundations, nonprofits, and social entrepreneurs to develop programs and products that amplify their social impact.

Halee, along with her sister and father started the Lynn Sage Foundation, which provides $100,000 per year to scholars pursuing groundbreaking breast cancer research at Northwestern University. She is also actively involved in her children's school and, for the past three years, has been a Girl Scout Troop Leader. Halee lives in Chicago with her husband and two children.

Email Halee at:

Mark Haggarty, MBA

Mark Haggarty is an MBA with the heart of an educator and the experience of an executive. Mark has contributed mission and case development work to Giving Tree since 2009, focusing on capital and annual campaigns. His professional passion is to provide vital services and counsel to organizations who are inspired to create positive change in the lives of others.

Mark provides consulting services for non-profit organizations large and small, in Chicago and nationwide. He specializes in Communications, Market Research, Grant Writing, Development & Donor Management, Program Development, Board Development, Facilitation, and Strategic Planning.

Prior to moving to Chicago in 2006, Mark was the director of the East Palo Alto, CA College Track Center, an after-school tutoring and enrichment program for motivated, socio-economically disadvantaged high school students on track to college acceptance. He is an active workshop facilitator for Washington, D.C.-based College Summit. Prior to transitioning full-time to the non-profit sector, Mark spent several years immersed in e-commerce and technology, first with BarnesandNoble.com, and then as founder and network director of SportsUniversity.com, an online, campus-focused magazine voted top new college sports website by Newsweek in the year 2000. He received a B.A. from Kenyon College and completed his M.B.A. at Loyola University Chicago's Graduate School of Business. He resides in Chicago with his wife and two young children.