Valerie has been involved in nonprofit management and capacity building for 16 years. As a consultant to nonprofit organizations, she provides hands on technical assistance with funding proposals. As a financial analyst at the Mount Sinai Health System Valerie worked closely with the Chief Financial Officer to develop a winning financing proposal to secure $107 million HUD/FHA financing to cover renovation of Mount Sinai’s obstetrics unit, emergency room, outpatient clinics, and the addition of a skilled nursing unit for Schwab. Valerie earned a Master of Management degree in finance and marketing from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a BA in economics from Spelman College. She is also a member of the Association of Consultants to Nonprofits and a Forum Partner for the Donors Forum of Chicago.

Lauren has been involved in fundraising for 15 years. In her current position, she oversees a staff of writers and also writes and submits funding proposals for a wide variety of nonprofit organizations. Previously, as Manager of Foundation Relations at Achievement Centers for Children, Lauren was responsible for writing and managing all grant submissions for this $7 million human service agency. Before that, she worked as Development Director at West Side Catholic Center where she was responsible for all fundraising activities including developing proposals for foundations, corporations, and government funding entities. Lauren currently serves as the volunteer Executive Director for The Village Foundation, a community foundation in Bay Village, Ohio, where Lauren lives. She earned JD in Law from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and a BSC in Communications from Ohio University. She is a member of Association of Fundraising Professionals, serving on the Board of Northeast Ohio Chapter from 2005-2009.

Cheryle has over ten years experience researching and writing grant proposals for a variety of nonprofits, including those in education, health and the arts. In addition she has been involved in grant making for seventeen years as the Executive Director of the Special Kids Foundation. Being involved in both the grant making process and solicitation of grants gives her a unique insight and keen understanding of proposal writing, case statement writing and program evaluation. In her foundation she is responsible for the entire grant making process. Along with foundation directors she actively participates in the grant application review, site visits and final decisions. In addition, Cheryle, is an international trainer/consultant as President of CNY Enterprises, bringing over thirty years of social service experience to the consulting field. This experience includes working with non-profit organizations as a consultant, Executive Director, Board member and volunteer. Her specific resource development assignments have included researching grant and individual donor prospects, proposal writing, developing resource development plans and conducting special events. She earned MS in Marketing Communications from Roosevelt University and a BS in Psychology from University of Massachusetts.