As the Deputy Director and Head of Philanthropy and Financial Strategy at Her Justice, Devon (she/her) believes ambitious organizations thrive when bold ideas are matched by people who feel empowered to bring them to life. She puts that belief into practice every day, pairing strategic vision with infectious optimism and a remarkable ability to bring out the best in the people around her. She leads a team of 10 across development, communications and finance in service of expanding Her Justice’s capacity to serve women living in poverty in New York City. Since joining Her Justice in 2019 and leading the organization through the fiscal crisis of 2020, she has been responsible for growing annual revenue from $5M to $9M and strengthening the organization’s reserves. With over 25 years of experience spanning major and principal gifts, corporate and foundation grants, event fundraising, board development, volunteer engagement, strategic planning, and nonprofit budgeting and management, she brings a rare combination of fundraising expertise and organizational leadership to her work.
Before joining Her Justice, Devon served as an independent consultant, leading fundraising campaigns, facilitating strategic planning exercises and coaching teams at non-profit organizations seeking to elevate their impact through philanthropic support, such as The Social Science Research Council, NJ Sharing Network and The Westfield Foundation. She previously spent 10 years working in higher education, first at Florida State University and then as Assistant Dean of Development at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, where she launched the school’s inaugural capital campaign. Across her career, Devon has led teams to raise nearly $100M for mission-driven organizations, but her greatest impact may be on the people she has helped find their purpose, sharpen their vision and realize what they are capable of achieving.
Devon discovered her passion for gender justice as an undergraduate at the University of Virginia, where she received her B.A. in Women’s Studies. She went on to earn an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she studied access to higher education for underserved populations. Her academic and professional journey has been grounded in a belief that individuals and families thrive when they can access the resources and support they need to realize their own potential. Devon currently lives in New Jersey with her four children.