Lucy Isham-Turner, CFRE
Director of Development Family Services of the North Shore
Committee Chair, NPD & GHA Committee
VP of Community Engagement, AFP Greater Vancouver Chapter Board
My first foray into fundraising was a jumble sale (yard sale) I organized when I was 10, I raised a whopping £25 equivalent to ~$45 and sent it off to Mother Theresa for her work with an orphanage in Calcutta. Ever since then I knew I was a natural fundraiser, I just had to convince the rest of the world!
After a full and varied career path, I finally got my first paid gig when I moved to Vancouver from the UK, with a Downtown East Side non-profit. Since then, it has been non-stop relationship building, fundraising, and creating magical connections between donors and the things they are passionate about, connecting community minded businesses with their chosen causes, and seeing the magic happen when donors feel fulfilled because they are making an difference.
Being a member of AFP during my 11 years as a fundraiser has helped me with professional development, networking, mentorship, coaching, and generally being with my people! 😊
I joined the National Philanthropy Day committee in 2019 and have had the pleasure of co-chairing with Lana Lincoln and Rachael Zapp over 3 years, with one in-person, one virtual campaign, and one virtual event under my belt I am excited to be a part of this year’s 25th Anniversary and back in-person event, this time as the VP of Community Engagement for the AFP GV Board. And I am excited to pass the torch onto Ellyn Schriber as this year’s Co-Chair with Rachael Zapp. Plus, I get to do all this with an incredible committee of fundraising professionals who work tirelessly to bring positive change to our communities and volunteer their free time to support the industry and those in the profession, some are leaders, some are future leaders, all are passionate humans who want to make the world shine. Thank you to the ‘old’ and welcome to the new committee members your work to celebrate our industry and those that support it is incredible!
If you want to join a great team, create strong, and meaningful relationships, and generally hang out with like-minded passionate people then choosing any one of the committee roles within our AFP Greater Vancouver chapter would be awesome. Look and see where you would like to be, we’re looking forward to meeting you!
Melissa Swindells
Director, Annual Giving, Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon
Committee Member, Membership Committee
My career in fundraising happened purely by accident, thanks to my lifelong passion for petting cute dogs.
While pursuing an arts degree at UBC, I joined the Arts Co-Op program to explore career opportunities and get some experience on my resume for after graduation. The job posting that caught my eye? An Events Coordinator with Pacific Assistance Dogs Society, an organization that trains service dogs for people with physical disabilities. If I’m honest, I was drawn to this role because of the proximity to puppies and the joy I thought I would feel drafting emails with a little fluff ball on my lap. Little did I know, this would ignite a passion and joy for fundraising and would propel me into an incredibly meaningful career.
Working for the last 15 years in the nonprofit world has been immensely fulfilling. As fundraisers we sit between the generous donors and the clients our nonprofits serve – it’s such a privilege to connect the two groups and to see magic happen every day.
Early in the pandemic, a former colleague put out a call for volunteers to join the AFP Membership Committee. It felt a little serendipitous to me. I was at home, with more time on my hands and a desire to connect in a more meaningful way with my professional community. It was easy to say yes, and I am so glad I did!
Volunteering with AFP has been a real joy for the past two years. I’ve had the opportunity to connect with professionals from across our industry and to see firsthand the great work that is happening in the nonprofit community in Vancouver and beyond. Connecting with members and helping them make the most of their AFP membership, especially during the ever-changing pandemic, has been so rewarding.
If you are interested in volunteering with AFP and giving back to our profession, I say please join us! Our Membership Committee is looking for more volunteers and we would love to have your talent on our team.