Nominations & Awards
2020 Professional Achievement Award Recipient
Jody Waits is the recipient of the 2020 Professional Achievement Award!
Photo credit: Erin McKinney
For the last two decades, Jody has steadily made significant impacts at Women Funding Alliance, Girl Scouts of Western Washington, the Pride Foundation, and at YouthCare where she currently serves as the Development and Communications Officer.
“Jody has never been afraid to take risks, think outside the box, and lead a bold new way forward,” said Asa Tate, Chief Development Officer, Wellspring Family Services and 2019 Advancement Northwest President. “Her one-of-a-kind energy, personality, and talent have provided great service to many nonprofits and development professionals in our region.”
Jody has led and accomplished major efforts in her 20+ years of fundraising, but what her nominators all emphasized was not only her fundraising acumen, but her heart, her warmth, and her generosity of spirit.
“She is a visionary, an inspirational leader with audacious ideas, a huge heart, and an infectious, raucous laugh,” said Kate Dabe, Vice President of Strategy at Girl Scouts of Western Washington. “These qualities and a tremendous amount of hard work and commitment have allowed her to make an outsize impact at every organization that has been lucky enough to have her.”
Congratulations, Jody! It is our honor to present you with the 2020 Professional Achievement Award.
We look forward to many more decades of your leadership, mentorship, and advocacy.
A public celebration in Jody’s honor is planned to be held later in 2020, dependent upon the current world situation.
The annual Professional Achievement Award honors a fundraising professional who exemplifies the highest standards of the profession, shows personal integrity, and whose work has made a clear difference in philanthropic missions across our community.
Started by the Northwest Development Officers Association in 1985, the Professional Achievement Award continues to be the pinnacle of achievement for fundraising professionals in the Pacific Northwest.
Past Winners
2019 Carol Borgmann, CFRE, Lakeside School
2018 Ray Li, University of Washington
2017 Lee Heck, University of Washington
2016 Janet Aldrich Jacobs, CFRE, CAP, Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington
2015 Mary Kaufman-Cranney, The Nature Conservancy in Washington
2014 Thomas W. Mesaros, CFRE, formerly of The Alford Group
2013 Lynn Hogan, UW Medicine
2012 Jane Ewing, Cornish College of the Arts
2011 Robert W. Davidson, Seattle Aquarium
2010 Susie Burdick, formerly of Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center
2009 Sonya Campion, The Campion Foundation
2008 Terry Collings, Seattle Public Library Foundation
2007 Laura Rehrmann, Group Health Community Foundation
2006 Janet Boguch, Non-Profit Works
2005 Michele Hasson
2004 Stuart Grover, PhD, The Collins Group
2003 Barry McConnell, Make-A-Wish Foundation
2002 Lynn Schrader, CFRE
2001 Susan Howlett, Consultant
2000 Jacquelyn B. Ostrom, Third Sector Consulting
1999 Mary Ann Ranta, Children’s Hospital Foundation
1998 Rodney Wheeler, United Way of King County
1997 Ed Larson, Pacific Lutheran University
1996 Rita Ryder, YWCA Seattle-King County
1995 Jane Carlson Williams, The Seattle Foundation
1994 Marlys Erickson, Market Foundation
1993 Arthur Jacobus, Pacific Northwest Ballet
1992 Marilyn Dunn, University of Washington
1991 Edward C. Schumacher, Salmon Bay Associates
1990 Doug Picha, Children’s Hospital Foundation
1989 Anne Farrell, The Seattle Foundation
1988 Dale Bailey, Independent Colleges of Washington
1987 Shirley Bushnell, University of Puget Sound
1986 Pat Lewis, Camp Fire
1985 Frank Minton, University of Washington
Awardees are listed with affiliations at the time of each award was given.