About Amy

I am a strategist, coach, connector, and community leader. My life’s work is all about maximizing performance toward a common mission and vision. I am passionate about helping philanthropists explore what speaks to their heart and build the strategy and relationships to get there. Additionally, I am a lifelong fan of the nonprofit sector and love using my skills to help nonprofits work more happily and effectively.

With the heart of a social worker and the head of a business leader, I have sat on both sides of the aisle as fundraiser and philanthropist. I have been the single employee at a small nonprofit as well as the chief executive for a multi-million dollar foundation.

I don’t see myself as a typical consultant. I know what it is like to run a small shop dedicated to social change, and I am known to roll up my sleeves and help my clients in whatever way I can. You can learn more about some of my consulting projects on the “Expertise” page of this website. Please contact me for more information. I look forward to connecting with you!

Work Experience & Responsibilities

I have over 15 years of experience in the philanthropy and nonprofit sector, specifically in grant-making, fundraising, marketing, nonprofit management, and strategic planning. As a consultant and advisor, I primarily work with family foundations, corporate foundations, and individual philanthropists on their giving strategies. I have extensive experience as a consultant in supporting foundations with their NextGen engagement strategy, launching new corporate foundations, and refining and evaluating grant-making. I am deeply passionate about direct-giving programs that provide cash to families living with low-income and love supporting the growth of these important projects. For nonprofits, I provide fundraising strategy, executive coaching and hiring, and board development.

Prior to launching my own consulting firm, I spent four years as the chief executive for two private family foundations launched by Doris Buffett: The Learning by Giving Foundation and Letters Foundation. In 2018, I was honored as one of Boston’s “40 under 40” for expanding Doris’ philanthropy.

While at Learning by Giving, I oversaw a coalition of 40 colleges and universities teaching accredited courses on experiential philanthropy and effective volunteerism to 1,000 students and young adults annually. I envisioned and launched a new open-source online philanthropy education platform & app called LearnGive and the corresponding LearnGive Media, a video & podcast series with prominent philanthropists. Under my leadership, Learning by Giving collaborated with the Boston Red Sox Foundation and Northeastern University’s Social Impact Lab for an inaugural take-over of Fenway Park where we trained 200 volunteers on effective giving and volunteerism and directed over $100,000 to local nonprofits in one day.

Simultaneously, I led the Letters Foundation, a direct philanthropy program started by Warren and Doris Buffett to help families who have experienced a financial crisis get back on their feet. At the Letters Foundation, I oversaw over $10M in grants given directly to individuals and families. The Letters Foundation team created the first-ever community partners program that engaged community-based organizations in grant-making and collaborated with the City of Boston to the launch of the first-in-the-US private funding resource for residents in need of qualified sober living. Under my leadership, the Letters Foundation published Letters to Doris, a book exploring the impact of philanthropy that goes directly to individuals and families. In 2020, I successfully led the Letters Foundation through a planned sunset.

Prior to my work in philanthropy, I held a number of positions in small development shops including with Breakthrough Greater Boston, Strong Women, Strong Girls, and Mass Mentoring Partnership.

I hold a Masters in Social Work with a concentration in nonprofit management from the University of Pennsylvania, where I graduated summa cum laude and a Bachelors of Social Work from Skidmore College. I currently serve on the board of trustees at the Essex County Community Foundation and the Wellspring House. I am also a volunteer advisory council member to the Manchester/Essex Diversity and Inclusion Council and the corporate advisory board for Chek. I was raised on a family farm in rural Maine and now live on the north shore of Massachusetts with my husband Andy, young daughter Gracie, and the true boss: our spunky dog Scout.