Ms. Alonso has senior level management experience with startup, regional and national companies and a track record of developing teams and inspiring people. The national companies include United Healthcare, AutoNation, Blockbuster, Centex Construction, Sprint, and Turnberry LTD. Also, Ms. Alonso worked with many organizations in the not-for-profit arena, including Pace Center for Girls, Take Stock in Children, Habitat for Humanity, and Girl Scouts of America. She served as an executive board member of Bayview Elementary PTA for four years; two years as President and two as Treasurer.

Previously, Ms. Alonso implemented 65 network infrastructures, developed and integrated suites of applications, provided 5,500 hours of industry training, and assisted in the layout and functionality of ten websites. She has managed job cost and financial controls for over 50 construction offices in the U. S. and the Caribbean.

MARTHA BRYANT, Ph.D.
After beginning her career as a field biologist, Dr. Bryant moved to writing and editorial positions at the Chicago Zoological Society and the University of Kansas. Grant writing has been a unifying thread through a diverse career in academia and cultural not-for-profits. Dr. Bryant wrote successful grants to governmental, corporate and private funders for such diverse projects as a National Science Foundation grant that brought the Internet to higher education in the State of Kansas to a private foundation grant for the South Florida Science Museum that purchased a 7-foot plush doll to teach K-3 students about human anatomy, nutrition and health. As a member of the staff, she managed an $18 million capital campaign at the Knoxville Zoo. As a consultant, she has written successful grants for capital and programmatic projects in the sciences, the arts, education and social services.

Dr. Bryant has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from New Mexico State University, a Master’s in Historic Administration and Museum Studies from the University of Kansas and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership focusing on informal education or free-choice learning.

E. THOMAS EZELL, Ph.D.
Since 1979, Dr. Ezell has served over 35 private schools in capital campaign planning and management primarily in Florida.

A graduate of Lafayette College where he was a Dean’s List student, Dr. Ezell earned the Diplôme d'Etudes (with honors) from the Université d'Aix-Marseille (France) and his Ph.D. (French Renaissance Literature) at the University of Michigan. While there, he taught French, coordinated the French for Doctoral Students' Program, and worked as a translator for the University of Michigan's Medical School.

In addition to holding a number of teaching and senior level administrative posts at the University of Michigan, the State University of New York, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Skidmore College, Dr. Ezell is active in the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). He is an original member of CASE-on-your-Campus consulting services and has conducted numerous CASE seminars and workshops across the country and in Canada. In addition, he authored a chapter in CASE's book: An Introduction to Fundraising, 1983. He has also published articles on health care reform and economics, strategic marketing, future trends, demographics, and management. Dr. Ezell has served two terms as a review panelist for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in Washington, on the Gannett Foundation's Community Priorities Committee (CPC), as Senior Consultant to the Florida Association of Nonprofit Organizations (FANO) and as consultant for the Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS). He has also served on a number of accreditation teams for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

His work has been recognized by the Association of Private Enterprise Education; the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education; the Association of Fundraising Professionals; the Chambers of Commerce of Paris, France and Saratoga Springs, New York; the Dr. Scholl Foundation; Lafayette College; and the Delphi Education Foundation.

STEVE FERSHTMAN
As our Senior Director of Philanthropic Technology Initiatives, Mr. Fershtman has served the not-for-profit community for the past 20 years as an expert in the field of leveraging strategic technology application to fundraising campaigns, marketing, communications initiatives, financial transparency, and volunteer management challenges. His stellar interpersonal communications and analytical skills help clients fulfill their potential through dramatically increased organizational capacity. He began his career working for the largest CPA firm in Florida – Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, LLP -- serving schools, museums, colleges and social service agencies. His focus was on marketing initiatives for services in donor management, outsourcing, network integration, accounting, document management, and custom applications.

His recent success has come with organizations such as Adcieo and CharityFinders, national companies that enable organizations to utilize the resources of the internet, where he created social media campaigns, developed technology grant sourcing, and conducted web audits for a variety of national clients including United Ways, YWCAs, Meals on Wheels, Agencies on Aging, numerous Community Foundations and Habitat for Humanity chapters. Previously, Mr. Fershtman served as the Director of Hospitality Services at Calvary Chapel, Fort Lauderdale, where he managed 450 volunteers for all campus and stadium events and developed Community Outreach initiatives to assist at-risk families.

As an Senior Account Executive at Kintera (now Blackbaud); he created and executed online fundraising strategies resulting in raising millions for a variety of agencies and institutions including the National Parkinson Foundation, Humane Society of the Treasure Coast, Florida State University, WEDU, Food for the Poor, Emory University and many others. Mr. Fershtman believes in giving back to his community and profession. He currently serves as on the Board of Directors as Development Chair for Operation Rescue the Children and as Elder at Calvary Chapel Church. Past service includes the Florida Association of Nonprofit Organizations (FANO), Westminster Academy, and AFP’s Florida Caucus 2010 Planet Philanthropy where he served as the Technology Track Dean. He enjoys membership in and subscribes to the Code of Ethics of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN).

Mr. Fershtman majored in Business Management at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He and his family have resided in Fort Lauderdale over 28 years with his wife, Bonny, and their five children. Their passion is for the care of special needs children.

Today Dr. Fromm works as a senior associate with Miller, Calhoun & Company to conduct capital feasibility studies, prepare campaign materials, and provide on-site services to clients. Previously, she has served a Florida-based nonprofit institute, managing the consulting services and leadership development programs.

to joining Miller Calhoun, Dr. Fromm worked with five California municipalities to obtaining capital support to build or rehabilitate libraries, ranging from $2 to 14 million dollars. She also provided planning services to the Health Council of South Florida, and capital campaign case statement for the future aquarium and planetarium for the Miami Museum of Science & Planetarium.

She received her doctorate in leadership and organization development from the University of San Diego; a master of public health degree from the University of California Berkeley; and a master of public administration degree from Harvard. Dr. Fromm is currently a master’s degree candidate in library and information science and in the certificate program in international humanitarian assistance at the University of South Florida.

LISA J. HOWARD
Lisa Howard joined Miller, Calhoun & Company after more than 20 years of working with a variety of social services specializing in children and family services.

Early in her career, Ms. Howard was the first development professional for two separate child-focused organizations, allowing her to provide the leadership for the start-up of a new development office. The foundation was laid for both agencies to experience success through donor research and the identification and cultivation of major and planned gifts with a strong recognition program. Other duties included creating and maintain the mail appeal program, an active grants calendar and board/volunteer recruitment and training.

Ms. Howard’s success for both organizations allowed the two agencies to later merge creating The Florida Center for Child and Family Development – one of the largest child focused not-for-profits in Florida, with the only fetal alcohol diagnostic clinic in the state.

Ms. Howard has also enjoyed working with The Salvation Army for a combined 14 years which has given her a keen understanding of the organization, its history, and structure and mission delivery. Most recently, as Director of Development for the St. Petersburg Area Command for eight years, Ms. Howard helped to bring much needed support and attention to the children’s services programs, which play a vital role in the care of abused and neglected children in that community. In addition to a successful capital campaign, her work created a large pool of regular donors, dedicated volunteers, strong community relationships, and an annual community-wide child abuse awareness campaign. Prior to her arrival to Florida, Ms. Howard worked at the Northern Divisional Headquarters (Brooklyn Center MN) in the Women’s Services Department for six years.

Other organizations that she has assisted in fund acquisitions include the American Heart Association, Family Counseling Center and Everyday Blessings.

Ms. Howard’s other strengths include recruitment, orientation and development of the Board of Directors and its sub-committees; detailed grant writing programs, creative and profitable special events, mission planning studies, funding acquisition for emergency needs, direct mail appeals, and the cultivation and acquisition of major gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations.

Currently, Ms. Howard is a member of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals (AFP) - Minnesota Chapter. Her prior AFP service to her profession includes the Florida State Conference of AFP’s Planet Philanthropy 2010 representing the AFP Suncoast Chapter where she served on the Membership Committee. Ms. Howard is an accomplished graduate of the Grantsmanship Center and is in the process of working toward the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential offered through AFP.

LAURIE HARTSFIELD
Ms. Hartsfield has served the development profession for more than 15 years. Her experience includes directing healthcare non-profits and a trade association in all programmatic, cause-related marketing and development activities. After moving to Florida, she served as Florida Development Officer for the Trust for Public Land.

Since 1999, Ms. Hartsfield has served as a consultant for non-profit associations specializing in development audits; feasibility studies; capital campaign direction; campaign follow-up services; case development and marketing strategies; and public relations programs. Her diversified client base includes environmental, health, education, religious, and social service organizations. Between 1999 and 2003, Ms. Hartsfield helped various non-profits raise more than $16 million to further their organizational goals.

She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI), an organization housed at the Center for Workforce Development at Tallahassee Community College and created by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Ms. Hartsfield was selected from 125 candidates due to her communication and leadership skills, business and civic contacts, her management experience of volunteers and board members, as well as her fundraising expertise. She works closely with the Knight Foundation and the Community Foundation of North Florida, two of Tallahassee’s largest grant-making organizations to further the efforts of KCCI and its volunteers as they work on various initiatives aimed at growing Tallahassee’s local economy by attracting and retaining young professional talent and the creative sector.

Ms. Hartsfield is a member of Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Junior League of Tallahassee, and is actively involved in her church. She is a member of Leadership Tallahassee’s Class 28. Ms. Hartsfield has a degree in Mass Communications with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in English.

DIANE B. KIMES, CFRE
Diane Kimes, a Certified Fund Raising Executive since 1997, enjoys over 25 years of healthcare philanthropy, beginning with the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation at the University of Miami’s School Of Medicine. She returned to Miller, Calhoun & Company as a Senior Campaign Associate after more than five years at Jupiter Medical Center Foundation, where she served in a variety of positions including Interim Executive Director and Executive Director of Development. Her accomplishments at this Foundation include successfully completing the Emergency Department Capital Initiative and the Goss Progressive Care Unit which opened in December 2007.

Her expertise includes communications and donor relations, as well as multi-dimensional fund development for large, not-for-profit healthcare systems. She has led several campaigns including two inaugural system-wide associate campaigns at major health systems (Lee Memorial Health System, Fort Myers, FL and at Broward Health – formerly North Broward Hospital District, Fort Lauderdale, FL), as well as directing several capital fund initiatives and campaigns. Her clients at Miller, Calhoun & Company included Friends of Rookery Bay Reserve; F.O.R.C.E. (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered); and Orbis International – an international not-for-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to saving sight worldwide.

Ms. Kimes is an active member of the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP); the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP); the Planned Giving Council of Palm Beach County; and serves on The Junior League of Florida State Public Affairs Committee. She was founding secretary of the Susan G. Komen for a Cure, Southwest Florida Affiliate; Lee County Dept. of Human Services Partnering for Results Task Force; founding member of Sanibel Cares for The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida; Healthy Start Coalition of Martin County; and founding board member of The Museum of Art’s Contemporaries in Fort Lauderdale.

Educated at Florida Atlantic University in business administration, she continues to serve her profession most recently as a presenter at the 2010 International Education Conference for AHP and as Track Dean for the 2010 AFP’s Planet Philanthropy. She is currently seeking the lifetime achievement status as a Fellow with AHP.

She resides in Martin County with her son and husband, Tim, who serves as Administrator at Martin Restorative & Skilled Nursing Center.

STEVEN S. KLOTZ, CFRE
Seasoned with 35 years in the not-for-profit sector, Mr. Klotz, a Certified Fund Raising Executive, has served organizations as Executive Director, Development Director, grants specialist and board member. In his capacity as fund counsel he has served numerous agencies and institutions throughout the nation, large and small, religious and secular, with diverse missions, approaches and constituencies.

Mr. Klotz’ strengths include his capacity to meld an organization’s vital components into a compelling plan of action, working with principals, volunteers and prospective donors to achieve mutual objectives. His accomplishments include creation of a public-interest law firm providing services for mentally and physically disabled persons, speechwriting, grantwriting and public relations activities for political and community activists, and management of numerous capital campaigns, including a $25 million effort for the International Game Fish Association's Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum.

Earning a BA with honors from Temple University, Mr. Klotz enjoys a thorough background in literature, public relations, philosophy, and journalism. His expertise coupled with his professional experience provides a valuable dimension to professional development teams and not-for-profit entities as they implement their missions in the communities they serve.

LISA H. PETERFREUND
Ms. Peterfreund brings her knowledge to Miller, Calhoun & Company as a wildlife biologist, environmental funding expert, and member of the Donor’s Forum of South Florida. As a Campaign Associate, she served the Trust for Public Land, Big Cypress Education Center – South Florida National Parks Foundation, Virginia Key Beach Park Trust, and other clients.

She earned her Master’s degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. As a student fellow, she conducted research on the first study commissioned by the Department of Interior to study human attitudes towards animals. She investigated various humane organizations, ranging from antivivisectionists to wild horse protection. At Yale, she prepared two other wildlife research reports, one on the conservation of endangered cats worldwide and the conservation and management of sea turtles in Florida and Nicaragua. She holds a BS degree in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin where she interned at The Nature Conservancy conducting natural resource inventories. Upon graduation she worked for America the Beautiful Fund to provide expertise to citizen action groups.

Devoted to wildlife and environmental issues as an active student, she founded the Ecology Club at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut. As a high school senior, she conducted research sampling and reporting on heavy metal absorption in algae in the Connecticut River, under Yale Professor Thomas Siccama.

Working for the World Bank, she conducted a variety of key research projects and founded the Wildlife and Forestry Professional Information Exchange to engage young professionals in educational forums. This group explored the conflicting proposed policies between the Sierra Club and the Humane Society of the United States to manage of wild donkey populations in the Grand Canyon, and the commercial harvest versus conservation of sea turtles in the Caribbean.

During her 12 year tenure with the Association of Retired Persons (AARP), she served in various positions for the Senior Environmental Employment (SEE) Program. This program engages seniors in paid positions in all levels of professional assistance to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As Asbestos and Pesticides Program Specialist, she served as liaison with EPA staff at ten regional offices. As Program Development Specialist, she worked with funding officials for grant programs valued at $52 million at 30 EPA facilities. She prepared the MOU for EPA Administrator Bill Reilly to create the Environmental Alliance for Senior Involvement (EASI), a coalition of 15 volunteer and environmental organizations.

Ms. Peterfreund served as the first director of development for the Center of International Environmental Law in Washington, D.C. designing a major donor program that yielded almost $1 million dollars in new support. Later, she served as the first development director for FAU’s Pine Jog Environmental Education Center in Palm Beach County.

PAUL E. THOMPSON
Mr. Thompson has served as a not-for-profit executive and fundraiser for several cultural organizations in South Florida over 40 years, primarily in Miami-Dade County. He has served in top management positions in several important cultural institutions, and has also performed in the private sector as a gallery manager and an art and antiques consultant. His experience in the visual and performing arts and historical institutions includes Managing Director of the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts; Assistant Director of the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami; Executive Director of Dade Heritage Trust; and Executive Director of the Key West Art and Historical Society.

Joining the University of Miami’s Development Department in 1967, Mr. Thompson subsequently served for over seven years as Assistant Director of the UM’s Lowe Art Museum. A term as Managing Director of the Key West Art and Historical Society was followed by four years managing Dade Heritage Trust, Miami-Dade County’s prestigious historic preservation organization. Following a similar term as manager of a local art and antiques gallery, Mr. Thompson joined the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts as Development Director, rising to become Managing Director of that historic institution.

In his positions, Mr. Thompson has held responsibility for every area of institutional concern, including planning and budgeting, fundraising, marketing, media/public relations and private and government interaction; personnel management; programming; citizens’ support organization, including membership and special events; and much more. He has written and produced printed materials of all types, curated over 50 museum exhibitions and helped produce some 300 stage performances. Mr. Thompson has a proven track record in producing support and promotional materials of the highest caliber. His career success of grant applications that are funded exceeds 90%. Mr. Thompson holds the Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ohio University and an M. A. from Kent State University specializing in studio art and art history. He has served as a Director of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, as President of the Dade Cultural Executives Council and volunteered for several years as on-air auctioneer for Channel 2 Public Television.