Bio
Cedar Falls, Iowa
’75 Psychology and Child Development, Iowa State University, 1975
Retired Chief Development Officer, Memorial Foundation of Allen Hospital
Dee’s passion is fundraising. In fact, on her 50th birthday, she challenged her family and friends to contribute $50,000 more to nonprofit organizations than they had during the previous year. On the eve of her 51st birthday, increased giving totaled more than $1.1 million to 177 organizations around the world.
As a founding partner and past president of ME&V, an integrated marketing communications and fundraising company, Dee has worked with hundreds of nonprofits throughout the country. In 2015, she moved from consultant into practitioner, serving as the chief development officer for the Allen Foundation, part of a 30,000 employee multi-state health system. Today, she serves as Chief Retirement Officer at her home.
She earned her B.S. in psychology from Iowa State University and an M.A. in communications/public relations from the University of Northern Iowa.
Her public relations and fundraising career spans more than three decades. She has developed and presented numerous seminars and workshops to organizations such as the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ International Conferences on Fundraising. She’s authored articles and books and served as an adjunct professor at the University of Northern Iowa.
Dee’s a big believer in volunteerism and has led and served on a many boards, including the Iowa State University Foundation Board of Directors. Dee’s recognitions include selection as Silver Medal Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Cedar Valley American Advertising Federation, Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa Business Hall of Fame Laureate, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Junior League Golden Rose recipient, the American Humanics Cedar Valley Fundraising Board Member of the Year, and Iowa State University Alumni Association Service Key Award. ME&V recognitions include the Ernst and Young Iowa/Nebraska Entrepreneur of the Year, Inc. Magazine’s lists of the 500 fastest growing companies in America, and the Eastern Iowa Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Business Philanthropist of the Year.
She is delightfully married with two children and two granddaughters. Dee lives by the philosophy of “having fun while doing well.”