Alumni: Where Are They Now? with Erin Palmer Keohane

Posted March 3, 2020

We recently caught up with former employee Erin to discover what she's been up to since leaving the firm!

 

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Erin Palmer Keohane

What was your role while at Development Guild?

During my time at Development Guild, I was primarily a fundraising consultant but also managed executive search projects. My fundraising client work included, campaign management, pre-campaign planning & feasibility studies and development assessments.

What have you been up to since leaving?

I left the Development Guild team in 2016 to join Horizons for Homeless Children as Managing Director of Development. In this role my focus was on managing the annual fund & special events program, as well as supporting the management of their capital campaign (which they are still currently working on). While working at Horizons, I was able to make use of the analytical mindset I had developed during my time at Development Guild. I learned to not only look out for the challenges in every situation, but also the opportunities!

Erin and the Lovin' Spoonfuls team at their 2019 Ultimate Tailgate Event.

Erin and the Lovin’ Spoonfuls team at their 2019 Ultimate Tailgate Event.

Now, I am the Senior Director of Development at Lovin’ Spoonfuls, a food rescue and hunger relief organization serving Massachusetts. I lead their comprehensive fundraising program with a goal of $2.3M for 2020. We’re in a very exciting time for ‘Spoonfuls as we are celebrating our 10th Anniversary, and with that should come new opportunities for growing our programs and our fundraising.

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Erin and her husband on vacation in Nantucket.

Outside of professional development – I got married in 2018 to a man that I met during my time at DG. We live in the South End neighborhood in Boston and still have our awesome french bulldog, Zoey.

What is your fondest memory from your time at Development Guild?

I loved the team! Not only was I fortunate enough to work with (and learn from) some incredible leaders, including Victoria Jones, Karen Lieberman-Daly, and Kieran McTague, but I still hold tight to some of the friendships I made during my time at DG. I have so enjoyed watching their professional (and personal) growth since we worked together. In the future I hope to share my experiences with other next-gen fundraising professionals looking to make a difference in their careers

Do you have any advice you would like to give to incoming employees?

It’s a little cliché, but I would tell them to think outside the box! So many fundraising programs have been around for a long time and just need a little creativity to meet their goals and reach new levels. I would also say to have an opinion and to speak your mind; be communicative about what the possibilities are for the clients.

I truly valued my time at Development Guild and have often encouraged friends in the industry to consider Development Guild as a partner. I am confident that Development Guild continues to provide incredible resources and talent for their clients!

If you’re interested in becoming a part of the Development Guild team, you can explore our current openings here: Join Us.

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