Helen E. Brown (helen@helenbrowngroup.com)
President
Helen has been a development professional since 1987. Her previous experience includes The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Albert Einstein Institution, Boston College, the Harvard School of Public Health and Northeastern University.
Under her eight-year leadership as director of research at the Harvard School of Public Health, Helen’s innovative prospecting strategies enabled the School to reach a $125 million goal with two years left in its capital campaign. HSPH Development went on to raise an additional $55 million in that campaign.
Currently she works with a variety of clients to establish, benchmark and re-align research departments; identify major gift prospects; and train researchers and other fundraisers through on-site and web-based training services.
Helen is a former member of the board of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA) and is past president of the New England Development Research Association (NEDRA). In 2006 she received the NEDRA Ann Castle Award for service to the prospect research community.
Helen is Special Advisor on Fundraising to the North American Foundation for the University of Manchester and a member of the board of directors of Factary Ltd. (Bristol, UK). She is a member of NEDRA, APRA, the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP), Women In Development, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and Researchers in Fundraising (UK).
Helen is a frequent speaker and has led seminars for a number of professional associations, including Action Planning, the AFP, APRA, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), NEDRA, RIF and Resource Alliance.
Helen is also president of ShareTraining, which provides web-based training for fundraising professionals.
Julie Kahn (julie@helenbrowngroup.com)
Office Manager
Julie has managed operations for The Helen Brown Group and ShareTraining since their founding. In her spare time, she edits television programs and films ranging from nationally-aired programs on PBS including Frontline and NOVA to independent films and documentaries. Julie was nominated twice for an Emmy award for her work on the PBS show Zoom. She is also working on her own documentary film project provisionally titled Town Farm.
Maureen Kilcommins (maureen@helenbrowngroup.com)
Director of Research and Consulting
Maureen has been a part of the non-profit world since 1991. She started out in annual giving at Harvard Law School and continued her career as director of annual/special gifts at UC Santa Cruz. In 1999 she made the switch from front-line fundraising to serve as director of prospect research/management at Bentley University and in 2001 began her role as administrator for the North American Foundation for the University of Manchester. She became part of the HBG team in September of 2011.
Andrea Marks (andrea@helenbrowngroup.com)
Research Associate
Andrea began her career in development at Northeastern University as a Research Assistant and then Research Analyst. She earned an MBA degree in International Business in 2005. She joined the Helen Brown Group in August 2011 and is a member of NEDRA.
Elizabeth Huntley Roma (elizabeth@helenbrowngroup.com)
Senior Researcher
Elizabeth has worked in development since 1998. She began her career at the University of Pennsylvania and joined the prospect research staff at Boston College in 2001. Elizabeth served as assistant director of research at Boston College from 2004 until 2007, when she became associate director of prospect management. She joined The Helen Brown Group in September 2008. Elizabeth is a member of APRA and APRA-Carolinas.
Rick Snyder (rick@helenbrowngroup.com)
Senior Researcher
Rick has been a member of the Helen Brown Group team since 2005. Prior to joining HBG, Rick was director of research at St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire.
Rick has worked in development since 1996, both in prospect research and major gifts fund raising. His experience includes the University of Vermont, Phillips Exeter Academy and St. Paul’s School. Rick is past president of NEDRA and is a member of and frequent volunteer for APRA.
Kenneth Tavares (kenny@helenbrowngroup.com)
Senior Researcher
Kenny has worked in development since 1999 and has been involved in prospect research since 2002. Prior to joining The Helen Brown Group, he was the director of donor and prospect research at the United Way of Massachusetts Bay. Kenny is a member of APRA and NEDRA.
Jennifer Turner (jennifer@helenbrowngroup.com)
Research Associate
Jennifer began her career in development at her alma mater, Wheaton College, where she was an administrative assistant for the major gifts department. She joined The Helen Brown Group in March 2008. She earned a master’s degree in library science from the Southern Connecticut State University in May 2009. Jennifer is a member of APRA and NEDRA.
Heather Willis (heather@helenbrowngroup.com)
Research Associate
Heather began her career in 2002 as a prospect research coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and then moved to Carroll College in 2004. In 2005, Heather began working on her own as a freelancer and eventually started her own consulting firm, Willis Research Services, in 2007. Heather is a member of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement, the Montana Nonprofit Association, and the Association of Independent Information Professionals.
