Helen E. Brown

Valerie Anastasio

Tara McMullen

Tricia Sawyer

Rick Snyder

Kenneth Tavares


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 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 leads a talented group of experienced researchers who provide targeted, strategic information tailored to each of its client's needs.

Helen is past president of the New England Development Research Association (NEDRA), and is the recipient of the 2006 NEDRA Ann Castle Award for service to the prospect research community.

She is Special Advisor on Fundraising to the North American Foundation for the University of Manchester, England and a member of the board of directors of Factary Ltd. (Bristol, UK). Helen is a member of NEDRA, the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA) and Researchers in Fundraising (RIF), based in London.

Helen is a frequent speaker and has led seminars for a number of professional associations, including Action Planning, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), APRA, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), NEDRA, RIF and Resource Alliance.

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Valerie Anastasio
Consulting Associate
Valerie Anastasio has spent 17 in development research, operations and prospect management, and frontline fundraising roles at educational and cultural institutions. From 1999 to August 2007, she served as the Director of Research and Prospect Development at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, working on strategic, feasibility and donor prospecting for its $500 million campaign, currently the largest fundraising effort for a cultural institution outside of New York, with more than $409 million raised to date. Previously, she was the Director of Development Research in the Harvard University Development office, managing a staff of 14 in the context of Harvard's comprehensive $2 billion campaign. Prior to Harvard, she worked in frontline annual fund raising at Boston Lyric Opera, Brandeis University, and WGBH Television and Radio.

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Tara D. McMullen (tara@helenbrowngroup.com)
Research Associate and ShareTraining Coordinator
Tara has worked in development since 2002 and has been involved in prospect research since 2003. Before joining The Helen Brown Group, she served as assistant director of prospect research at Simmons College in Boston. Tara is a member of the New England Development Research Association (NEDRA) and the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA).

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Tricia Sawyer (tricia@helenbrowngroup.com)
Research Associate
Tricia started work in development in 1984 and began in prospect research in 1988. She held researcher and senior researcher positions at Clark University, Brown University and Holy Cross College. Her last position before taking time off to have a family was Development Officer at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA.

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Rick Snyder (rick@helenbrowngroup.com)
Senior Associate
Rick takes charge of project management as well as product creation and delivery. He also coordinates the work of the Group's global network of experienced researchers.

Rick was most recently director of research at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire. He is president-elect of the New England Development Research Association (NEDRA).

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 a member of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA).

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Kenneth Tavares (kenny@helenbrowngroup.com)
Research Associate
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 the New England Development Research Association (NEDRA).

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