About Us
The Blackbaud Institute team and partners work to power the future of social good.
We bring together leading innovators and experts from every type of institution, from nonprofits and businesses to academic institutions, to foster diverse perspectives, collective thinking, and collaborative solutions to the world’s greatest challenges.
Through our collective passion for good, we’ve built a library of content that informs our readership while being receptive to their personalized needs, so they can continue making the world a better place.
Advisory Board
In support of the Blackbaud Institute’s mission to bring together the best minds in philanthropy and accelerate the impact of the social good community, the Blackbaud Institute’s Advisory Board supports the development and sharing of leading-edge research and insights. The Board, comprised of credible and knowledgeable experts from across the sector, guides the Institute in broadening the scope of resources the Blackbaud Institute builds for our audience to accelerate the impact of their work.
Chuck Longfield,
Senior Vice President and Chief Scientist,
Blackbaud, Retired
Chuck Longfield became Blackbaud’s chief scientist in January 2007 and is the founder of Target Software, Inc. and Target Analysis Group, Inc., both now Blackbaud companies. Chuck has extensive experience designing and implementing national as well as international constituency databases that address the fundraising information needs at many of the world’s largest nonprofit organizations. In recognition of his accomplishments, Chuck is the recipient of the DMA 2012 Max Hart Nonprofit Achievement Award. Prior to founding the Target companies in 1992, he taught math to middle and high school students. He was honored by FundRaising Success in 2007 with a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the nonprofit sector. He holds a BA in mathematics and a MEd from Harvard University and has more than 30 years of experience helping nonprofits automate their fundraising operations.
Kyla Shawyer,
Chief Transformation Strategist,
DSIL Global
Kyla has been leading transformational change in the global nonprofit sector for the past 14 years, serving as COO at leading INGO, Operation Smile, and most recently as CEO of the Resource Alliance and IFC (International Fundraising Congress), a vibrant community of global nonprofit fundraisers and change makers from across the social good ecosystem. By inspiring new ways of sharing, collaboration and harnessing collective power, Kyla’s track record shows just how to break down silos, connect with core values and unleash ideas, innovation and potential in every single person in the organization. Her extensive knowledge and work within the social impact sector now brings her to leading purpose driven, transformational culture change projects that seek to unify and ignite positive change in the social good space.
Roger Craver,
Editor,
The Agitator
Roger M. Craver is a fundraising pioneer who’s helped launch and build organizations like Common Cause, The National Organization for Women, ACLU, the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Amnesty International and dozens of other major organizations, both in the U.S. and in Europe. Roger is the author of the classic, “Retention Fundraising: The Art and Science of Keeping Your Donors for Life.” Now he’s the editor-in-chief of the fundraising blog The Agitator and founder of DonorTrends, which provides fundraising analytics.
Tim Kachuriak,
Chief Innovation & Optimization Officer,
NextAfter
Tim Kachuriak is the founder and Chief Innovation and Optimization Officer for NextAfter, a fundraising research lab and consulting firm that works with businesses, nonprofits and NGOs to help them grow their resource capacity.
A nonprofit thought leader, Kachuriak is the author of Optimize Your Fundraising: How to Transform Your Organization One Test at a Time, and is the lead researcher and co-author of the Online Fundraising Scorecard, Why Should I Give to You?, and The Midlevel Donor Crisis.
Kachuriak is also the co-founder and Vice Chairman of the Human Coalition, a member of the board of directors for Open Doors USA and the Halcyon Movement, an Advisory Board Member for the SMU Digital Accelerator, and an Advisory Board Member for Kids Prosper Kids.
Una Osili, Ph.D.,
Associate Dean for Research and International Programs,
Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
Una O. Osili, Ph.D., is an economist with significant experience in research and policy in the fields of household behavior and economic policy. She serves as Associate Dean for Research and International Programs and Dean’s Fellow, Mays Institute on Diverse Philanthropy, at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the world’s first school dedicated to increasing the understanding of philanthropy and improving its practice worldwide.
Dr. Osili directs the school’s research program with its partners including US Trust, United Way Worldwide, Coutts Inc, and National Collegiate Athletic Association. She leads the research and publication of Giving USA, Global Philanthropy Indices, and pioneered new approaches to using data to better understand global and national philanthropic trends. Dr. Osili is a member of the graduate school faculty at Indiana University. She earned her B.A. in Economics at Harvard University, and her M.A., and Ph.D. in Economics from Northwestern University.
Tony Foleno,
Senior Vice President, Strategy & Evaluation,
Ad Council
Tony Foleno is Senior Vice President of Strategy and Evaluation for the Ad Council, the national nonprofit that mobilizes the energy and talents of the marketing, media and technology industry to make a measurable impact on today’s most critical social and health issues. Tony advises strategic planning and leads evaluation for the Ad Council’s 30+ public service campaigns, leveraging research-based insights into action and helping to ensure that the Ad Council operates as a results-driven organization.
Currently, Tony serves as the President of the Society for Health Communication. He serves as an advisory board member for several other organizations, including the Blackbaud Institute, Cause & Social Influence, Agents of Change, and the Market Research Council.
Counsel and Staff
Catherine LaCour,
Chief Marketing Officer, Blackbaud
Head of the Blackbaud Institute
Catherine LaCour is a seasoned strategist, innovator and marketing executive with deep experience building brands that provide value and drive connection. Catherine serves as Chief Marketing Officer for Blackbaud, the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good. She leads Blackbaud’s global brand, go-to-market strategy and other strategic marketing functions and is passionate about delivering an outstanding experience to the organizations Blackbaud supports in their missions to build a better world. Catherine helms the Blackbaud Institute, which brings together the best minds in philanthropy to develop and share leading-edge research and insight that accelerate the impact of the social good community. Catherine currently serves on the Board of the Women’s Refugee Commission, The Ad Council, the Coastal Community Foundation and the College of Charleston Graduate School. She is an Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network Fellow, serves on the South Carolina Department of Commerce’s Council for Innovation Initiatives, and is a member of the select Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit community
Ashley Thompson,
Managing Director
Blackbaud Institute
Ashley Thompson is the managing director for the Blackbaud Institute. She is responsible for driving Blackbaud’s extensive research, thought leadership, and best practice content.
Through this role, she builds thoughtful strategies and solutions for the philanthropic sector utilizing the most comprehensive data set in the social good community. She also manages internal and external relationships for the Institute, including the convening of the Blackbaud Institute Advisory Board.
Ashley is active in the Austin community and participates in numerous groups as a volunteer, active board member, and collaborative partner.
She is a regular contributor to sgENGAGE, served on the 2019 Giving USA Editorial Review Board, and is a member of the NonprofitPRO Editorial Advisory Board.
Carrie Cobb ,
Vice President, Data Science
Blackbaud
Carrie Cobb is an accomplished innovator and change-agent capable of translating multifaceted data and analytics products into successful business initiatives and consumer experiences. She holds over 15 years of experience in developing data-driven analytic solutions, with the goal of leveraging advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to create easy to execute strategies for the social good community. As the Vice President and Head of the Data Intelligence Center of Excellence, Carrie is responsible for leading data strategy, data stewardship and ethics, vertical focused product innovation, and technical oversight for the statistical/predictive science functions and product lines.
When you combine data science with the social good community, the results can be remarkable. Data science capabilities powered by consumer, social, attitudinal, and philanthropic trends result in analytics-driven insights and prescribed actions to create awareness and enable effective supporter relationships. Fundraisers have relied on Carrie’s unique experience to help increase revenue year-over-year, build a loyal and active donor base, and improve program performance across all channels and focus areas. Significant data science accomplishments include conceptualizing, developing, and launching industry leading predictive analytics capabilities including the Principal Giving Solution, Target Analytics Affluence, Fundraising Essentials, Top Prospect Model, Grateful Patient Solution, and the Patient Conversion Model.
Carrie also serves on the Governmental Affairs Committee for the Nonprofit Alliance, co-chairs of the Advisory Council on Methodology for the Giving USA Foundation, serves as Madison Institute Faculty Member for the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy (University of Wisconsin, Madison), and is a board member with the Palmetto Military Support Group.
Steve MacLaughlin,
Vice President, Product Management, Blackbaud
Senior Advisor, Blackbaud Institute
Steve MacLaughlin is the Vice President of Data & Analytics at Blackbaud and bestselling author of Data Driven Nonprofits.
MacLaughlin serves on the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN) board and is a frequent speaker at events including the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), American Marketing Association (AMA), Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Direct Marketing Fundraisers Association (DMFA), and many more.
He is a frequent blogger, published author of a chapter in the book People to People Fundraising: Social Networking and Web 2.0 for Charities, and is a co-editor of the book Internet Management for Nonprofits: Strategies, Tools & Trade Secrets. His latest book, Data Driven Nonprofits, became a bestseller in 2016.
Rachel Hutchisson,
Vice President of Corporate Citizenship & Philanthropy
Blackbaud
Rachel Hutchisson is VP of Corporate Citizenship & Philanthropy at Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), responsible for global corporate social responsibility, leading the company’s 3,400 associates in efforts to serve and give professionally and personally. She is committed to the core philosophy that “good is for everyone,” championing positive change and inspiring individuals to integrate service into their development.
Rachel brings experience in marketing, brand communications, corporate culture and strategic relationships to her role. She built Blackbaud’s CSR program from the ground up, leveraging her deep experience working at the intersection of business and nonprofits, serves as the Chair of the company’s Senior Women’s Leadership Council and is passionate about diversity, inclusion and equity. She is a Riley Fellow, having attended Furman’s Diversity Leadership Institute, and participated in both phases of the Racial Equity Institute training, hosted by the YWCA.
Rachel is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Dickinson College and holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri. Rachel is the Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Directors of The Giving Institute, serves on the board of Learning to Give, and is a member of the AFP Women’s Impact Initiative task force. She previously served on the boards of AFP International and the Coastal Community Foundation. Her talk “The Era of Corporate Social Responsibility is Ending” is available on the TEDx YouTube channel.