Ally Thornton

About Ally Thornton

Advocate for equity and inclusion and the advancement of marginalized people groups. Eight years of experience in workforce development and training, four years of recruiting. Energized by listening and learning from others so I can be a catalyst for meaningful change.\"In order to see social change, we must get closer to the problem, not further away, in order to cultivate a compassionate curiosity about how to work toward a solution in partnership with communities.\"- Shawn Ginwright, The Four Pivots, Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves

Experience

1. Community Engagement Director

   Stepup Wilmington

   Aug 2020 — Present · Wilmington, NC, US

   Work in collaboration with Executive Director to implement and execute annual fundraising strategy ($1.7 million FY 22/23) •Solicit and maintain active donor base by building relationships and engaging donors with the programs of SUW •Plan and execute annual fundraising event, raised $151k through individual gifts and $106k in corporate sponsorships in 2022 •Practice on-going stewardship ensuring all donors are appropriately thanked and honored through donor events, mailings, calls, and meetings •Manage the development efforts of other key primary relationship managers assigned to donors, including the Executive Director, other members of the StepUp Wilmington leadership team, and Board Members •Utilize Salesforce as a major tool in measuring results and analyzing data to make informed decisions

Education

• University of North Carolina at Wilmington

  Bachelors, Business Administration - Human Resources

  2006 — 2010