Sarah M.

About Sarah M.

I work at the intersection of people, purpose, and process — helping mission-driven teams communicate clearly, collaborate meaningfully, and move important work forward.At the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP), I serve as the strategic and operational lead for our communications, programming, fundraising, and external relations team. Acting as the right-hand to the department’s VP, I manage the execution and resourcing for initiatives that help shape CEP’s public presence and sector influence — including our biennial national conference for philanthropic leaders, our flagship podcast Giving Done Right aimed at individual donors, as well as our website, research publication and dissemination, and marketing systems.I oversee audience engagement strategy and digital comms systems (Salesforce, Mailchimp, WordPress website), while also supervising multiple members of a creative and high-performing team and managing external vendor relationships. I work across teams to align messaging, programming, and communications priorities — often serving as a thought partner and “air traffic controller” for high-stakes, cross-functional work.My leadership style is rooted in clarity, care, and curiosity. I’m known as someone who gets things done thoughtfully and well — a strategic collaborator who can see the big picture, tend to the details, and lead teams through complex projects with empathy and intention.Focus areas: Strategic communications | Team leadership & mentorship | Program and event execution | Cross-functional project management | Digital platforms & analytics | Philanthropy & nonprofit sector | Audience engagement

Experience

1. Senior Manager, Programming and External Relations

   Center For Effective Philanthropy

   Jan 2025 — Present · Oakland, CA, US

   Serve as the strategic and operational lead for CEP’s communications, programming, and external relations team, acting as a right-hand to the departmental Vice President and stewarding cross-functional initiatives across communications, programming, and fundraising- Oversee the operations and execution of CEP’s biennial national conference (for 600+ philanthropic leaders) and virtual programming — managing logistics, stakeholder engagement, and internal coordination for events that engage key philanthropic leaders and partners- Lead marketing and audience strategy for Giving Done Right, CEP’s flagship podcast for individual donors, in partnership with hosts Phil Buchanan and Grace Nicolette — guiding communications, guest ideation, and dissemination to expand sector learning and engagement. In the top 2% of all podcasts according to ListenNotes, the latest season of Giving Done Right had a 178% increase in listenership from the prior season with over 70K total downloads- Manage CEP’s digital strategy and platforms, including website management, vendor partnerships, and email systems (Mailchimp) — ensuring cohesive, data-informed outreach across channels- Supervise and mentor multiple members of a cross-functional team, including creative staff, fundraisers, and generalists- Spearhead internal comms and programming knowledge management and resourcing with other departments — developing annual workplan with the Vice President, facilitating org-wide communications requests, and helping align communications priorities with organizational goals- Lead digital analytics efforts and recommend strategic pivots based on engagement insights and audience behavior- Manage high-level external partnerships and vendor relationships across design, web development, and production, ensuring quality, alignment, and efficient delivery.

Education

• Mount Holyoke College

  Bachelor's degree, English Literature and Italian Studies

  2011 — 2015

• Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna

  Non-degree study abroad program, Italian Language and Literature

  2013 — 2014