With at least 10 years’ experience in the direct marketing industry, every team member brings a wealth of knowledge to your campaigns. As a client, these are the people you’ll most likely get to know, but there are also about 75 others working behind the scenes to make sure you’re a success.
Peter loves improving performance. From enhancing Concord Direct’s production capability to improving its direct mail operations, Peter enjoys finding ways to accomplish tasks better, faster, or more efficiently. His desire to always strive for better has been critical to helping Concord Direct operations stay ahead of the curve and become a leader in the direct response industry.
Peter started in the financial sector, working in commercial lending and real estate. In 1997, Peter decided to join the family business and work at Concord Direct with his father and brother. Now, more than two decades later, Peter is extremely proud of all the company has accomplished, including its work with major national nonprofits and local organizations, and its earning of the distinction of Business of the Year from the local Chamber of Commerce.
While he’s thrilled with what his family and the Concord Direct team have built professionally, life is about more than just business for Peter. He’s honored to serve on the boards of Concord Hospital and the Capital Region Development Council in Concord. He’s also an avid skier. When he’s not on the slopes himself, he’s cheering on his kids, who are competitive ski racers.
Tom is always on the move. Whether he’s meeting with Concord Direct clients or collaborating with company team members on our latest projects, it’s rare to see Tom sitting at his desk. Tom spends more than half his time on-site with customers. He learns everything about their organization, listens to their needs, and understands their challenges. For more than 20 years, Tom has overseen Concord’s nonprofit relationships, and his team is always assured he’ll bring his dedication to helping fundraising organizations on projects at every level.
He is most passionate about nonprofits that help kids in need. As a board member of the Boys & Girls Club of Central NH, Tom has seen firsthand the challenges children face. His drive to help all children live a life filled with positive influences and hope fuels his enthusiasm to help all Concord Direct clients achieve their mission to improve the world. Tom believes that teamwork is essential to the success of every project. He provides a true sense of family for Concord Direct, and he keeps the team united. When he’s not leading Concord Direct, Tom loves staying active with biking, skiing, and running. He’s also a dedicated New England sports fan, the Patriots in particular.
Many people cringe when fundraising data gets complicated. Not Steve – he dives right in. An advocate for creative fundraising solutions and measurable results, Steve is always looking for exciting ways that the Concord Direct team can create data-centered fundraising strategies. The Adaptive Fundraising Approach is the heart of Concord Direct’s process. Since Steve is constantly focused on innovating, it’s no wonder he is passionate about Concord Direct’s innovative approach.
Steve brings more than 30 years of experience in direct marketing with a focus in fundraising for the nonprofit world. His past experience includes work with major nonprofit clients such as the American Cancer Society, the Arthritis Foundation, ALSAC/St. Jude, the National Wildlife Federation, and Feeding America. Steve’s accolades include the Chairman’s Award for greatest contribution to the company during his time at Merkle, and the Direct Marketing Association’s Echo Award for Outstanding Direct Marketing Campaign. Steve drives the Concord Direct team to believe there is no finish line, and continuously look for ways to improve fundraising, increase revenue for clients, and boost fundraising results. Steve’s experience, energy, and approachable nature make him the perfect direct marketing expert to lead the Concord Direct team and keep the company moving toward the best fundraising solutions for clients.
Some people find managing the creative process to be messy and frustrating, but not Cindy! Cindy loves diving into details and the challenge of getting everyone aligned around one strong creative solution. And while many creative types shy away from data, Cindy says, “Bring it on!” This self-described “data dork” wants to understand data to shape a creative strategy backed by fact rather than opinion, with the end result of garnering outstanding results for her clients.
Cindy brings more than 17 years of experience in direct response marketing, writing, design, and fundraising to Concord Direct. She began her career as a graphic designer but soon followed her desire to explore campaign content and performance beyond just visuals. That’s what developed the data-driven focus she brought to creative projects for clients like the Animal Legal Defense Fund, The Seeing Eye, Grand Canyon Association, Born Free, Morris Animal Foundation, California State Parks Foundation and Trinity Missions.
An animal lover since childhood (she grew up with dogs, cats, and even a pony!), Cindy especially enjoys the work she does with animal welfare organizations. When she’s not directing creative at Concord Direct, she’s the proud mom of two busy girls with their own extensive interests in visual and performing arts. In her bit of spare time, she plays volleyball to unwind or curls up with a good book, a cup of coffee, and some chocolate to relax!
If you could script a career’s worth of experience for the perfect Analytics expert in nonprofit fundraising, it would probably resemble Craig Albano’s resume. Shortly out of college, he joined a then-start-up socially responsible telephone fundraising organization. During his 13-year tenure, he became the Director of Operations, focused on working with clients’ data, implementing call-center technology, and working with nonprofits to grow their donor and outreach files.
He then joined Target Analytics where he was part of the Cooperative Database team for 6 years, working hand-in-hand with organizations to leverage modeled data to improve acquisition programs and target membership and event constituents for appeals. As part of the National Index of Fundraising team, Craig managed a team of analysts that produced insights on industry trends and opportunities for various fundraising niches. Before joining Concord Direct, Craig led all analysis and reporting initiatives for several well-known nonprofits, such as Doctors Without Borders, American Humane Society, Greenpeace, PETA, National Resource Defense Council, OFAM, ACLU, NAACP, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Planned Parenthood, as well as various public broadcast stations.
When Craig isn’t reveling in the opportunity to bring order to disordered datasets or helping organizations uncover insights to connect actions with their mission, you’ll likely find him volunteering for Pie In The Sky (he has a passion for food insecurity causes), Swim 4 Life (for the Outer Cape Cod Community Compact) or the Portsmouth Halloween Parade (he’s a lifelong Halloween enthusiast.)
Maura is proud to be a data nerd. Whether she’s tracking her mileage and performance while training for her next marathon or looking at direct response trends, Maura loves using data to figure out how certain tweaks can translate to measurable improvements. Embracing her inner data nerd makes Maura an amazing Analytics Director at Concord Direct. Clients love that she brings not only her dedication to measuring results but also 30+ years of experience in direct response fundraising (working for nonprofits like CARE and data-focused organizations like Epsilon).
Throughout her career, she’s worked with a wide range of nonprofits, including the American Red Cross, Defenders of Wildlife, BrightFocus Foundation, Special Olympics, Alzheimer’s Association, Disabled American Veterans, and many others. No matter the organization, Maura is always focused on how to effectively help every nonprofit reach its target audience and improve the performance of a direct response program. With her focus on this goal, it’s no surprise she’s been recognized for her amazing work. She was part of the winning team that was awarded a DMFA Package of the Year and contributed to several NEDMA award-winning campaigns.
When Maura’s not poring over data and strategizing campaign improvements, she’s in the community working for nonprofits she loves. This includes volunteering for her running club’s annual Thanksgiving Day Race, helping out at the starting line of the Boston Marathon, and interviewing potential students for her alma mater, Northwestern University.
Ali is a natural-born problem solver, and Concord Direct puts her talents to good use in her role as Planning Director. Regularly inspired by the future and what could be, Ali loves a good challenge and is driven by her curiosity and deep desire to learn, turning ideas into wins for her clients.
Early in her career, she was part of a team that revolutionized the management of the trailer fleet for one of the nation’s oldest and largest railroads, developing a model that became the industry standard. That experience taught her that it’s not easy to stop a freight train, or even change it’s course, but with a little innovative thinking and a lot of tenacity, it can be done! She then brought her strategic thinking and marketing chops to several marketing organizations, where she did everything from analytics to sales to website redevelopment for major corporations and associations. With over 20 years of experience in nonprofit direct response marketing, Ali is proud of her role in helping her clients plan a path to growth so they can do more good.
When she’s not strategizing for Concord Direct, she’s cheering on her alma mater, Virginia Tech (Go, Hokies!), and spending time camping, skiing, and boating with family. Ali’s inspired every day by her colleagues, as she learns from them and admires them fiercely. The feeling’s definitely mutual.
It’s no surprise that Rick coached youth hockey and baseball. Each day he helps lead the Concord Direct team to work together and succeed. Rick brings more than 40 years of experience to Concord Direct. He’s spent decades helping nonprofits grow their donor base and raise revenue. His strengths in direct mail are a huge asset, and Rick is always finding cost-cutting ideas for Concord Direct’s direct mail clients. But he’s more than just the direct mail guru.
Concord Direct clients also love Rick’s passion for crafting new, exciting ways to help them reach their fundraising goals. Rick may have retired from coaching, but he still motivates the Concord Direct team every day. He encourages his team to focus on understanding what clients need in a fundraising campaign so clients can focus on their core mission. Concord Direct is grateful to have Rick’s experience as well as his commitment to helping clients improve the world.
Want to know what running a restaurant kitchen and coordinating a fundraising program have in common? Just ask Bert. As a former aspiring chef turned fundraiser, Bert knows that whether it’s a successful dinner service or a direct mail campaign, the same ingredients are required – a strong team, focused vision, and dedication to excellence. While he long ago left the restaurant biz (although he still loves food, of course!), Bert was thrilled to transfer his passion for great service and project management to direct mail. For more than 15 years, Bert has been working in direct mail marketing.
At Concord Direct, he’s thrilled to use his initiative and management skills to help with nonprofit fundraising and furthering the missions of Concord Direct clients, including Partnership with Native Americans, California State Parks Foundation, No Kid Hungry, and Ronald McDonald House Charities. Clients love that Bert keeps everything moving smoothly, and they also appreciate his knack for data and amazing memory (he even remembers his neighbors’ phone numbers from childhood).
Outside work, Bert hits the trails. He’s an avid trail runner and competitor, and has completed six 100-mile ultramarathons. He still finds time to cook, especially for his friends and family, and loves to give back to the sport he loves. When he’s not running races, he’s often volunteering to help race events operate smoothly.
Helping others is at the center of nearly everything Devon does. Whether she’s hiking all 2,179 miles of the Appalachian Trail to bring awareness to a cause or working with Concord Direct clients, her focus is always on how she can highlight organizations that improve our world. As a passionate fundraiser for more than 10 years, Devon’s interest in nonprofits began with private school fundraising and grew to include positions at some of the best-known agencies in the world. Independently, she even organized a fundraising drive to support the Brain Injury Association of America in honor of a close friend.
During her career, she’s overseen direct mail, telemarketing, and digital media strategies for multiple small and large-scale nonprofit organizations while leading internal teams and managing external vendors. Outside work, it’s hard to chase Devon down – whether she’s running, hiking, or walking her dogs, she finds her time in nature helps her recharge for work, and she uses this time to think up new creative ideas for clients. Clients love Devon’s curiosity and creative thinking, and we’re glad she’s brought her inquisitive spirit and extensive experience to the Concord Direct team.
Ask Gretchen what she’s most passionate about, and her answer can be summarized in one word: giving. Giving her time, energy, passion, skills, experience. Whether volunteering for a cause or working for one, Gretchen’s life revolves around giving.
A proud New England native, Gretchen began her career at an independent ad agency working with some of the most recognizable names in B2B and B2C companies, but it was her work with nonprofts that really ignited her passion. Nonprofits like Doctors Without Borders, Defenders of Wildlife, The Union of Concerned Scientists, and especially the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Whether it’s managing a client’s multi-channel direct response fundraising campaign, orchestrating a program to upgrade donors to major-gift prospects, or re-inventing a multi-channel membership renewal, Gretchen thrives on giving her talents to get donors to give as well. But she’ll tell you that the best part of her job is building the strong partnerships with clients and working with them, shoulder-to-shoulder, to reach a shared goal. Her clients love that relationship, too, as Gretchen’s work has been recognized with several awards.
On the rare occassion you catch Gretchen not working for a great nonprofit cause, you’ll likely find her spending time outdoors with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband (they’ve been married 21 years) and their 9-year-old daughter, or tearing through a good book (every room in their home has an overflowing bookcase.) And if you’re in Boston this summer, you may also see Gretchen rocking a stage with her band.
Adventurous. Compassionate. Driven. These are just a few of the qualities that come to mind when we think about Jess. Whether working as a farmhand in New Zealand or as a caretaker for a bear named Balu at an animal sanctuary in Bolivia, Jess doesn’t just see the world, she contributes to it wherever she goes. Even before she graduated college, Jess was looking for ways to make a difference. While still an undergrad, she started a local chapter of the national nonprofit Population Connection, and then went on to work at New Era Colorado, a nonprofit that works to get young people involved in politics.
Her deep sense of altruism led Jess to begin a career in nonprofit marketing, during which she’s worked with organizations including AARP Foundation, Cornell Botanic Gardens, United Way, KaBOOM!, Morris Animal Foundation, Children’s Cancer Research Fund, and many more. At Concord Direct, clients highly value Jess’ dedication to their mission and appreciate her ability to translate their marketing vision into an executable, results-driven plan. Jess has also been instrumental in helping Concord Direct clients reap the benefits of digital platforms and make the most of their dollars (e.g., she helped one client reduce the costs to acquire a lead from $70 to $7).
When Jess isn’t working or volunteering (which is rare), you’ll find her hosting potlucks and game nights for friends, baking vegan twinkies, or finding water in her landlocked state to play in. She also loves to read nonfiction books, go to comedy shows, and see live bluegrass.
When Kelley bought a “fixer upper” house, the team at Concord Direct wasn’t surprised. Kelley is obsessed (in a good way) with fixing things, whether it’s crafting new solutions or improving projects for clients. Concord Direct clients need assistance in a range of areas, and Kelley is always ready to pitch in. From adjusting projects to meet budgetary needs or smoothing out the process for direct mail, Kelley is the go-to for helping clients address challenges.
With more than 30 years of experience at Concord Direct, Kelley brings a deep understanding of the industry — or to put it in Kelley’s words, “I’ve seen it all.” Her thorough knowledge of fundraising and all the bumps that can come up make Kelley a great sounding board for the Concord Direct team. When they’re stuck, her colleagues know to go find Kelley. She’ll brainstorm innovative solutions to get a project running smoothly. Concord Direct is fortunate that Kelley brings her passion for fundraising and her “can do” attitude to the company.
Say hello! We’re an approachable bunch. Let’s chat about how we can create unique, standout direct marketing programs that get results for your nonprofit organization.
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