1. How did you get into healthcare philanthropy?
While working for a higher ed nonprofit, a couple of my colleagues were tapped to be new leaders for a healthcare foundation that needed a complete rebuild of its development program in Oklahoma City. When they encouraged me to join them, the challenge intrigued me enough to go—although I only expected to stay for a couple years. Then probably the second week on the job, our team took a tour of our pediatric mental health facility...and in that moment, looking into the eyes of kids who have endured the most horrible circumstances and knowing philanthropy could positively impact their situation—forever changed me. That experience was nearly 10 years ago now. Healthcare philanthropy has a way of connecting you with the cause in a deep way.
2. Why did you choose to make healthcare philanthropy your career?
About a year into my work with INTEGRIS, my wife and I went through IVF at the fertility clinic. That experience forever connected our family to the mission of our health system and became one of the reasons I wanted to serve and help connect more people to the amazing work happening within the walls of our hospital. Now a few years later we’ve now had another set of twins (!!) so truly our life has been so greatly impacted by our health system
—that we will be forever connected. It is an honor to work in healthcare philanthropy.
3. Tell us about a pivot point or crucial step in your career journey.
My biggest pivot actually just happened this summer. After nearly 10 years serving within INTEGRIS Foundation, I’ve joined forces with my colleague and dear friend Becky Endicott to launch a 3x weekly podcast for nonprofits called We Are For Good. (In fact, our interview with AHP President Alice Ayres is coming soon!) It has been an incredible honor to interview and share the stories of some of the most inspirational people in the nonprofit sector today. This pivot has also allowed me to serve one-on-one with clients providing fundraising and marketing consulting in healthcare philanthropy and other for-good causes across the US and Canada
4. What was your first job, and what is something it taught you?
I fell into development a bit by accident. With a degree in graphic design, my first internship landed me working for my alma mater
—the Oklahoma State University Foundation. I was hooked immediately and joined the team full-time later that year. At the time, OSU was entering the planning phases of a billion dollar fundraising campaign, Branding Success. This job gave me the opportunity to see the inner-workings of a huge and deeply impactful campaign and organization. And getting to be involved in building the design and marketing for such a complex and important initiative will forever shape my perspective.
5. What are your future aspirations?
With stepping full-time into my work with We Are For Good this summer, I’m so excited for the full vision of what’s ahead. We know we have a heart to deeply serve the nonprofit industry and development professionals. I’m passionate about expanding access to best practice resources, meaningful training, inspiration, and most importantly COMMUNITY! I’m committed to spending the next decade of my life and work to cultivate more sharing, connection, and growth across the nonprofit sector.
Find Jonathan on LinkedIn.