Advice from the 2024 40 Under 40 Class

Every year since 2018, it’s been our pleasure to recognize and celebrate the young professionals in the healthcare philanthropy community through the 40 Under 40 Award program. We want to share, in their own words, the guidance they have for others in healthcare philanthropy. No matter your age, you will benefit from advice from these 40 superstars. 

We asked, “What piece of advice would you give someone new to healthcare philanthropy?”

"Find a mentor (or mentors) whose values match with your own and learn everything you can from them!"

—Molly Wilkie, BComm, CFRE

"Focus on your "Why" and set out to help others find or fulfill theirs. Generous donors come from many places and backgrounds, but each has a story and a "Why" that they ultimately want to connect with. Be authentically YOU in building genuine relationships with people inside and outside your ministry and those relationships will be fruitful!"

—Eric Barkyoumb

"Be tenacious! In my decade-plus as a fundraiser, I’ve worn many hats from interior designer to professional jump roper to landscape architect. While I’m not an expert in these fields, I’ve never shied away from a challenge. If I encounter a question I can’t answer, I am driven to seek it out until I do. This determination has proven invaluable throughout my career."

—Becky Yost

"Philanthropy is all about relationships, but healthcare philanthropy brings it all to another level. You have to be ready. If you are so lucky, your donors will share their beautiful moments of miracle recoveries, but also ask you to share their angst as they await diagnosis or their grief as they say final goodbyes. Healthcare philanthropy makes you privy to the most vulnerable and raw moments of a person's life. Be there, genuinely there, not because they are donors, but because you are part of their journey (and they are part of yours). The donation will come. The donation is often part of the healing or the celebrating."

—Edith Bolduc

"Your approach should center on three essential elements: connection to the cause, storytelling, and data. When you are deeply connected to your organization's mission, your passion becomes contagious, inspiring others to join your efforts. Effective storytelling further strengthens this connection by forging emotional bonds with your audience through compelling narratives about those your organization serves. While storytelling appeals to the heart, data provides the rational foundation, demonstrating the concrete impact of your initiatives, showcasing progress, and ensuring transparency. Integrating these three elements enables you to craft persuasive narratives that drive support and propel your organization's mission forward."

—Hailey Rodgers

Meet the rest of the 40 Under 40 Class of 2024.  

40 Under 40 is sponsored by