Ronnie Plasters, Founder & President
Ronnie cut his fundraising teeth at UChicago as an Associate Director of Leadership & Major Giving. There, he raised millions in support for first-generation and undocumented students.
He then joined UC Berkeley's Division of Equity and Inclusion as their development director, serving as the principle giving officer for campus wide support of E&I.
His last stop before pursuing his PhD in Philanthropy was at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley where he served as the Director of Development for the entire organization leading a multi-tiered team to serve thousands of Silicon Valley donors in support of live theatre.
Over the Years, Ronnie has honed exceptional experience that allows him to serve diverse organizations regardless of size.
Ronnie's specialities include:
- Fundraising Maximization
- Development Audits
- Development Staff Training
- Campaign Management
- Staff Transition
- Strategic Planning
- Board Development and Training
- Staff & Board Retreats
- Executive Coaching
- Organizational Transition
- Talent Acquisition & Onboarding
Jake Hurwitz, Vice President
Jake holds an MFA in Theater Management from David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, and an MBA from Yale School of Management.
Jake has expertise in data analytics, individual & annual giving, CRM database management, and development operations. Further, Jake has advised teams on enhancing culture and productivity as well as led high-stakes contract negotiations.
Jake served for numerous years as a leader at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley where he led some of the most successful campaigns in the organization’s history.
As a leader at CR, Jake ensures all CR partners have the tools and resources necessary to build and sustain giving programs that maximize organizational databases and implement best practices in annual giving.
Jake's specialities include:
- Direct Mail & Digital Fundraising
- CRM Database Maximization
- Fundraising Data & Analytics
- Donor Stewardship
- Contract Negotiations
Laurin Parthemos, Director, Strategy & Community Engagement
Laurin cut her strategic teeth in commercial banking at BB&T before moving into investment banking at Match Point Partners, where she supported capital raises and led board-level fraud remediation work. From there she moved into regulatory consulting at JDX Consulting, building the analytical foundation that would carry into a career centered on organizational change.
At Kotter International, Laurin built the firm's public sector consulting practice from the ground up, growing it to significant first-year revenue while serving as Public Sector Lead and later Principal. Fluent in Kotter's methodology — the 8 Accelerators, dual operating systems, and guiding coalitions — she has spent over a decade helping leadership teams move past strategic plans that sit on a shelf and into change that actually sticks.
Laurin brings that same rigor directly to the nonprofit sector. For more than ten years, she has volunteered with the New York Junior League, where she has led fundraising strategy for the organization's flagship annual giving event and silent auctions, and designed Non-Profit Education and Training programming to sharpen board member and executive leader effectiveness. She also serves on the Board of Directors of The Community Bots, a nonprofit delivering STEM robotics training to girls in underserved communities worldwide, where she leads corporate sponsorship strategy on the marketing and communications committee.
Whether the need is a fundraising strategy that has plateaued, a board that needs sharper governance and leadership skills, or a strategic plan that hasn't yet translated into results, Laurin partners with nonprofit leaders to build practical solutions that keep delivering long after the engagement ends.
Laurin's specialities include:
- Strategic Planning & Execution
- Organizational Change Management
- Nonprofit Fundraising Strategy (Annual Giving & Special Events)
- Board Development & Governance Training
- Executive Leadership Education & Coaching
- Corporate Sponsorship Strategy
- Community & Stakeholder Partnerships
- Practice Building & Business Development
- Data-Informed Strategic Analysis
Jackalyn Carione, Director, Marketing & Events
Jackalyn has built a diverse and international career in the charity and nonprofit sector, with experience in communications, fundraising, and community engagement across organizations including the Walt Disney Company, Hawai'i Children's Action Network, and Newcastle University.
Driven by a passion for building a more equitable society, Jackalyn brings a creative and strategic approach to engagement and impact work.
Jackalyn has an MA in Cross-Cultural Communication and International Marketing from Newcastle University and a BA in Broadcasting and Mass Communication from the State University of New York at Oswego.
Jackalyn's specialities include:
- Brand strategy and communication planning
- Digital media design
- Event production and management
- Website design & optimization
- Campaign collateral design & development