The Advancement team is responsible for engaging stakeholders in meaningful interactions that foster pride, advocacy, and private support for the College of the Environment. We work closely with the College’s academic units, collaborating with Dean Maya Tolstoy, faculty, volunteers, and alumni to engage donors and cultivate gifts that benefit our units, the College, and the entire University.
Mailing address
College of the Environment Advancement
Ocean Research Building II
Box 355055
Seattle, WA 98195
Fax
206-897-1634
Team contacts
- Building Community
- Raising Support
- Advancing the Mission
As chief advancement officer, David leads an integrated effort to advance the mission of UW’s College of the Environment by securing philanthropic support, honing marketing and communications, promoting the College’s regional and global impact, and building an engaged community of alumni, partners, and friends.
Ellen provides executive and administrative support to the Associate Dean of Advancement. When not at work, they can be found playing volleyball, paddleboarding, and spending time with their cats.
- Event planning
- Event management
- Event design
Monica oversees special events (in-person, hybrid, and virtual) for the College of the Environment Advancement team. She specializes in designing experiences that support fundraising, alumni engagement, and awareness building. She provides full-service event management, from concept to day-of-event services. Outside of work, you can find Monica spending time with family or exploring Seattle’s vibrant restaurant, theater, and art scenes.
- Donor relations
- Endowments
- Stewardship reports
Zanne's work focuses on donor acknowledgments, recognition and accountability, compliance and fiduciary responsibility, impact reporting, and engagement and loyalty. When not at work, you can find her singing with the Seattle Symphony Chorale at Beneroya Hall.
- Building Community
- Stewarding Donors
- Advancing the Mission
Laura is passionate about connecting donors to the vision and mission of UW College of the Environment. In her role as Senior Director for Advancement, she leads the major gifts fundraisers and advancement services officers, while also working closely with academic leaders within the college and beyond. When not at her desk, you can find Laura enjoying the outdoors with her kiddo and dog or exploring new restaurants.
- Donor Relations
- College Priorities
- Stewardship
Eryn is a UW alumna and lifelong Husky who is dedicated to helping donors create meaningful impact through support of College of the Environment priorities. She supports the Department of Earth and Space Sciences and the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, including the UW Botanic Gardens. When not at work, Eryn enjoys exploring the outdoors with friends and family.
- Donor relations
- Fundraising
- Stewardship
Ben builds relationships and secures philanthropic commitments with major donors investing in School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences and Marine and Environmental Affairs. He collaborates on setting strategic goals with the Senior Director for Advancement, academic leaders, and our community of supporters measurably impacting the important work at UW College of the Environment. Through identification, cultivation, and stewardship of relationships with major donors, Ben drives individual philanthropy to create transformative change. He is a fierce advocate for centering the environment and people furthest from equity as we build a just, sustainable future for all of us.
Shannon supports the UW Friday Harbor Laboratories by fostering relationships and securing major donor investments to advance the mission of FHL and the College of the Environment. She enjoys getting to know our supporters and helping them to create meaningful impact. Shannon lives and works on beautiful San Juan Island and can often be found in, on, and around the water.
- Corporate Relations
- Foundation Engagement
- College Priorities
Joaquín builds and develops Corporate and Foundation relations in support of UW College of the Environment priorities. As a life-long and curious learner he enjoys thinking big and is driven by the principle that success and scale bring broad responsibility to do better for future generations and the planet. In his free time, he is relentlessly delighted by spending time with family, outdoors in Seattle parks, and enjoying world cuisine/football with friends.
- Fundraising
- Stewardship
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Kearstin is passionate about building and sustaining connections amongst donors to raise private support for EarthLab. She is a proud UW and College of the Environment alumna from the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, and has worked within University Advancement since 2019. In her free time, Kearstin enjoys running, hiking, and recreating in the great outdoors of Washington state.
