Advent Meditation: Saturday, December 19, 2020

Donna Emery, as a seasoned community leader and nonprofit professional, finds joy in fundraising and building innovative solutions through philanthropy with a focus on donor stewardship. Through her advocacy and extensive work in the community, she has served at all levels of a nonprofit (executive staff, middle fundraising staff member, one-person team, a board member and as a volunteer). Prior to Southwest, Donna served as the Development Director at Mobile Loaves & Fishes and was responsible for raising over $40 million in capital to build Community First! Village, a nationally recognized solution to ending chronic homelessness. During her seven-year tenure, she was responsible for developing an organization-wide stewardship program focused on engaging stakeholders as active volunteers and directing the fundraising strategy to move the organization into a period of expansive growth. Donna believes the core of any good fundraising program resides in the commitment to stewarding donor relationships where integrity, honesty and gratitude are fundamental. Recognized as the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) 2018 Outstanding Fundraising Professional, she has extensive experience in capital campaign strategy and leadership, major gift solicitation, annual giving, and donor engagement strategy and cultivation. Donna is married to Mark and they have two children: a daughter, Elizabeth and a son, Matthew both active members of the Camp Allen community. She a graduate of Texas A&M and has achieved certification as a Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE). She takes pride as cradle Episcopalian and she serves as a vestry member at St. Michaels Austin. Bert graduated from Duke Divinity School with a Master of Divinity and received his Diploma in Theological Studies from the Seminary of the Southwest. He completed his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. Since 2008, Bert has served in parish ministry, and he is committed to leading the church into healthy and sustainable growth. Bert has been invited to lead retreats, preach, and teach in a variety of settings in the larger Episcopal Church, and he also exercises his entrepreneurial leadership through his non-profit corporation, Fishers of Men. With a keen interest in the art of fly fishing, Bert leads men on retreats across the country with the objective to discover the intersection of fly fishing and spirituality. Bert and his wife Sarah, along with their two children, enjoy living in the Texas Hill Country. Outside of the parish, Bert is found running, fly fishing, hunting, or reading.