Should I Stay or Should I Go? Gender and Retention in Advancement

About this Roundtable

While women hold most professional staff roles in advancement, their voices are largely absent from discussions of talent management practices and individual career journeys of individuals within the field. This presentation will describe the findings of a research study that highlights the relationship between gender and advancement work, the factors influencing job-related decisions, and challenges to gender equality in the field. In this interactive session, we will also discuss actionable strategies for creating a more inclusive and supportive work environment for women in the field.

About the Speaker

Dr. Lauren Villanueva
Vice President of Alumni Engagement & Annual Giving, Syracuse University

As Vice President of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving at Syracuse University, Dr. Lauren Villanueva directs a comprehensive programming, volunteer, annual giving, and communications strategy designed to deepen meaningful engagement among Syracuse University’s 300,000+ alumni worldwide. She collaborates with the Syracuse University Alumni Association Board of Directors, campus stakeholders, and volunteer leaders to support philanthropic and engagement priorities associated with the Forever Orange campaign.

Prior to joining the Syracuse team in July 2022, Lauren was Vice President of Alumni Engagement and Executive Director of the Alumni Board of Governors at Drexel University in Philadelphia. In this role, she developed the strategy to guide prorams, volunteer engagement and data management in the contact of the university’s $750 million campaign, The Future is a Place We Make.

Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications, a Master of Science in higher education administration and organizational management, and an Ed.D. in educational leadership and management from Drexel University. Her research interests center on talent management and gender in higher education Institutional Advancement. She has also served as an adjunct instructor for Drexel’s School of Education and College of Arts and Sciences and has presented on numerous topics for CASE and Academic Impressions.

Registration Information

• Registration is required for all WID-NJ roundtable events
  
• Free for members | $20 for non-members
• All levels of experience in development, fundraising, and nonprofit management are welcome

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