Emily Hicks
Chief of Staff
Favorite inspirational quote:
“If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience…. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded…. Floss…. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself. Remember compliments you receive; forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how…. Stretch…. Be kind to your knees; you'll miss them when they're gone…. Travel…. But trust me on the sunscreen.” – Baz Luhrmann
Emily Hicks is the Chief of Staff at Aperio Philanthropy, where she oversees the strategy, financial planning, and business optimization of the organization. Emily plays a central role in developing Aperio’s vision, strategy, priorities, and initiatives—and putting them into action. Emily is an expert in data-driven sales management and has translated that expertise into support for fundraising programs.
Prior to joining Aperio, Emily led operational, reporting, and analytics at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, supporting the rapid launch of a national philanthropy program. She equipped leadership with the necessary business intelligence drive annual philanthropic revenue growth from $28 million to $42 million.
Prior to transitioning to the nonprofit sector, she served in management roles for retailers such as Christian Dior, Anthropologie, and Stuart Weitzman.
Emily holds a BS in Merchandising with a minor in Marketing from Florida State University. She lives in Connecticut with her partner, son, and two cats.
Pronouns: she/her
Areas of expertise: metrics management, operations, analytics, planning & forecasting, gift processing, stewardship, board giving, pipeline development, prospect research
Causes I’m most passionate about: animal welfare, Alzheimer’s research, Multiple Sclerosis research, the fight against sex trafficking, hunger, community development, domestic violence prevention
My fundraising story: I’ve spent my whole career in sales and fundraising operations. My experience is in driving revenue growth and productivity through business intelligence analysis, metrics management, and operational enhancements. Prior to joining Aperio, I supported the operational, reporting and analytics needs of the development department at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. My previous experience also includes leadership roles for retailers, such as Christian Dior, Anthropologie, Stuart Weitzman.
Why I care about helping nonprofits grow: I believe nonprofits—and frontline fundraisers—play an essential role in the development our communities, whether through finding a cure for cancer or helping with economic stability. Delivering on their missions is the path to a brighter future.
Hobbies: playing shuffleboard (tabletop not deck), online shopping, cycling, reading mysteries & thrillers, snuggling my cat, eating Mexican food
Unusual talent: Superhuman spice tolerance. My dream is to be a contestant on the gameshow Hot Ones.