Laura Safran

Favorite inspirational quote:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, and people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

– Maya Angelou

Pronouns: she/her

Areas of expertise: major gifts, board engagement, junior board development, case development, capital campaigns, strategic planning

Causes I’m most passionate about: hunger relief, poverty alleviation, education, equal rights for ALL

My fundraising story: I started my fundraising career as a major gift officer for my alma mater, Villanova University. After receiving a crash-course in fundraising, I decided I wanted to work for a local organization helping the city I loved, NYC. I joined City Harvest and stayed for six years, raising millions of dollars to help feed New Yorkers in need.

Why I care about helping nonprofits grow: I am passionate about enabling nonprofits to achieve their missions by helping grow their philanthropy programs. I love working with fundraisers. I think it is important to remember that fundraising isn’t asking for money, it’s facilitating the impact that philanthropists want to have on their communities. 

Hobbies: playing with my son Jackson, cooking, riding my bike around the North Fork of Long Island

Unusual talent: I can recite the alphabet backwards.