The Apra Member Spotlight series, guided by the Apra Content Development Committee, introduces us to some of the many amazing individuals who make up our professional community. With thousands of unique, inspiring stories to tell, this series offers perspectives into our peers’ prospect development (PD) origin stories, key career accomplishments, predictions for the future and much more.

In this spotlight, you’ll meet Angie Anderson and learn about her journey. She started at Weber State University, in Ogden, Utah, in September 2022 and has been a development coordinator there since July 2024.

How many years have you worked in PD?

One year. I moved into PD last summer.

What prompted you to join the PD field? What’s your career “origin story”?

I started as the administrative specialist in our office of development three years ago and found myself increasingly drawn to the strategy side, connecting data to portfolio decisions and overall mission impact. That curiosity and a few stretch projects pulled me naturally into PD.

Your education has included business administration and management, professional communication, and social and behavioral research, along with a year of medical/clinical assistant training. How has that unique background affected your approach to PD?

Business and management trained me to think in systems and outcomes. Professional communication helps me translate analysis into clear, actionable briefings. Social/behavioral research keeps me honest about bias and ethics. Clinical training honed my detail-orientation and my commitment to our constituents’ privacy. Together, these background influences make my PD work equal parts detailed, practical and human.

Your LinkedIn tagline is “Rolling through complex conversations like it’s open mat.” You describe yourself as a “development coordinator by day and Jiu-Jitsu and weightlifting enthusiast by night.” And you’ve worked as a senior martial arts trainer. You’re also an “MS [multiple sclerosis] activist.” How does all of that connect with your PD role?

Jiu-jitsu teaches pattern recognition, humility and calm under pressure. I often make the parallel to a chess match. Weightlifting is all about progressive overload: small, consistent gains and testing my limits. Coaching gives me a service mindset: a passion for helping others achieve their goals. Activism keeps me anchored to purpose and people. In PD, that translates into values-driven work: listening well, looking for patterns, seeking solutions to complex problems, and helping our team move the needle forward, both ethically and sustainably.

Are you fully remote, hybrid or in-person? What are the pros and cons of your work arrangement?

Hybrid. I love the at-home focus time for deep research and the in-person days for relationship-building. The biggest challenge is context-switching, so I batch my meetings as much as possible and reserve quiet blocks for research.

How long have you been an Apra member? Why did you originally join?

One year. I came for the resources and proven standards. My manager, Tim Wilson, is a former Apra Utah president and recently joined the Apra International board. He has been a role model. Apra is the right place to go — and grow.

Have you also been a member of a local Apra chapter? If yes, which one?

Yes — the Utah chapter. It’s been a welcoming on-ramp to share ideas and compare notes with peers. I love how local connections spark advice that fits our region, people and culture.

Have you participated in formal Apra chapter mentorship programs? Have you had any informal mentors in PD?

Not in a formal program yet, but I’ve benefited from informal mentors, colleagues, chapter leaders and posts in Apra forums. I’ve learned about workflows and the value of smarter, simpler approaches.

What would you say to encourage someone to volunteer with Apra?

Start small and say “yes,” at least once. You’ll grow your confidence, expand your network and learn faster by collaborating with others — not by trying to go it alone.

You were a first-time attendee at PD2025, in Baltimore. How would you describe that adventure?

I was a remote attendee and mainly hoped to pick up some tips and tricks of the trade. Instead, I discovered an entire crop of different perspectives! The discussions and training rewrote how I’m conceptualizing my role, from being a research helper to being a strategic partner and “trustee of trust.” The most important takeaway wasn’t a list of things to do or restore. It was a newfound confidence that careful, ethical work means more than anything else.

How has being part of the Apra community benefited you?

Apra is helping me close the gap between best practices and daily practice. For instance, we’re creating a standardized list of terms and brief definitions of key fields in our CRM. As a result, gift officers see fewer discrepancies among different constituent records, and they have far more confidence in reports and bios.

What has surprised you the most about PD?

How human it is. I was anticipating dashboards; instead, I’m having conversations. Most of the work is listening for what gift officers need, asking clarifying questions, and then compiling the information so it lands. The areas where I find tension, such as speed vs. accuracy and curiosity vs. ethics, are real. But navigating them is more about relationships and trust. I’ve been surprised by how often the “Aha!” moment bubbles up after some good talking, not after more database querying. Raw information starts the story, and people and judgment finish it. That’s my favorite part.

What PD accomplishments are you most proud of?

The practical wins that make life easier for our whole team. Clear, right-sized bios that answer the question without burying readers in noise. Cleaner, more precise data showing up in reports, which means fewer awkward “Wait! What number is this?” moments.

The most valuable feedback I receive is “This saved me time,” or “I felt prepared going into that donor meeting.” Those small, consistent enhancements make a big difference.

Look ahead five to 10 years. How do you think PD will have changed?

The use of AI will be the norm, rather than the exception. AI will keep improving, and ethics, consent and data governance will gain even more importance. The biggest difference will be PD’s strategic voice and judgment, not our tools.

What would you say to inspire someone to consider PD as a career?

If you like puzzles, people and purpose, PD is a fulfilling professional option. You don’t need to have a “perfect” background. Just bring curiosity, integrity and a service ethic, and you’ll make a measurable difference.