This Global Diversity Awareness Month, Apra brings together experts from across the globe for a thought-provoking and informative discussion delving into the world of prospect research and its many applications.
This panel is your passport to insights and experiences that span borders — panelists share their unique perspectives, insights and best practices, to provide a comprehensive view of how prospect research is conducted and leveraged across different countries and cultures.
Stefanie Hardacre is a certified practicing accountant (CPA) specialising in higher education advancement, with a particular interest in reporting, analysis and prospect management. Hardacre has been in the sector for almost 15 years, and is passionate about sharing knowledge and seeing the sector grow in breadth and professionalism. With a drive for collaboration, Hardacre has been involved in several advisory boards, committees and working groups. She is the current chair of the editorial committee for CASE Insights on Philanthropy (Australia and New Zealand).
Sharise Harrison is currently the director of prospect management and research at Loyola University of Chicago. She was previously at Grenzebach, Glier and Associates where she served as vice president of dvancement analytics and advancement services, serving as the lead consultant in philanthropic analytics and prospect development.
Prior to this, Harrison spent nearly four years as senior director of prospect management and analytics at Santa Clara University. Prior to Santa Clara, she worked in leadership positions within prospect management and prospect research for Teach for America, The Humane Society of the United States and University of Kentucky Healthcare. She also served as an analyst for organizations like Women for Women International and Georgetown University.
Harrison holds a master of arts from Georgetown University and earned her undergraduate degree from LaSalle University. She’s also a published author of numerous articles on prospect development for publications such as The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Her team at Santa Clara was awarded the 2021 CASE District VII Platinum Finalist Award for best practices in advancement services. She currently serves as a board member of the Apra.
John Hermans is executive director of prospect management and advancement research at the University of Toronto, and a former board member of the Apra Canada chapter.
Michael Hodgson has worked in major gift fundraising in the United Kingdom for over 10 years, first in the arts in London and now in higher education at the University of Oxford. Starting out as both a communications and prospect research specialist, he has focused on the latter at Oxford, where he now supervises donor due diligence across a multibillion-pound campaign, the largest of its kind in Europe.
Sasha Villacis is founder of Inspiring Philanthropy, a fundraising consulting firm focused on tackling complex prospect development and advancement programs to inspire greater philanthropy in California. Her career spans 20 years of visioning prospect development, advancement services and performance management programs for various multi-billion dollar higher education campaigns and inclusive philanthropy efforts at various social service and environmental nonprofits. For her principal gift prospect development work at UC Berkeley, she was honored as a Platinum Finalist for Best Fundraising by the global organization CASE in 2021.
Villacis currently supports principal gift and institutional relations fundraising at the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, serves on the San Francisco Opera Guild Board and is the immediate past chair of Apra’s Editorial Advisory Committee.