Executive Director Ashley Olson to be Honored as "Fundraiser of the Year" by Nebraska AFP

Ashley Olson, Executive Director of the Willa Cather Foundation, will be honored at the December 17, 2019 meeting of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Nebraska Chapter as "Fundraiser of the Year." Friends, colleagues, and members are invited to join us in Omaha in celebration of Olson's award.

Her consistent ability to secure sizable grants and donations in her eleven years at the Willa Cather Foundation has successfully carried the organization into the 21st century. In her five years of executive leadership she has helped shape the National Willa Cather Center to fruition through the oversight of a multi-million dollar capital campaign. Because of these efforts and more, the Center has become a successful arts, educational, and cultural destination—for Red Cloud, for Nebraska and the Great Plains, and for the nation.

Olson joined the Willa Cather Foundation staff in 2008 and has served as the organization's Executive Director since 2014. She holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a certificate in fundraising management (CFM) from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Olson earned a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification in 2019, which signifies the highest standard of ethical and professional conduct in fundraising. She oversees management of the National Willa Cather Center, Red Cloud Opera House, Willa Cather Memorial Prairie, and the nation’s largest collection of nationally designated historic sites dedicated to an American author.

AFP Nebraska Chapter Awards Meeting and Networking Reception

December 17, 2019 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Tickets: $10

REGISTER HERE

House of R, 911 S 87th Ave Omaha, NE 68114

Join us Tuesday, December 17 from 4-6 PM as we recognize some of our Chapter's most outstanding members. We'll be honoring the following individuals for their achievements:

FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR: Ashley Olson, The Willa Cather Foundation - This award recognizes an outstanding individual fundraising professional who works for a nonprofit, charitable organization. Nominees must have a minimum of 5 years of experience as a professional fundraiser. They must also be a current AFP member.

EMERGING FUNDRAISER: Kyle Cartwright, Nebraska Cultural Endowment - This award recognizes an outstanding individual fundraising professional who works for a nonprofit, charitable organization and is new to the field. Nominees must have no more than 5 years of experience as a professional fundraiser, regardless of age. They must also be a current AFP member.

HALL of FAME: Paul Strawhecker, ACFRE, MPA of Paul J. Strawhecker, Inc. and Jodie Nolan, CFRE

The event is open to all members and guests.

A variety of appetizers and a cash bar will be available.