President: Kimberly Weiner

Kimberly Lennon Weiner is the Sr. Director of Development for the Ulman Foundation. Kimberly has 15 years of professional fundraising experience and has a broad range of development experience in major gifts, managing large fundraising events, direct mail appeals, major gift solicitation, grant writing and peer to peer fundraising efforts for Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS), Best Buddies International, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and Hopeworks. During her career Kimberly has raised more than $6 million for these nonprofit organizations.

Kimberly graduated from Salisbury University in 2007 with a B.A. in Communications and a Marketing minor. Kimberly has been actively involved with the AFP Maryland Chapter as a board member since 2018, past leader of the Annual Giving Roundtable group, co-chair of National Philanthropy Day, and for the past two years has served as President-Elect. Kimberly lives in Baltimore City with her husband and rescue pit bull, Roz.

President-Elect: Tara Turner 

Tara has over 25 years of experience in fundraising for higher education. She currently serves as Interim Vice President for Advancement at Morgan State University. She has served as the director for several aspects of development including Alumni Relations, Annual Giving, Major Gifts and Planned Giving. Tara earned a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Notre Dame University of Maryland. She has been a member of AFP Maryland since 2006. 

Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Breanna Hill

Breanna Hill currently works to create a stronger Maryland by empowering access to education, supporting health and wellness, and serving as a catalyst for community development in the Community Engagement Specialist role for SECU and the SECU MD Foundation. Breanna graduated from the Community College of Baltimore County with an Associate degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2015. Breanna went on to work in hotel sales coordinating sports groups, tour groups, and weddings. Breanna developed a passion for coordinating meetings, events, and getting all the little details together. Breanna then went on to become the Director of Philanthropy at the St. Francis Neighborhood Center in West Baltimore spearheading all of their fundraising initiatives. Breanna joined the AFP Maryland Chapter in early 2019. Breanna had received a scholarship from AFP Maryland Chapter for their annual Fundraising Day conference and served on both AFP’s Program and DEI Committees.

Vice President, Member Services: Vacant

Vice President, Professional Advancement: Vacant

Treasurer: Kristopher (Kris) Sharrar, CFRE

As Director of Philanthropy at Helping Up Mission, Kris joyfully connects HUM to Greater Baltimore and beyond by sharing the compelling stories of redemption, renewal, and restoration in the lives of the men and women HUM serves. Kris’ personal connection with HUM began when he hit his own “rock bottom” in March 2006 and entered HUM as a client in the Spiritual Recovery Program. Graduating in April 2007, he then joined the staff in the long (and growing) line of graduate staff members. Kris has been active with AFP Maryland chapter, including periods as National Philanthropy Day Committee member (2010-2016), and Board Member (At-Large) in 2021.

Kris earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from UCLA in December 1985 and a Master of Science degree in Systems Management from University of Southern California in December 1988, and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (2018-Present)

Secretary: Elizabeth A. (Liz) Schuman

Liz Schuman, CFRE, is Senior Donor Relations Manager at Hospice of the Chesapeake. Previously, she was Director of Development and Communications for CHANA, a domestic violence agency within The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore after leading development and marketing efforts within the larger organization. Earlier, she was a freelance writer and marketer in healthcare and higher education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland College Park and a master’s degree in publication design from the University of Baltimore. Previously, she co-chaired AFP Maryland’s program team. She’s a fan of fundraising gurus Vu Le, Tom Ahern, Penelope Burk, Gail Perry, and Amy Eisenstein. She’s also a fan of the Oxford comma.

Immediate Past President: Vacant

CFRE Chair: Vacant

Communications Chair: Denelle Joynes

With 4 years’ experience fundraising in the nonprofit sector, Denelle Joynes is an emerging development professional who leverages her passion for writing and storytelling to generate transformative change in underserved communities and shed light on undertold stories. She is currently the Grants Manager for the Maryland Food Bank and is primarily responsible for developing, writing, and submitting grant applications, proposals, and reports for a broad range of funders including government entities, corporations, and foundations.

Prior to the food bank, Denelle interned as an undergraduate Non-Profit Writing and Community Engagement Assistant within Towson University’s Grant Writing in Valued Environments (GIVE) program and worked in a team of student grant writers to garner financial support for grassroots nonprofits across Baltimore City before earning her B.S. in English. She has previously participated in two consecutive cohorts of AFP’s mentoring program.

Membership Co-Chair: Dannielle Sturgeon

Dannielle Sturgeon is currently the Director of Development at Baltimore Corps, Inc. She works with both institutions and individuals to enlist talent to accelerate social innovation in Baltimore and advance a citywide agenda for equity and racial justice. During her time at Baltimore Corps, she has supported fundraising efforts to expand service opportunities in Baltimore and to build out their place-based service model for national application.

In 2018, Ms. Sturgeon moved to Maryland and transitioned to a career in fundraising as the Institutional Giving Coordinator for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and then worked as the Advancement Services Specialist at Strong City Baltimore. Her professional background also includes arts administration and higher education with specializations in communications, marketing, operations, and project management. 

Ms. Sturgeon holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Administration from Western Michigan University (2017), Master of Music from The Ohio State University (2013), and Bachelor of Music from Western Michigan University (2011). 

Membership Co-Chair: Todd Troester

Todd Troester is an innovative fundraising professional with 6+ years’ experience delivering high-impact growth across public relations, stewardship, and fundraising initiatives. He has a talent for cultivating strategic partnerships with Board of Directors, executive leadership, community partners and volunteers in support of mission objectives. Passionate and highly motivated program leader known for brand enthusiasm and community engagement. Todd currently works for Sunflower Bakery as the Director of Development and serves on the Board of Directors of Our Joyful Noise.

Mentoring Chair: Laura Urban

Laura Urban is Director of Development at the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies (ICJS) in Towson, a secular educational organization promoting interreligious understanding. She has been working in development and communication for nonprofits for nearly 30 years, both in Baltimore and Chicago. Prior to ICJS, she served as Vice President of Giving at the Maryland Food Bank. Her volunteer activities have included: AFP-MD Program Committee, member; Oakenshawe Improvement Association, president; Waverly Main Street, board member; and Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church, elder. She has a B.S. in journalism from Northwestern University and lives with her husband in Baltimore City, where her four adult children will occasionally come visit.  

Programs Chair: Elise Krikau

Elise Krikau, Senior Vice President, Development, is focusing the food bank’s fundraising efforts to maximize their impact on the lives of hungry Marylanders. Elise’s first experience with philanthropy came in college (which ultimately became her vocation) when she began her fundraising career in 2007. During her 20 years of professional experience, she has worked in healthcare, higher education, nonprofit consulting, and human services.

Elise has a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management from North Park University and a master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University. She is currently a board member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Maryland Chapter, and a Certified Leadership Coach. When not raising funds for the food bank, Elise enjoys running and exploring new places with her husband and stepchildren.

Roundtables Chair: Vacant

At Large Member: Burnham "Turk" Lewis

Turk has served in various leadership roles in philanthropy for more than two decades. He is the founder and president of For Better., a consulting firm that provides a broad array of services across nonprofit sectors. Much of his consulting work has involved governance, feasibility studies, campaign counsel and change management. Today, Turk is the Chief Development Officer of Hope for Henry, the nation’s leading patient experience nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. Hope for Henry is reinventing how hospitals care for children and their families through innovative, scientifically tested programs that help hospitalized kids confront the challenges of serious illness, adhere to their medical plans, and thrive.

A lifelong learner, Turk’s career began in education serving as the chief advancement officer at three independent schools prior to becoming a consultant in 2015. He was a Barnes Fellow at the Klingenstein Institute, Teachers College, Columbia University studying governance, school administration and social justice reform. He joins the Maryland Chapter having spent ten years as an active member of the Palm Beach County Chapter of AFP.

Turk and his wife Kara moved to Fells Point in July 2022 from Jupiter, Florida. Kara is the Assistant Head of Lower School at the Friends School of Baltimore. Their dog Dakota can be found chasing ducks and pigeons around Baltimore Harbor. The name “Turk” is a nickname chosen by his parents at birth that never left him—he was born on Thanksgiving.

At Large Member: Ryan Nicotra

Ryan Antony Nicotra is the Director of The Gilman Fund at Gilman School in Baltimore and a professor in nonprofit arts administration and arts entrepreneurship at Goucher College. Prior to joining the Gilman team, he served in annual giving roles at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and McDaniel College, and served as the Development Director of Single Carrot Theatre. He is passionate about working with neighbors to build a greater Baltimore.

 The mission of AFP Maryland is to foster the growth and development of a culturally diverse population of fundraising professionals, enhance philanthropy by encouraging giving and volunteering, and promote ethics in fundraising and sound non-profit management throughout Maryland.

AFP-Maryland will be recognized as a leading advocate on fundraising and philanthropic issues in our community and the professional organization of choice for fundraising professionals.