Open to opportunities

Rebecca Pazin

@rebeccapazin

I am a fundraising and advancement leader driving major gifts, CRM optimization, and data-driven development strategies.

United States

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek a leadership role that blends fundraising strategy and CRM/systems optimization, in a collaborative, data-driven culture with opportunities to grow teams and campaign impact.

I am a dynamic advancement and operations leader currently serving as a Lead Business Systems Analyst, translating stakeholder needs into functional and technical requirements and defining system improvements to enhance user experience and operational efficiency.

I have a proven fundraising track record, managing portfolios for major and regional gifts and personally raising significant funds across fiscal years. I helped grow annual fundraising from $4.5M to $6.3M, exceeded multi-year major gift goals, and increased alumni participation while serving as a development director and major gifts officer.

I lead teams through CRM migrations and process improvements, overseeing advancement operations, reporting, prospect research, and volunteer coordination. I combine strategic planning, data analysis, and hands-on relationship management to drive campaign success and operational excellence.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Lead Business Systems Analyst

Current

Loyola University

Feb 2025 - Present (7 months)

Translate stakeholder needs into functional and technical requirements and define system improvements to enhance operational efficiency and user experience.

Business Analysis Requirements Gathering Process Mapping Stakeholder Management CRM Administration System Implementation Technical Documentation Change Management

Regional Development Director

Saint Mary's College

May 2023 - Feb 2025 (1 year 9 months)

Managed a portfolio soliciting gifts over $25,000, cultivated donor relationships across multiple states, and supported campaign reporting and outreach best practices.

Major Gifts Portfolio Management Stewardship Relationship Management CRM

Major Gifts Officer

Culver Academies

May 2022 - May 2023 (1 year)

Managed a major gifts portfolio targeting gifts over $100,000 and personally raised $5.2M during tenure, exceeding the $1M annual goal.

Major Gifts Relationship Management Travel Cultivation Stewardship

Campaign & Fund Manager / Interim Director

Culver Academies

Jul 2019 - May 2022 (2 years 10 months)

Managed and trained fundraising teams to grow annual fundraising from $4.5M to $6.3M, led Day of Giving efforts with 2,000+ donors and over $2M raised, and oversaw a CRM migration to RE NXT.

Campaign Management Annual Giving Team Leadership Advancement Operations Donor Engagement Data Integrity

Board Member

Develop Culver

Apr 2018 - Jan 2020 (1 year 9 months)

Served on the board to support local development initiatives and strategic planning from 2018 to 2020.

Governance Strategic Planning Board Relations Community Engagement

Board Member

Culver & Lake Maxinkuckee Visitors Center

Apr 2018 - Jan 2020 (1 year 9 months)

Served on the board supporting marketing, grant efforts, and community outreach to advance the organization's mission.

Governance Grant Coordination Marketing Support Community Engagement Volunteer Management

Advancement Project Manager

Culver Academies

Apr 2018 - Jul 2019 (1 year 3 months)

Led high-level advancement projects, partnered with the CAO to define priorities and messaging for a $300M+ campaign, and supported communications and fundraising transitions.

Project Management Campaign Planning Messaging Communication

Chamber Secretary

Culver Chamber of Commerce

Nov 2017 - Apr 2018 (5 months)

Served as Chamber Secretary, supporting board operations and local business coordination during a transitional period.

Meeting Coordination Record keeping

Executive Director

Culver & Lake Maxinkuckee Visitors Center

Nov 2016 - Apr 2018 (1 year 5 months)

Developed and executed a strategic plan to promote the town, collaborated with stakeholders, and secured over $6M in support for community initiatives.

Strategic Planning Community Outreach economic development Marketing Stakeholder Engagement Fundraising

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Association of College and University Educators (ACUE)

Certificate

Completed the 'Fostering a Culture of Belonging' program through ACUE in 2024.

IUPUI School of Philanthropy

Certificate in Fundraising Management, Fundraising/Philanthropy

Activities and societies: Courses: Principals & Techniques of Fundraising (Dec 2019); Developing Major Gifts (Jan 2020); Developing Annual Sustainability (Feb 2020); Managing a Capital Campaign (June 2020).

Completed the Certificate in Fundraising Management through IUPUI School of Philanthropy covering fundraising principles, major gifts, annual sustainability, and capital campaign management.