Leah Zueger

• Managed the Annual Fund and other fundraising campaigns, including appeals, donor acknowledgments, and stewardship communications to current families, alumni, grandparents, faculty, and staff
• Wrote, edited, and coordinated development and school-wide communications such as newsletters, annual reports, social media, and donor outreach
• Oversaw fundraising database (RENXT): processing gifts, maintaining records, generating reports, and conducting donor and grant research
• Supported major events, such as the annual Gala/Auction, Grandfriends’ Day, and alumni events, through planning, promotion, and donor engagement
• Served as a key point of contact for families and donors, representing the school with professionalism and warmth

• Researched and wrote donor reports for scholarships, student and faculty endowed funds, and case statements to support fundraising initiatives
• Planned and executed endowed fund events, including annual speaker series and student-focused programs, ensuring donor intent and fund requirements were met
• Coordinated donor recognition events to strengthen engagement and stewardship
• Conducted comprehensive prospect research, identifying and qualifying new prospects, donors, and major gift opportunities
• Prepared detailed donor profiles and briefing materials to support major gift solicitations and visits
• Assisted with prospect management by contributing to solicitation strategies and donor pipeline prioritization
• Wrote and submitted foundation grant proposals; ensured compliance with reporting and stewardship requirements
• Oversaw acquisition and maintenance of all campus signage, ensuring accuracy and donor recognition standards

• Directed all stewardship activities, including planning and executing a two-day, $75,000 dedication event for a new middle school building
• Designed and implemented a comprehensive donor outreach plan and reporting calendar; researched and wrote all scholarship, student, and faculty endowment fund reports
• Wrote and coordinated compelling gift proposals and case statements to advance fundraising priorities
• Developed and managed a prospect tracking system; prepared detailed profiles and briefings to support major gift solicitations
• Equipped colleagues and volunteers with fundraising data, reports, and analytics to inform strategy and donor engagement

• Managed the Annual Fund program for the Research Libraries, including setting annual goals and writing all foundation proposals
• Assisted in developing cultivation and solicitation strategies for foundation grants and identifying new foundation prospects
• Secured $110,000 in National Endowment for the Humanities funding to host a Summer Institute in the Slavic & Baltic Division
• Built relationships with foundation administrators by discussing current and potential grants
• Maintained the Annual Fund database and supported library curators in managing grant-funded projects, ensuring programmatic and budget compliance
• Organized donor visits and tours; prepared briefing materials for senior leadership
• Planned and executed donor and division events to strengthen engagement and stewardship

• Identified and qualified major gift prospects for the University’s $1.3B capital campaign through database analysis, publication reviews, and interviews
• Partnered with gift officers to prioritize prospects and provided research-based counsel to inform solicitation strategies
• Managed a portfolio of research projects across five schools, including the Carlson School of Management
• Produced capacity ratings and financial analyses, including business valuations, for principal gift prospects
• Co-led two demographic and attitudinal alumni surveys to support engagement and campaign strategy

• Briefed and advised the Senator on disaster response, FEMA activities, North Dakota housing issues, and Grand Forks flood recovery efforts
• Drafted talking points for floor statements, public speeches, and constituent communications
• Monitored and tracked legislative activity related to disasters, housing, and federal emergency programs
• Assisted constituents with inquiries on FEMA, housing, environment, energy, public works, and public lands legislation

• Conducted comprehensive research using online databases, library collections, and government resources, including the Library of Congress, Federal Elections Commission, federal and district courthouses, and House and Senate Legislative Resource Centers
• Analyzed and synthesized information to support legislative, policy, or project initiatives
• Maintained organized and detailed records of research findings and analyses for ongoing reference and reporting

• Conducted historical land-use and regulatory research across Minnesota, accessing state and local historical society records and reviewing federal, state, and local public records
• Tracked legislative and environmental policy developments to inform assessments and reporting
• Authored, edited, and produced quarterly and annual monitoring reports, well searches, and Environmental Assessment Worksheets (Phase I & II), including site visits and visual inspections
• Interviewed federal, state, and local officials to evaluate environmental conditions of properties
• Managed projects and maintained a comprehensive database of environmental sites

Professional Presentations & Awards

• Co-presenter, APRA International Conference (2001) – “Employing Predictive Modeling in Prospect Development”
• Co-presenter, CASE V Conference (2000) – “Weighing Algorithms and Affinity: Are Data Mining and Predictive Modeling the Future of Prospect Development?”
• Recipient, Newcomers Fellowship, CASE V Conference (2000)
• Co-presenter, Big Ten Conference (2000) – “Bridging the Art and Science of Prospect Development”