Leadership

Chapter President

Meghan Meyerson, MSW

Justice-Oriented Fundraising Professional & Nonprofit Strategist
Meghan is a dedicated fundraising professional with experience crafting innovative strategies that elevate human service organizations from grassroots initiatives to large regional entities. Her expertise lies in Annual Fund strategy, donor relations, grant writing, systems-change, and ethical storytelling where she has consistently achieved results that prioritize justice, equity, and understanding. In addition to annual giving, Meghan is skilled in other areas of development including grant writing, major gifts, events, and development operations.

Meghan holds a Master of Social Work as well as a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University at Albany. She is also a proud graduate of Leadership Capital Region and has completed training programs in Major Giving and Project Management. In 2020, Meghan co-founded the Regional Racial Justice Advisory Committee in partnership with CARES of NY; an initiative to provide opportunities for communities across New York State to get involved in actionable systems- change to address racial disparities and inequities within the homelessness services sector. Meghan continues to be an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, New York Hudson- Mohawk Chapter, serving throughout the years as a Secretary, Treasurer, Emerging Professionals Chair, and is now the incoming Chapter President.

With more than five years in the nonprofit sector, Meghan continues her work as Director of Donor Experience at IPH (formerly Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless) in Albany, New York. She continues to channel her passion for fundraising to drive transformational change. Her focus remains on shaping effective strategies that enable organizations to thrive, ensuring that their vital services remain accessible to the communities who need them most.

Connect with Meghan on LinkedIn.

 Past President & Government Relations Chair

Nicole Babie

A Capital Region native and current Malta resident, Nicole Babie has been the Membership & Programs Director at the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation since 2015. Prior to joining the Foundation, she worked in administrative roles at Turner Construction Company and The Exhibition Alliance.

She completed her Master of Arts in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University where she focused in museum education and exhibition design, with a particular interest in creating accessible programs and exhibits for the public. Nicole is also a graduate of Hartwick College with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, focus in painting and photography, and Art History. During her free time she freelances with small businesses to manage their social media marketing and enjoys spending time with her husband and sons.

Capital Region Fundraising Day & National Philanthropy Day Chair

Eric Guzman, CFRE

Eric is a career-long nonprofit strategist with more than 12 years fundraising and capacity building experience for local nonprofit organizations.  His experiences range from supporting multi-million dollar fundraising campaigns for housing and poverty relief, to developing infrastructure for grassroots community-based organizations aimed at engaging local youth.  

Currently, he serves as the Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations at Bennington College in Vermont, reimagining the donor experience and communicating with the College’s generous donors their impact on student success, faculty innovation, and other campus projects. 

As an engaged and active proponent of nonprofit leadership development, Eric is a graduate of the Rensselaer County Leadership Institute Class of 2019, the same year he was named Outstanding Young Professional Fundraiser at the AFP Hudson-Mohawk National Philanthropy Day.  He also participated in the University at Albany’s Emerging Nonprofit Leadership Accelerator and graduated in 2020.  In 2022, Eric earned his CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) credential, joining a cohort of 7,500 fundraising professionals worldwide to hold this designation that represents tenure in the profession with the knowledge, skills, and commitment to perform fundraising duties in an effective and ethical manner.

Eric earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing/Management from Siena College.  Originally from Long Island, Eric now lives in Albany.

President-Elect, Treasurer, & Programs Chair

Jennifer L. Castellani, Ph.D.

Working in the development field for over 14 years, Jen started her first fundraising position at her undergraduate alma and has served in leadership roles for several institutions of higher education (Skidmore College, Vassar College, Union College, and UAlbany). She also worked as fundraising consultant with CCS Fundraising where she assisted the Mount Sinai Health System and the New York Presbyterian Health System. 

Jen received a B.A. in Technical and Professional Communication, an M.A. in Mental Health Counseling, and a Ph.D. in Leadership--all of which blend together perfectly for a career in development where she continues to effectively communicate the mission of the organization to supporters, build relationships with donors that allows them to bring their philanthropic vision to life, and lead talented teams to the next level of success.

Because of her hard work and achievements, she has received many recognitions throughout her career, including the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education's (CASE) Excellence in Fundraising Award for Vassar College in 2019.

In her free time, you will find her playing the djembe, a West African drum, and ferociously reading 3-4 books at one time.  

 Secretary & Membership Chair
Lauren Agnello

 IDEA Chair
Charlene Holmes

Charlene is a powerful truth teller, captivating speaker, influential podcaster, and dedicated executive coach. With a passion for dismantling systemic racism, Charlene is on a mission to ignite change and inspire individuals and organizations to create a more equitable world. 

Holmes is an experienced diversity, equity, and inclusion practitioner and a trained Anti-Racist. She is the founder of Imana Borena, Inc., an organization that provides training, professional and executive coaching, and diversity strategy development services. Imana Borena, Inc. (IB) is a Christian-based, dynamic, and forward-thinking innovation incubator for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) best practices. Guided by a mission to infuse Christian principles of equity and righteousness into the landscape of DEI and anti-racism, IB offers comprehensive training to organizations looking for transformational learning related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. All workshops center anti-racist, culturally competent, and developmentally relevant best practices in order to create a shared framework to advance organizational change. The goal of (IB) is to support organizations who are committed to structural shifts and cultural changes through clear objectives, policy analysis, and evaluation of data with a critical lens.

Emerging Professionals Chair 

Klare Ingram, CFRE

With 20 years of experience at healthcare, humanitarian, and education organizations, Klare Ingram, CFRE brings expertise in relationship-based fundraising, grant writing and management, donor and public relations, nonprofit governance, and project management.

As a Director of Development at Albany Medical Center Foundation, Klare oversees a portfolio of 150+ Albany Medical College alumni and major gift donors from 20+ states. Working closely with senior hospital leadership, providers, faculty, and other staff, Klare helps raise $750K+ annually to advance Albany Med’s tripartite mission to be northeastern New York’s complete healthcare partner, educator, and innovator.

Previously, Klare spent nearly a decade at Saratoga Hospital Foundation, an affiliated member of the Albany Med Health System. During her time there, she served in multiple capacities – from overseeing corporate and foundation relations to leading the hospital’s special events – and helped raise more than $9.5M through grants, major gifts, and sponsorships.

In the decade spent away from her native Saratoga Springs, Klare held positions in public, congressional, diplomatic, and media relations in Washington, D.C. at humanitarian organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and CARE.

Klare is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and received her B.A. from American University, where she studied Spanish, French, Arabic, and American Sign Language. She lives in Saratoga with her husband and their two sons and is a graduate of Leadership Saratoga. Klare has held numerous volunteer leadership positions, currently serving on the boards of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) NY-Hudson Mohawk Chapter and the Friends of Saratoga Springs Public Library. 

Connect with Klare on LinkedIn.

 Board Member

 Whitney Phillippi, MBA, CFRE

Whitney Philippi serves as the Vice President for Development at the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, bringing over seven years of experience in non-profit leadership and fundraising. Whitney oversees all aspects of fundraising and marketing for the organization. Under her leadership, the MHHS team consistently raises over $3.5 million annually. Outside of work, Whitney enjoys spending time with her partner Taylor, their foster children, and their furry companions, Scotch and Persephone. Whitney is committed to advancing the mission of the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society and making a meaningful impact on animal welfare.