Visitation Announces New Director of Advancement
Visitation is happy to announce that Lisa Shaughnessy has been named to the newly created position of Director of Advancement at Convent of the Visitation School in Mendota Heights. Having successfully coordinated Merrie Market for the past two years, Mrs. Shaughnessy will now steer the development department.
Mrs. Shaughnessy brings nearly two decades of development and special-events experience to the position. She has managed major events for Fortune 500 companies and has poured her heart into non-profits. She was a founding organizer of the Basilica Block Party, creating the volunteer infrastructure that breeds enormous success. As a board member of Summit Academy in Minneapolis, Mrs. Shaughnessy launched the Summit Academy Golf Classic, which has raised more than $750,000 since its founding. And she also directed Sr. Jean’s Cookie Cart, a youth-run commercial bakery in North Minneapolis. Under her direction, the organization attracted hundreds of neighborhood children who baked and sold cookies to earn scholarship money. In addition to this expertise, Mrs. Shaughnessy has three daughters who attend Visitation, one in each of the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools – giving her a deeper understanding of the school.
“Mrs. Shaughnessy is a true visionary who sees and understands our strategic goals,” Dr. Dawn Nichols, Head of School said. “She is extremely creative, both visually and as a problem solver. And her energy and commitment to Visitation are boundless. As a mother of three Visitation students, Lisa has the added perspective of a parent, which will be invaluable as we reach out to the Visitation community.”
Dr. Nichols said Visitation established the new position for advancement to drive development strategies and capital campaigns in support of the school’s strategic plan. Development efforts will focus on enhancing facilities, academic programs, scholarships and the school’s endowment. “Visitation has both an extraordinary legacy and a clear vision for the future. We have an opportunity, through philanthropy, to connect our legacy and our future, to help secure this wonderful institution for generations yet to come,” she said.
Mrs. Shaughnessy said she’s thrilled to help advance the school she loves so dearly. “I really believe Vis is a unique place, and we must advance its mission, building upon the work of our predecessors to reach new heights. We look forward to 2010 when we will celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Visitation monastery in Annecy, France,” she added. “My goal is to help secure the financial future of this school so that we can sustain this legacy for another 400 years.”
