Vice President of Project Management Brittany LaGanke
“My passion for meaningful causes and creative solutions could now be used to help organizations that do not have the level of resources or the sheer number of staff that my previous one did.”
Contact: Email brittany.laganke@cgcgiving.com or call 202.656.8573
Brittany LaGanke’s Story: When I was preparing for graduation from college, I wasn’t sure what type of career I wanted but I knew that I loved volunteering and helping people. I had worked with several different local nonprofits in Columbus during my time at The Ohio State University so I started looking into job opportunities with those same organizations. I ended up accepting an offer for a Program Management role with an international nonprofit in the Washington, D.C. area. I absolutely loved working directly with the people we served, but I knew that I needed more of a challenge so I moved into development. Once I became immersed in the wonderful, but frustrating, world of nonprofit development, many inherent and universal issues became clear to me.
Every development officer/development team is different and has a variety of strengths and weaknesses. The more experiences I had and the more I confided in my counterparts at other organizations, the more I saw the same trends appear across every nonprofit sector. Because these organizations tend to be stuck in a sort of “starvation cycle,” there is a lack of support that development staff can start to feel. There is never enough training, resources, and time in a day to do every single facet of the job well. I knew exactly what I was good at and exactly where I could use additional support, but often, didn’t feel like there was a place to get it. As a result, I felt like I was running around, juggling a million things at once, and always playing catch up. I was not serving my incredible organization to the best of my ability because I simply couldn’t be everywhere at once.
Then came CGC. One of my former colleagues, Chris Hammond, had left the organization to start his own business. As an outsider, watching his new company grow and working within the nonprofit sphere myself, it was very easy to see just how much our community needed a company like this. In my own work, I often thought that if I could have just a couple of things taken off of my plate, I could really start to maximize my time and impact. That’s exactly what CGC does. When Chris asked me to join the company I was ecstatic. My passion for meaningful causes and creative solutions could now be used to help organizations that do not have the level of resources or the sheer number of staff that my previous one did. Working for CGC as the Director of Nonprofit Development is the perfect way to use my talents and experience to help other people who are in the same position that I was in feel like they have an entire network of support behind them.
Brittany’s Bio: Brittany LaGanke serves as Vice President of Project Management after several years in the nonprofit sector. Initially starting her career in program management and later transitioning into development, Brittany has gained valuable insight into the common obstacles that organizations face while attempting to secure funding. Brittany leans on her extensive experiences in event/auction management and proven track record in cultivating corporate donors to provide strategic solutions for our nonprofit consulting clients.
Brittany holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sexuality Studies from The Ohio State University. However, Brittany’s first love has always been giving back to the community. Brittany’s passion for philanthropy came at a young age. For years, she has been a committed volunteer with several organizations including Best Buddies, The Sexual Assault Response Network, and S.O.M.E. Her passion for working with individuals with disabilities ultimately led her to a position in development with Best Buddies Capital Region where she helped lead multiple fundraising events that broke fundraising records for the Best Buddies International.