Mary Kay Phelps still remembers the first time she became involved with her major nonprofit organization. It was Handgun Control, and she was 15 years old.
In her adult life, Miss Phelps has been able to turn her passion into a career.
“I was always someone who volunteered for various nonprofits and had causes that were near and dear to my heart,” said the Alexandria resident. “It seemed like a natural marriage between the two.”
Last week, Miss Phelps, 43, began her new job as vice president of membership at WETA, the D.C. public broadcasting network. She will direct a team of 20 people charged with annual fundraising efforts and attracting dues-paying members through direct mail, on-air and online marketing.
Fundraising and expanding membership are important to WETA because fundraising dollars make up about half of the operating budget for WETA’s broadcast stations, WETA TV 26 and classical WETA 90.9 FM, said Polly Heath, WETA’s chief financial officer.
“This is a very important part of our financial picture,” Ms. Heath said.
Miss Phelps’ predecessor, Sue Richmond, spent more than 30 years with WETA working in fundraising and membership.
“When Sue decided to retire, it was daunting to find someone to bring into such an important position,” Ms. Heath said. “We were very excited to find Mary Kay. She looks like she is going to do a fabulous job for us.”
WETA was impressed by Miss Phelps’ fundraising experience and her work with large donor bases and online fundraising, Ms. Heath said.
Miss Phelps most recently worked as senior vice president of Development Resources Inc. in Rossyln, where she worked with local, national and international nonprofits. She worked for three years with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Phoenix as vice president of communications, marketing and development. From 1996 to 2001, she worked for the American Red Cross in various fundraising positions, including senior director of direct-response fundraising and planned giving at its national headquarters in the District.
She holds a bachelor’s in business administration from the College of William and Mary and a master’s in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
Miss Phelps said one of the major challenges of working in fundraising is competing for donor dollars.
“There are so many nonprofits being chartered each and every day, each with a noble mission,” she said. “How do you maintain that your mission is equally important as some of the others?”
WETA is the third-largest producing station for the public television system and produces and co-produces many shows including “The News Hour with Jim Lehr,” “Washington Week with Gwen Ifill” and “National Journal.”
— Melanie Hicken
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