Melanie Brandston has been in nonprofit development for her entire 32-year career. Her experience ranges from building major gifts programs and managing capital campaigns to overseeing multi-faceted development departments. She has served as a chief development executive for several New York nonprofits and as a senior executive of the international fundraising consulting firm, Brakeley Briscoe. Organizations served include colleges, prep schools, museums, human service organizations, disease charities, hospitals and international development causes.

Melanie is well-versed in campaign planning (feasibility) studies, implementing capital campaigns and major gifts programs—from planning to implementation to troubleshooting stalled campaigns to capacity-building in major gifts. She has taken graduate courses related to organizational culture and the role of philanthropy at Harvard, Skidmore, and Union Graduate College.

Melanie is a member of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and Women in Development/NY. She has been a guest speaker at AFP’s Fundraising Day in New York conferences; Women in Development/NY’s Special Programs series.

A graduate of Colgate University, Melanie is a member of Colgate’s Planned Giving Committee. She is a director of Women in Development/NY; Vice Chair of the Columbia Land Conservancy; and a director of the Jerome and Marlene Brody Foundation.

Nonprofit Organizations Served

Education
Anne Arundel Community College/Foundation (Arnold, MD)
Berkshire Country Day School (Stockbridge, MA)
Colgate University (Hamilton, NY)
King’s College (Wilkes-Barre, PA)
Our Lady of Mercy/Lauralton Hall (Milford, CT)
Marvelwood School (Kent, CT)
Norwalk Community College Foundation (Norwalk, CT)
North Hennepin Community College Foundation (Minneapolis, MN)
St. John’s High School (Worcester, MA)
SUNY Orange Community College/Foundation (Middletown, NY)
Tatnall School (Wilmington, DE)

Health/Medical
American Lung Association (National office—New York, NY)
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (National office—New York, NY)
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (National office—White Plains, NY)
Visiting Nurse Service of New York (New York, NY)

Human Services
Emergency Medical Services Institute (Sharon, CT)
Habitat for Humanity of Northwestern Connecticut (Salisbury, CT)
KaBOOM! (Washington, DC)
Lifespire (New York, NY)
Literacy Volunteers of New York City (New York, NY)
Salvation Army of Greater New York (New York, NY)
YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester (White Plains, NY)

International
Helen Keller International (New York, NY)
ORBIS International (New York, NY)
Physicians for Peace (Norfolk, VA)
Project Concern International (San Diego, CA)
WaterAid America (New York, NY)

Museums/Arts/Zoos
American-Scandinavian Foundation (New York, NY)
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (Columbus, OH)
George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film (Rochester, NY)
Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge, MA)
Munson Williams Proctors Art Institute (Utica, NY)
Pearl Lang Dance Foundation (Greenfield Center, NY)
Shaker Museum and Library (New Lebanon, NY)
Shelburne Museum (Shelburne, VT)
Virginia Capitol Foundation (Richmond, VA)