Nature nonprofit hires chief development officer

Nature nonprofit hires chief development officer

Teresa Newmarch. Courtesy Blandford Nature Center

A nonprofit focused on nature conservation and wildlife preservation has a new chief development officer.

Blandford Nature Center has hired Teresa Newmarch for the role, effective June 17.

As chief development officer, Newmarch will develop strategies to manage existing donors and cultivate relationships with new donors; provide oversight of grants, direct mail, major gifts, planned giving and corporate sponsorships; and lead marketing and communication efforts.

Previously, Newmarch was chief development officer for Save the Chimps, a privately funded chimpanzee sanctuary in Fort Pierce, Florida. Prior to that, she was executive director of the Pine Rest Foundation in Grand Rapids, where she raised funds for Pine Rest Mental Health Services.

“Her experience and knowledge will be an invaluable addition to the team and I look forward to seeing her take our fundraising and development efforts to the next level,” said Jason Meyer, president CEO of Blandford Nature Center.

Newmarch has more than 20 years of experience in building development programs and managing fundraising efforts for nonprofits in the health care, higher education, arts and environmental conservation industries.

She has contributed to the planning and implementation of three comprehensive campaigns.

Newmarch has an M.P.A degree in nonprofit management and leadership and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Grand Valley State University.

She has certifications as a fundraising executive and in fundraising management from The Fundraising School at Indiana University. Last year, she completed training to join the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Faculty Training Academy.

“The natural history that is fostered at Blandford is the foundation of my personal history in biology and conservation,” Newmarch said.