Fall Workshop 2009 - Speakers' Biographies

Lorna Somers, Campaign Director & Director of Development
Vice-President, McMaster University Foundation
McMaster University
Lorna is a Mac grad from ’81 and ’86 with degrees in English and in Art History
• She began her career in the curatorial department of the Art Gallery of Hamilton
• Six years later she left the Gallery and joined McMaster University where she is now in her 22th year in the Development Office of University Advancement and is Campaign Director and Vice President of the McMaster University Foundation
• Lorna is recognized internationally as a speaker on philanthropy, the charitable sector, fund raising as well as business skills and etiquette, and teaches throughout the world
• She was recently sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation of New York to work with East and West African universities chairing conferences annually in Africa
• A much-published author, Lorna is co-author with Frank Minton of Canada’s bestselling ‘Planned Giving for Canadians’ and is one of only three Canadians recognized as outstanding teachers by the international DC-based organization, the Council for the Advancement & Support of Education
• She is a past Chair of CAGP and is serving her second term as a Trustee on the board of CASE, Chairing the International Committee
• Lorna is an Aquarian and enjoys minding her granddaughter Evelyn and receiving gifts

Corey Long, External Relations Officer
Seneca College
Corey Long is the external relations officer at Seneca College. He is responsible for communications products for fund development, the Alumni Association and government relations. Corey joined Seneca in December 2006, while completing his master's degree in media studies at the University of Oslo. Prior to that, he was a communications officer with the Ontario ministries of Transportation and the Attorney General, as well as a teaching assistant and youth residential treatment councillor. He received an honours bachelor's degree in communication from Lewis & Clark College. Corey also teaches business writing and communications part-time at Seneca.

Ryan Davies, Manager, Marketing and Communications
Carleton University
As the Manager of Marketing and Communications for the Department of University Advancement, Ryan Davies dabbles in many different areas of development and alumni relations at Carleton University. Ryan manages a team of talented writers and designers who employ unique and effective print, e-communications and social networking strategies to engage alumni and supporters of the university. Ryan came to the post-secondary sector in 2003 after six years in public utilities and corporate communications in Western Canada. He holds an honors degree in English from the University of Alberta, plus a public relations diploma from Edmonton's Grant MacEwan Community College.

Lori Moulden, Alumni Officer, Student and Young Alumni Programs
McMaster University
Lori Moulden graduated from McMaster in 2006 and is currently enrolled in the Fundraising and Resource Development program at Georgian College.  After graduation from Mac, she began her career in Alumni Relations as the co-ordinator of Student and Young Alumni programs at McMaster University.  Lori works closely with students, young alumni, Career Services and the Alumni Association Board in such programs as Life after Mac, Online Mentoring and Career Networking, Mission to Mac events, Senior Class Giving and Young Alumni Events across Ontario.  Both Lori’s Life after Mac and Senior Class Giving programs have been recognized by the CCAE Prix d’Excellence. 

Lisa Woodcock, Associate Director, Annual Fund
University of Guelph
Lisa Woodcock is the Associate Director, Annual Fund at the University of Guelph where she is responsible for the strategic annual solicitation of alumni, parents and friends of the University. Prior to this, Lisa worked at Queen’s University for 5 years in various roles in the Office of Annual Giving, including Faculty Advancement Officer Applied Sciences and Queen’s Telefundraising Services Coordinator, and for an additional 4 years as a student caller. With a degree in biology and psychology, she anticipated continuing in academia until a light bulb moment when she realized she could get paid for attending black-tie events, taking donors to lunch, hanging out with students and talking about the great work of great institutions. Lisa has been an active volunteer with CCAE for five years, including as co-chair for the CCAE Summer Institute and as a speaker at various conferences on annual giving topics.

David Scott, Editor, Alumni Publications
University of Western Ontario
David Scott is Editor, Alumni Publications for the University of Western Ontario (which means editing the Western Alumni Gazette three times a year and the Young Alumni Magazine for new grads). He graduated in 1987 from Ryerson with a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Radio & Television Arts (with a writing major), worked from 1988-1992 at The Journal, CBC-TV, as a production coordinator, made the transition to the editorial side as a reporter with his hometown paper, The Huron Expositor in Seaforth, in 1993, learned journalism on the fly and by correspondence. David won some newspaper awards along the way for sports, news and humour writing and he worked as both a reporter and editor at the Expositor and The Lakeshore Advance in Zurich/Grand Bend. In 2000, was hired as Managing Editor of the medical journal Stroke, published by the American Heart Association and edited by London neurologist Dr. Vladimir Hachinski. In 2004, David moved to the Western Alumni Gazette and has won some awards for his work on both his publications. Somewhere along the way, he was mayor of Seaforth, not a full-time job, (1998-2000), his only venture into politics. And he’s also had two professional plays produced, including “The Ballad of Stompin’ Tom,” produced from 2006-2008 – and hopefully more in the near future.

Colleen Slater, Manager of Consulting Services
RESolutionsTECH Inc.
Colleen Slater is Manager of Consulting Services with RESolutionsTECH.  She is an Information Communication Technology and Database Professional with extensive experience in database design and maintenance, IT support and related training. Colleen is a committed service provider, working to translate client needs into actionable streamlined processes that lead to cost savings as well as identifying opportunities for efficiencies and organizational growth.  A natural trainer, Colleen is capable of bridging IT functions to the rest of the organization so that individuals can optimize systems in order to perform their role confidently and more effectively.

Brian Soucie, Development Manager, Cambrian College Foundation
Cambrian College
Brian Soucie has been with the Cambrian Foundation, the fundraising arm of Cambrian College, since 2005.  In his current role as Development Manager, he is responsible for the ongoing strategic development and utilization of The Raiser's Edge(r), donor relations and stewardship, and the Cambrian College Scholarship, Bursary and Awards Program. Brian is a past recipient of the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex Fellowship in Advancement and holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in English from Laurentian University.

Ben Seewald, Alumni Officer, Students
Queen’s University
Ben Seewald currently works with the newly rebranded Queen's Student Alumni Association and on special projects to engage young alumni and recent graduates.  As a former President of the Laurier Student Alumni Association, Ben was able to see the impact of student alumni relations first hand, shaping his future career aspirations.  In 2005, Ben won the London & Region Fundraising Executive Rising Star Award for outstanding achievement in fundraising, and in 2008 was selected for the CCAE-O's Richard Lim Scholarship for professional development in Alumni Relations. This enthusiastic Sagittarius loves the potential to be inspired on a daily basis by the students and volunteers he works with, enjoys good music, spending time with his remarkable partner and family and being walked by his beautiful husky, Kopka.