Zahra joined our team in March 2022 and already has had an outsized impact on our fundraising and donor relations, especially relative to her tenure. This is the first time in our foundation's 35+ years of existence that we've had a dedicated Manager of Philanthropy Communications position. As a hospital that primarily cares for a very low-income population, including those who are unhoused, we have many grateful patients but very few with the means to give philanthropically. Most of our donors do not live or work in our service area, but support us because our mission resonates strongly with their values. Because they often do not have direct experience with our hospital in the way that a grateful patient would, one of our biggest challenges has been promoting awareness of the hospital's work and impact. How do we tell the stories of our caregivers, patients, and community to inspire giving among donors who don't use us for their healthcare, and who in fact likely already give to the hospital that they and their loved ones rely on for care? This is why we added this position, all the while knowing that it would only be successful if we found exactly the right person to fill it. Without a doubt, Zahra is that person. She is approachable, collaborative, passionate about social and health justice and equity, and radiates kindness and compassion. She is genuine and down to earth in a way that puts everyone at ease, whether she's relating to her colleagues on our team or within our hospital or health system, with patients, or with donors and board members. She combines impeccable expertise in her field with a humility that signals she is always open to learning and growing as a philanthropy professional and as a human being. Most of Zahra's career has been in the nonprofit and philanthropy space, and she freely shares her knowledge and experience to help others advance in this space, including as an adjunct instructor in nonprofit public relations at her alma mater, the University of Southern California. Zahra is highly emotionally intelligent, innately understands the nuances and complexities of even our most sensitive donor relationships, and always works in a way that strengthens these relationships and reflects positively on our organization. Her efforts are bringing new donors into our orbit and inspiring larger and more frequent gifts from long-time supporters. Zahra's passion for serving the greater good and her gift for connecting those with resources to those with needs are a game-changer for our fundraising, and she's only just getting started. She brings her whole self and diverse life experiences to her work as a philanthropy professional, and she is a testament to how working in philanthropy is much more than "just a job" or "just a career"—it's a way to live your values by helping donors live their values through giving.
I’ve had an interesting path to healthcare philanthropy. I originally wanted to be a doctor, but when I couldn’t get past chemistry, I switched my major to anthropology, which gave me that right balance of science and cultural studies. After graduating in 2009 during the Great Recession, I pursued my master’s in public relations and dabbled in entertainment, lifestyle, and fashion PR, but I knew I always wanted to work in the non-profit sector—thanks to my parents instilling in me the importance of giving back. My background in public relations and communications created a natural transition into healthcare philanthropy because they both value the importance of storytelling and relationship building.
Sadly, I lost both my parents—my dad when I was 17 and my mom when I was 20— to treatable and preventable diseases, which really propelled me to work in healthcare. I don’t want people to encounter the same heartbreaking experiences I faced. Working in healthcare philanthropy is truly rewarding when you can see the direct impact a donor has on creating better, healthier outcomes for people in the community.
I applied for a media relations role given my background. I interviewed with the entire team and made a good impression, but they decided to go with another candidate. The team was so impressed with me that they referred me to a role on the development team as a development communications specialist, which I applied to and subsequently offered. While I didn’t get the job I originally applied for, that transition from public relations to development was a blessing in disguise as I got to expand my skillsets and apply my expertise. In the end, I did end up working with that team as the philanthropy beat lead, so it was a full circle moment of sorts. Moral of the story is: rejection can lead to new opportunities.
Health equity. Black Americans deserve to live long, healthy lives just as much as their non-Black counterparts. Healthcare philanthropy can really help break barriers.
Be open to trying new things and bringing those ideas to the table. Philanthropy is evolving (as it should) and presents a great opportunity to engage with donors who have been historically overlooked by institutions. Network, build relationships, and invest in your professional development within the field. There are also so many roles to choose from to build a career—from being a frontline gift officer, to communications (shameless plug), to data analytics, and more. At the end of the day, you’re here to help people who want to help people. Healthcare philanthropy is also very small world (I’d argue even less than six degrees of separation), so it's important to network.
I'll give you three! I’m left handed, I was featured in an NPR story, and I practiced Muay Thai for five years.