WASHINGTON, D.C., (September 25, 2009) – The Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) recognized Jeffrey A. Lea of the Middle Tennessee Medical Center, for achieving the AHP Fellow designation (FAHP) at the AHP International Conference in San Francisco. Lea is in the 34th class of Fellows to be honored.
Elevation to the status of Fellow in AHP is the highest level of achievement in the field of health care philanthropy. Conferring of the Fellow designation is not so much an award as it is recognition of individual professional distinction, well earned through dedication and continual self-advancement.
Jeffrey A. Lea, FAHP, CFRE entered the fundraising profession in 1988 at the University of South Carolina at Spartanburg and has been involved in health care philanthropy for the last 15 years. He is the executive director at Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Previously he served as senior vice president for system advancement at Appalachian Regional Healthcare System in Boone, N.C. Prior to that, he was president of Health First Foundation in Fla., and director of development at Anderson Area Medical Center in South Carolina. Lea was the co-chair of the 2009 AHP Southeast and Rockies & Southwest regional conference committee and a member of the regional cabinet. He also has served as track dean for both regional and AHP International conferences. Lea received his master's degree from the University of South Carolina and he is also a member of the National Committee on Planned Giving.
The Association for Healthcare Philanthropy is dedicated to the advancement of health care institutions and organizations through the enhancement of its members' performance and professionalism. To this end, AHP sets professional standards for health care development officers, offers comprehensive educational programs to help them achieve those standards, and examines them to determine who meets those standards. Professionals who successfully complete the Fellow examination earn the designation "Fellow of the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy," or FAHP.
Successful applicants must have earned the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) designation, have at least eight years of experience in raising and managing philanthropic funds for a health care organization, and pledge in writing to adhere to the AHP Statement of Professional Standards and Conduct and to uphold the AHP-endorsed Donor Bill of Rights. To achieve the status of Fellow, applicants must pass a written and oral exam.
AHP, established in 1967, is a not-for-profit organization whose 4,800+ members manage philanthropic programs in 2,000 of the nation's 3,400 not-for-profit health care providers.