Every year since 2018, we have recognized and celebrated young professionals who have made a significant contribution to the field of healthcare philanthropy through the 40 Under 40 program. Here are a few words of wisdom from the 2026 40 Under 40 Class:
We asked, “What piece of advice would you give someone new to healthcare philanthropy?”
“Find an organization whose mission genuinely fills your cup, because when you are connected to the patients and community you serve, this work becomes one of the most rewarding careers you can choose. There will be challenges and slow seasons, but caring deeply about the work means the wins feel that much more meaningful. That sense of purpose is what will fuel your growth, sustain you through the hard days, and ultimately make you a better advocate for the people who need it most.”
- Warren Northern
“Learn how to hold many perspectives at once. Healthcare philanthropy means understanding patients, care teams, donors, and the communities we serve. The best fundraisers know how to translate between those voices and perspectives to create the greatest impact. Stay close to the human reason behind the work, and take care of yourself too. And because this work takes heart, resilience, and occasionally a very strong coffee, we have to stay grounded ourselves.”
- Maria Mengual-Paredes, MA
“Take the time to build relationships with your physician partners. Their trust in you is critical to having successful relationships with prospects and donors.”
- Jennifer Choi Weinstein
“I would encourage them to anchor their work in the privilege of the moment. Having worked in hospice care philanthropy for the past five years, I have become keenly aware that many of us stand at the intersection of love, loss, legacy, gratitude, and deep human connection. While our work may be consistently measured through goals and key performance indicators, staying grounded in helping your donors create an impact that is meaningful to them will ultimately lead to the deepest and most lasting results.”
- Stephen Clatos, MA, CFRE
“Take the time to get to know your colleagues and their work, both within the development/philanthropy team and across the health system. Healthcare is incredibly complex, so it is important to gain a strong understanding of the organization beyond your own role. Curiosity and relationship-building go a long way in this field. When you build strong relationships with colleagues, providers, and administrators, you’ll be so much better equipped to tell your institution’s story and connect donors with opportunities for impact.”
- Samantha Barakat
“Our job is bigger than raising money, it’s making the people around us better at their part of the mission. Some of the most important work I’ve done wasn’t closing a gift, it was helping a skeptical physician see philanthropy as a partnership instead of an obligation, or helping a junior gift officer find the confidence to ask for a transformational gift for the first time. If you only measure yourself by what you personally raise, you’ll cap your own impact. If you measure yourself by how much stronger the people and systems around you become, the fundraising results tend to follow, and they last well beyond any single campaign or role.”
- Brian Pecor, MBA, CFRE
