2025 40 Under 40 Winners

Evie raised the largest estate gift in the history of St. Joseph’s Foundation, securing over $4 million to support the hospital’s mission. She secured $330,000 annually from a single granting organization to support graduate education, resulting in more than $1.9 million raised to date. 

Each year, Evie submits and wins multiple grants ranging from $5,000 to $150,000 from respected organizations including the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Arizona Cancer Society. She successfully recruited more than seven active board members to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, with each exceeding their $10,000 annual give-or-get goal by over 400 percent. 

I started my career in higher education, specifically in college athletics. One evening, after hosting a donor at a men’s basketball game, I stayed to watch the tail end of an overtime nailbiter. That’s when I happened to meet the person who is now my leader and mentor. We exchanged information, and the following week, I reached out to her for a casual lunch to learn more about healthcare philanthropy.

We ended up talking for hours. A year later, I received a call from her, there was an opening on her team, and she encouraged me to apply. Had I not followed up on what seemed like a causal connection, I wouldn’t be doing the work I love today, and likely never would have found my way into healthcare philanthropy.

So, take a chance. You never know where a simple introduction might lead down the road.

Healthcare philanthropy aligns with my core values and passions: making people feel seen, heard, and understood.

It’s also deliciously intricate and ever-evolving. Even six years into my career, I’m learning just as much today as I did on day one. The complexity of healthcare, combined with the deeply human stories behind every gift and interaction, keeps me constantly curious and committed to this work.

Oddly enough, I don’t think there’s a more pivotal time in your career than at the very beginning. As an intern, I learned more about work ethic, discipline, collaboration, and communication than at any other stage in my career. I was determined to be the best version of myself in hopes of earning a full-time role. That experience taught me to swallow my ego, do the work, and trust that the rewards will follow. The foundation you build early on stays with you for the rest of your career.

Professionally, my greatest passion is creating spaces where people feel truly seen and heard, whether that’s a grateful patient sharing their story or a donor sharing their why. In a world full of noise, I believe every voice matters, and when we listen with intention, we can make people feel valued in ways that leave a lasting impact.  

Personally, I’m passionate about living every moment fully, embracing the big, the small, the meaningful, and even the quiet moments of life. I want to be someone who is always evolving, continuously learning and growing along the way.

Get in the habit of saying yes to professional opportunities - whether it's listening in on a call or tagging along to a meeting with your supervisor, open yourself up to learning the bends and nuances to healthcare, while keeping the fundamentals of philanthropy as your foundation.

 A donor once told me, "climb every branch of the tree" when meeting someone new, meaning: get to know the person, their friends, their network - it can only grow and expand your own. 

And, if nothing else: listen, listen, listen. That will always take you farther than you expect.