2025 40 Under 40 Winners

During a stint as the Assistant Director of Annual Giving at Lewis & Clark College, Hailey increased the overall Fiscal Year 2022 annual fund dollars by 9%. Dollars raised through email and direct mail increased by 57% and 53% respectively, and she led two 24-hour giving campaigns. The Giving Day campaign raised nearly 14% more than the prior year. 

In 2022, she was invited to serve on a panel of experts for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the National Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement to discuss research trends and best practices. Hailey has consistently exceeded her performance metrics and secured over $2 million in new gifts and commitments for Fiscal Year 2025 in her current role at Rutgers Health. 

She was the first person under 30 years old to be elected to The Center for Contemporary Art (Bedminster, NJ) Board of Trustees in its 50-year history. She served in this role for two years and chaired the Fund Development Committee, providing strategic guidance to the Center's Executive Director and the Board of Trustee President. 

I found my way into healthcare philanthropy somewhat by chance through an internship with the Rutgers University Foundation. During that time, I explored many areas of higher education advancement, including the Rutgers Health system. I learned how meaningful healthcare philanthropy could be, directly touching the lives of patients, families, and communities which really stuck with me. I knew then that I wanted to grow in this space, so I applied for a development role with Rutgers Health and that’s where my journey officially began.

I chose this career because I believe in the power of philanthropy. Philanthropy has the ability to improve human health and make a tangible difference in people’s lives. I’m not a doctor, nurse, or healthcare provider, so this is my way of playing a meaningful role in supporting the well-being of others. Fundraising allows me to connect generous people with opportunities that resonate with them and have the potential to make incredible impact, whether by advancing research, expanding access to care, uplifting underserved communities, or supporting patients and their families. This work gives me a sense of purpose, and it’s how I feel I can contribute to a more hopeful world.

The most pivotal moment in my career came when I first discovered that being a development officer was a career option. I met a major gift officer at 14 during a bring-your-kid-to-work day who completely blew me away. Seeing the joy and passion they had for their work left a lasting impression. From that moment, I knew this was something I wanted to do. Years later, right before applying for my first development role with Rutgers Health, I reconnected with that same major gift officer. Their encouragement and guidance confirmed for me that this is truly what I’m meant to do.

My greatest passion is sharing the transformative power of philanthropy and helping people to see how they can support what matters most to them in meaningful, tangible ways. Being a development officer means the world to me because it allows me to make those connections possible. It really is a beautiful profession.

My greatest piece of advice for someone new to healthcare philanthropy is to build and maintain strong relationships with the faculty and physicians you work with. They’re all doing incredible work and keeping track of who is who helps to proactively support a wide range of funding needs.