The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona is excited to welcome two new staff members: Laura Maher as Major Gifts Officer in our Philanthropy Department and Jeanne Alegria as Accountant in our Finance Department.
CFSA is also pleased to announce that Natalia Gabrielsen has moved from our Finance Department and is now in the role of Program Manager in our Community Investments Department.
Learn more about our team here.
CFSA is pleased to announce that Laura Maher has been appointed to the role of Major Gifts Officer in our Philanthropy Department. In her role, Laura is responsible for building development activities and major gifts fundraising at CFSA by cultivating and soliciting prospective donors.
As a non-profit professional with deep roots in Tucson, Laura has more than a decade of experience in fundraising, communications, and program leadership. CFSA’s commitment to creating a vibrant and equitable community for all Southern Arizonans resonates with her professionally and personally, and she is excited for the opportunity to connect donors to causes they care about in her role as Major Gifts Officer.
She shared, “I am delighted to join the team at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona! The work of CFSA embodies so much of what I love about this region: passionate people collectively building a stronger community and envisioning a vibrant future while honoring the unique perspectives, biodiversity, and history of Southern Arizona.”
Laura holds a BA from the University of Arizona, an MA in English from The University of Texas at Austin, and an MFA in Poetry from Warren Wilson College. Prior to joining CFSA, Laura served as the Associate Director of Development for the College of Veterinary Medicine at The University of Arizona and as Major Gifts & Grants Officer with Arizona Public Media.
CFSA is pleased to share that Jeanne Alegria has been appointed as Accountant in the Finance Department. In this role, Jeanne is responsible for various accounting functions relating to CFSA Funds and Supporting Organizations.
Jeanne has been in the accounting field for over 18 years and joined CFSA in May 2022. She loves this opportunity to work with such an awesome team! Jeanne’s passion is knowing she’s made a positive impact on others, and she’s excited to take on new challenges with lots of diversity.
CFSA is also pleased to announce that CFSA staff member Natalia Gabrielsen will now take on the role of Program Manager in our Community Investments Department.
In her new role, Natalia is responsible for CFSA’s scholarships, Catchafire program, African American Legacy Fund, and general competitive grants.
Prior to CFSA, Natalia was the Grants and Services Manager with the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona, where she oversaw grants funding local artists and arts organizations. Natalia has a background in museum databases and collections, and holds a master’s degree in art history from the University of Arizona.
Natalia joined CFSA in 2020 as a Grants & Gifts Finance Associate. She is excited to continue applying her knowledge of funding processes and community investment to the philanthropic work at CFSA.