Case Studies

Lynn Margherio is the founder and former CEO of Cradles to Crayons, which provides children living in crisis, homeless or low-income situations with the essentials and distributes more than a million packages of clothing, shoes, diapers, school supplies and more each year.

Lynn launched Cradles to Crayon in 2002. In her role as CEO of the organization, she directed all aspects, including strategic planning, operations, fundraising, brand/marketing, product acquisition, external relations and ongoing collaboration with both national and local boards of directors. She has led multiple successful capital campaigns raising millions of dollars to fund expansion and has steered the organization through major relocations and organizational restructurings.

Lynn’s work has been recognized with numerous awards. She has served on several boards and advisory roles; presented to dozens of organizations in a variety of settings; and made many media appearances. She currently serves on the Massachusetts Commission on Poverty.

Prior to launching Cradles to Crayons, Lynn served as an executive vice president of the Clinton Foundation, in public sector roles for the U.S. Department of Commerce and the White House Domestic Policy Council and in corporate roles. A graduate of Georgetown University, Lynn completed the strategic perspectives in nonprofit management program at Harvard Business School.

Dr. Stacie Stephenson, a lifestyle medicine doctor, is a pioneer of functional and integrative medicine who has dedicated her life’s work to helping people create vibrant health from within to prevent chronic disease and increase health. Currently, she is a board member of The American Nutrition Association, serves as the vice chair for Gateway for Cancer Research, works tirelessly as a philanthropist and is an advocate for children's health worldwide. 

She was a practicing physician for 15 years, the former chair of functional medicine for Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and has partnered with the American Heart Association for nutritional outreach. Stacie was awarded the Unsung Hero Award in 2023 for her philanthropic efforts to support cancer research and patient oriented treatment and care. She is also the author of the bestselling books “Glow: 90 Days to Create Your Vibrant Life from Within.” and “Vibrant: A Groundbreaking Program to Get Energized, Own Your Health and Glow”. She has been featured across national and regional media. 

Stacie, her husband and children share their time between homes in the Midwest and Arizona.

Otis Fulton, Ph.D., spent most of his career in the education industry, working at the psychometric research and development firm MetaMetrics Inc., Pearson Education and others. Since 2013, he has focused on the nonprofit sector, applying psychology to fundraising and donor behavior at Turnkey. He is the co-author of the 2017 book, ”Dollar Dash: The Behavioral Economics of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising,” and the 2023 book, "Social Fundraising: Mining the New Peer-to-Peer Landscape,"  and is a frequent speaker at national nonprofit conferences. With Katrina VanHuss, he co-authors a blog at NonProfit PRO, “Peeling the Onion,” on the intersection of psychology and philanthropy.

Otis is a much sought-after copywriter for nonprofit fundraising messages. He has written campaigns for UNICEF, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, March of Dimes, Susan G. Komen, the USO and dozens of other organizations. He has a Ph.D. in social psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia, where he also played on UVA’s first ACC champion basketball team.

Jeff Schreifels is the principal owner of Veritus Group — an agency that partners with nonprofits to create, build and manage mid-level fundraising, major gifts and planned giving programs. In his 32-plus year career, Jeff has worked with hundreds of nonprofits, helping to raise more than $400 million in revenue.

Kristy Morris is a creative professional in corporate and nonprofit social media advertising and brand strategy. As the chief marketing officer at Funds2Orgs and Elsey Enterprises, she works with a suite of global fundraising brands and manages national campaigns for her clients. She hosts a monthly webinar with Funds2Orgs, teaching nonprofits how to make an impact with their social media strategy. Kristy is a passionate individual that loves nothing more than to help others make an impact in their market and the world.

Kristy also contributes monthly to her NonProfit PRO blog, “Marketing IRL.”

Dr. Elizabeth Cherot serves as the president, CEO and first physician leader at the March of Dimes. She previously led the nonprofit’s Office of Maternal and Child Health Impact. 

She is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and brings more than two decades of experience managing numerous maternal and infant health initiatives. Prior to March of Dimes, Cherot served as the chief medical officer for Axia Women’s Health, one of the largest fully integrated women’s health care groups in the United States. She holds a medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, along with an executive master’s degree in business administration and a Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University.

Rob Shaw is the production director at Media Cause. Before joining Media Cause, Rob spent 15 years working for a number of small design studios and big ad agencies on brands like Apple, Levi’s, Nike and Visa. He is skilled in a wide range of visual communication projects, including branding, campaigns and website design, as well as motion graphics and video. At Media Cause, Rob puts his expertise in design to work for nonprofits and mission-driven organizations in an effort to bring about positive social and environmental change.

Joe Frye is a digital marketer who has spent more than a decade helping organizations make an impact and connect their missions with individuals. He has led award-winning projects and campaigns for organizations, including PBS, No Kid Hungry, the Identity Theft Resource Center, Partners of the Americas, ADL and UNESCO. 

Joe’s experience at the intersection of technology, data and creativity provides a unique perspective that allows organizations to create impactful digital ecosystems, increase donations, grow membership, improve member retention and increase overall revenue.