About

I’ve spent my career in nonprofit fundraising, working alongside CEOs, executive directors, and other leaders who are responsible for ambitious goals, complex organizations, and deeply held missions. I served in senior leadership roles at institutions including MIT, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In those roles, I oversaw large, multi-year campaigns and the teams that made them possible. Each experience shaped how I understand the business of philanthropy and the human elements that make transformative engagement possible.

Today, as founder and executive coach at HOLDFAST Coaching, LLC, I am dedicated to working with nonprofit and advancement leaders at all stages of their careers. Whether you are an emerging executive stepping into larger roles, a changemaker helping organizations navigate transitions, or a seasoned professional carrying long-term responsibility, I’m here to help you expand your skillset and lead your teams to success. Outside of HOLDFAST, I also teach and mentor development professionals through programs associated with the Association of Fundraising Professionals. I’ve been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from AFP Massachusetts, a recognition that reflects a career spent learning from peers, teams, and mentors across the field–knowledge and experience I look forward to sharing with you.

So what can you expect? My coaching style is friendly but candid; colleagues know me as a values-driven leader who takes the work seriously but not himself. When appropriate, I draw upon my years of experience in advancement to assist the client, but first I always take time to listen and understand what the goal is for our partnership. Clients leave sessions more empowered to confront the challenges before them with clarity and confidence. As we collaborate on your growth, you can count on me to be someone who brings ethics, intuition, creativity, and a sense of humor to complex challenges, in addition to being someone who cares deeply about mentoring the next generation of development leaders.

Coaching Nonprofit Leaders and Fundraisers to Move Forward with Purpose

More About David Woodruff

CLIENTS HELPED FROM NONPROFITS, SMALL AND LARGE

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