To the Raphael House Community,
I’m thrilled to join Raphael House as the new Director of Development! I’m excited to oversee our fundraising and marketing efforts, and to work with this dedicated, professional team to strengthen Raphael House’s mission to help low-income families and families experiencing homelessness achieve housing and financial stability.
I am especially excited to contribute to Raphael House during this very special year as we celebrate our 50-year anniversary. I look forward to working with our staff, volunteers, loyal donors, and friends to celebrate our work of the last 50 years and partner with you to lay the groundwork for our future. We all look forward to launching the celebration this spring!
In the meantime, I encourage you to please share your story or favorite memory about Raphael House so we can share with our community throughout the upcoming celebration.
A little bit about me….My experience crosses both the giving and asking sides of philanthropy. Most recently, I was the Director of Business and Fund Development for Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership (CVNL), and I previously managed institutional fundraising at Guide Dogs for the Blind. I also worked in fundraising and business development at the Foundation Center and in grants management for the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in New York City.
Through my first professional experience as an intern at Boston’s Rosie’s Place—the first women’s shelter in the U.S.—I learned that I am mission-driven and I thrive on helping organizations and their people succeed. I am honored to join such a well-respected organization like Raphael House with a long history of empowering individuals, supporting families, and serving the Bay Area community.
I want to send a heartfelt thank you to our community for supporting Raphael House. In my first few weeks with Raphael House, I’ve realized that our work is only possible thanks to your many contributions. If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about ways to get involved and support Raphael House, please feel free to email me.
I hope to meet you soon! Until then, best wishes!
Nora Niesen
Director of Development