Lindauer Places VP for Inclusive Excellence in Philanthropy for University of Cincinnati Foundation
September 25, 2023 – Lindauer has helped the University of Cincinnati Foundation (UCF) find its inaugural vice president for inclusive excellence in philanthropy. Tammy Bennett was recently hired for the role after serving as chief equity and inclusion officer at national law firm Dinsmore & Shohl. Leading the assignment were Faith Montgomery, vice president and managing director, and Chandra Montgomery, senior consultant.
In this role, Ms. Bennett reports to UCF president Peter Landgren and serves as a vital member of the foundation’s senior leadership team, working closely with leadership as well as key partners in the UC and UC Health communities to advance organizational priorities related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
“Tammy has dedicated her professional journey to advancing inclusivity within workplaces,” said Mr. Landgren. “With a background as an employment attorney and diversity specialist, complemented by her academic exploration of social identities and organizational transformation, she possesses a distinctive skill-set to craft pragmatic and enduring DEIB strategies.”
Strong Experience
In addition to her role as chief equity and inclusion officer at Dinsmore & Shohl, Ms. Bennett was also a partner with the firm. Throughout her legal career at Employers Resource Association, Macy’s Inc., and Vorys, Ms. Bennett consistently incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion into her work and was a frequent national presenter and lecturer on these topics.
Ms. Bennett’s connections to the University of Cincinnati run deep. She is a two-time graduate of the university, earning a bachelor’s degree in African American studies and a law degree from UC’s College of Law. Ms. Bennett currently serves as an adjunct professor at UC’s College of Law, teaching courses in employment law as well as race and the law. She also holds a master’s degree is sociology with a concentration in workforce diversity from the University of Illinois. In addition to her academic accomplishments, she actively participates in the UC community, serving on various boards, including the UC Law dean’s advisory board, BLAC-CBA Roundtable, Women’s Fund of Greater Cincinnati, and the Holocaust and Humanity Center.
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Established in 1975, The University of Cincinnati Foundation is the private fundraising organization for the University of Cincinnati and UC Health. This month, the foundation announced that it had reached its $2 billion goal in its most recent fundraising campaign, “Next, Now: The Campaign for Cincinnati,” in advance of a planned June 2024 close.
Serving Non-Profits
Lindauer serves higher and secondary education, hospitals, academic research centers, think tanks, research facilities, and foundations, as well as advocacy, public service, social justice and other mission-driven non-profits. The firm has led searches for the Boston YMCA, Center for Applied Special Technology, Healthy Minds Innovations/Center for Healthy Minds, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Cockrell School of Engineering, among others.
Deb Taft, chief executive officer, leads Lindauer with over 25 years of executive and senior-level experience across the non-profit sector, from education to healthcare/academic medicine to the youth service and voluntary sectors. Her expertise includes governance, strategic planning, fundraising, program and staff management, strategic marketing, analytics, and constituent engagement, as well as talent recruitment, retention, and development.
Lindauer Places Chief Advancement Officer for Deerfield Academy
Lindauer recently assisted in the recruitment of Charles “Chuck” Ramsay as chief advancement officer for Deerfield Academy, a Massachusetts co-educational preparatory school. The assignment was spearheaded by Libby Roberts, senior vice president, and consultant Chandra Montgomery. Mr. Ramsay brings over 27 years of experience in the advancement profession to his work at Deerfield and, as an alumnus of the school, a deep knowledge and understanding of the Academy. “I cannot think of a better person to succeed Ann Romberger and lead Deerfield’s talented and dedicated advancement team,” said John Austin, head of school.
Ms. Montgomery co-leads Lindauer’s higher education and K-12 practice areas and leads executive searches and talent management for client partners across a broad spectrum of education, healthcare, arts, social justice, and policy arenas. Prior to joining Lindauer in 2014, she held senior leadership positions across the non-profit sector. Ms. Montgomery currently serves on the national board of the African American Development Officer’s Network, the Boston Chapter Board of Jack and Jill, and is a member of Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy, and The Giving Institute.
Ms. Montgomery’s background spans higher education, academic medicine, youth services, public media, and museums. Over the past two-plus decades, she has honed skills and expertise in advancement services, fundraising strategy, foundation relations, DEIB principles, and human resources. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Montgomery oversaw grateful patient discovery, pipeline development, data management, and gift services for Health Sciences and the Keck School of Medicine during her tenure at the University of Southern California. She also launched and co-chaired the University Advancement DEI Council. Prior to USC, Ms. Montgomery led prospect development teams at National Public Radio and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Last month, Lindauer announced that vice president Maureen Huminik, who co-leads the firm’s healthcare and academic medicine practice and its advocacy, policy, and social enterprise practice, and Ms. Montgomery have become equity partners in the firm. They joined Ms. Taft, senior executive vice president Jill Lasman, and executive vice president Elizabeth Roberts as equity-holding members on the firm’s senior management team and, along with SVP Devin O’Leary, serve as managing directors of Lindauer. “As respected experts in non-profit leadership and executive talent, Maureen and Faith bring a breadth of knowledge, experience, and passion to Lindauer’s mission of connecting the world’s leading non-profit organizations with transformational leaders,” said Ms. Taft. “They both worked closely with Jill Lasman and company founder Lois L. Lindauer to shape the firm’s search approach in its first two decades. How fortunate we are that they will help lead Lindauer forward as we continue to expand markets and support our client partners in their enormously consequential cause-related work.”
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
