About Us

I am a non-profit organizational development consultant. I work with organization boards to help their members learn how to be better leaders and advocates.

My background includes more than 25 years working in membership fundraising, major donor development, communications, and marketing. I worked for about half that time for Nature Conservancy (TNC) chapters in Oregon, Texas, and Wisconsin. In addition to my duties for the individual chapters, I served TNC as an internal fundraising consultant and major donor development trainer.

In 2000, I left the Conservancy to work as the vice-president of operations for the Wisconsin-based, international conservation organization Sand County Foundation, a position I held through mid-2009.

Gathering Waters Conservancy, a land trust service agency based in Wisconsin, called me in 2002 to ask whether I would be interested in teaching a seminar for Wisconsin land trusts on major donor development. From 2002, then, through 2009, I consulted only on a nights and weekends basis with just a few clients each year.

In March of 2009, I left my position with Sand County Foundation and launched my consulting business full-time using the name Development for Conservation.

Also in 2009, I partnered with Karen Bassler and Peter McKeever to form Bassler-Allen-McKeever Land Trust Services (The “BAM” Team). Together we help land trusts prepare for accreditation by providing assessment, planning, and leadership coaching services.
I consider myself a strategic thinker, problem solver, facilitator, educator, and program developer who brings a particular passion for conservation and the environment.

Practice Competencies
Fundraising
•    Development Audit
•    Staff/Board Training and Development
•    Major Gift Coaching
•    Capital Campaigns
•    Membership Renewal and Upgrade
•    Interim Staffing

Organizational Development
•    Strategy Development
•    Practice & Process Assessment
•    Problem Solving Facilitation
•    Marketing