Career journey
Dana (MCIOF) is a strategist and fundraiser, currently working as a Senior Partner Consultant at The Management Centre, Director at Adapt for Arts, and Deputy Director at National Arts Fundraising School. Having started her career in the arts and cultural sector, she has grown her portfolio to include INGOs, NGOs and other organisations across the UK, Europe and Africa including World Animal Protection, Afrobarometer and Southbank Centre.
As a Senior Partner Consultant for The Management Centre, she supports INGOs, NGOs, charities and ethical businesses with developing fundraising, business and management strategies, and conducting research, training and mentoring. Current and recent clients include UNICEF International; RNLI; MSF International; National Youth Association; and World YWCA.
As Director of Adapt for Arts, she works with arts and cultural organisations across the UK to develop their sustainability. Current clients / projects include:
- Leading on a major cultural development programme and capital project with The Old Courts, Wigan, raising £4.5m of external investment to date
- Running an international cultural fundraising training programme for young creatives in the Caribbean on behalf of UNESCO
As Deputy Director of the National Arts Fundraising School, each year she trains up to 60 arts and cultural managers in essential fundraising skills. The school has supported alumni to raise over £350M for cultural causes since its inception.
Dana also works as a Consultant for the British Council’s Creative Economy team. She provides training and consultancy services for international clients. Projects include:
- Ministry of Culture, Cuba: working with the international relations team to develop a new strategy and project management system to attract greater levels of international funding for Cuban cultural projects
- Hubs as Hosts: convening and facilitating the learning and development of 14 creative hubs from Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, South Africa & the UK
Supporting the community
Dana is also the Chair of the Board of Directors; Chair of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Cultural Sector Network; Trustee of New Israel Fund UK; and Trustee of Emergency Exit Arts, an arts organisation that creates unforgettable events and participatory experiences using visual performance, processions, puppetry, music and pyrotechnics.
And while not working in those roles, Dana writes for publications including The Guardian and Arts Professional and has presented keynote speeches at the Institute of Fundraising and Houses of Parliament and consulted at national level on strategies such as the 2016 Cultural White Paper and The Warwick Commission.
Dana demonstrates a strong commitment to the third sector community, named as one of the Top 100 Charity Sector Influencers and winner of the Best Trustee Award at #SocialCEOS Awards 2019.
Dana has demonstrated a strong commitment and contribution to Brunel since graduation, returning as a guest lecturer on many occasions to students on the BA Theatre programme to share her career learnings, and has informally mentored several individual Brunel students who have pursued careers in the arts, cultural and not-for-profit sectors. She was also named as a finalist for the 2020 Brunel Alumni of the Year Award.
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