Michelle Aquino Mooney is a seasoned nonprofit development professional with over a decade of experience in fundraising strategy, donor communications, and high-impact campaigns. She currently serves as Development Director at Rise Against Suicide, a Colorado-based nonprofit that directly supports hundreds of young lives each year.
She began her career at the Michael J. Fox Foundation, where she helped raise over $6 million annually. Since then, Michelle has led strategic development efforts for respected organizations including buildOn, One Love Foundation, and Americares.
Michelle holds a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from The New School University. At Philanthropy.org, she leads content strategy and contributor outreach, ensuring that every piece we publish reflects the authenticity, urgency, and vision driving today’s philanthropic sector.
Patrick O’Donnell leads the editorial vision for GIVING magazine, shaping the voice, tone, and integrity of the publication. With decades of experience in journalism and a rare talent for asking the right questions, he ensures each issue delivers clarity, authenticity, and substance to the philanthropic conversation.
In addition to GIVING, Patrick oversees editorial direction for Philanthropy.org, MajorGifts.com and PlannedGiving.com, guiding content strategy across platforms to ensure consistency, authority, and a unified voice. His work bridges thought leadership and practical insight, helping elevate the sector’s most important voices and ideas.
Connect with him on LinkedIn and at PatrickFODonnell.Com
With over three decades shaping transformative philanthropy, Denis Spizuoco has personally raised over $30 million and contributed to campaigns totaling more than $2 billion. His career spans some of America’s most respected institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), a top-tier research university in Philadelphia, The American College, Valley Forge Military Academy, and the Wounded Warrior Project.
At Penn, Denis played a key role in the university’s first billion-dollar campaign, working closely with leadership, trustees, and the president’s office to build enduring donor relationships. His decade-long tenure at the Wounded Warrior Project further cemented his reputation for strategic thinking, quiet integrity, and authentic relationship-building.
Throughout his career, Denis has been known for his unwavering integrity, strategic insight, and a thoughtful, relationship-centered approach. His style is rooted in patient, values-driven communication—ensuring that every client feels understood, respected, and empowered.
Now retired from frontline fundraising, Denis serves as Client Liaison at our firm, where he brings his deep experience to the service side of the philanthropic equation. His role is not to raise funds—but to guide, listen, and support. Whether helping clients navigate donor communications, structure legacy messaging, or understand high-net-worth expectations, Denis ensures that every client feels supported by someone who’s been in their shoes.
Denis often says his most rewarding moments came not from closing gifts, but from witnessing the moment a donor realized their legacy would live on. That same mindset now drives his client relationships—grounded in patience, empathy, and purpose.
For institutions committed to elevating their philanthropic presence, Denis offers unmatched insight and a steady, trusted presence—turning complexity into clarity, and vision into results.
