Last year, the AB50C Awards honored 50 exceptional leaders. But who are they beyond their roles? We spoke with these leaders to uncover the stories, passions, and perspectives that shape them and what truly sets them apart.

Why He’s an AB50C Champion

Theodore is an AB50C Champion Campaign Trailblazer whose innovation has reimagined how institutions approach giving. From launching the high-impact Campus Partners model to building affinity-driven strategies that actually connect, his work blends creativity, collaboration, and results in a way that feels both fresh and deeply human.

Beyond the Title

“Glad I brushed my hair this morning.”

That’s how Teddy started the conversation, equal parts candid and disarming. And that pretty much sums him up: expressive, self-aware, and refreshingly real.

Outside of advancement, he’s deeply rooted in musical theatre: performing, producing, and staying connected to local community theatre. He would call it his reset button.

Ask him to describe his role, and you won’t get a rigid job description. Instead, you’ll hear about wearing “20 hats”, jumping between campaigns, events, analytics, and storytelling, all in a single week.

Because for Teddy, advancement is a living, breathing mix of people, purpose, and moments that matter.

What Winning AB50C Meant to Him?

Teddy didn’t expect the moment his name was announced.

“I was truly surprised, to be completely honest. I was watching it live and I saw my name and I screamed…”

It was a win, along with validation, that made him feel seen.

For someone working behind the scenes on campaigns, strategy, and execution, that recognition carried weight.

It acknowledged not just results but also effort, experimentation, and the many hats he’s worn along the way.

Finding Their Way into Advancement

Like many in advancement, Teddy didn’t follow a straight path into the field; he found his way into it.

Starting in alumni engagement and admissions, he was drawn by the mission that the role was offering.

From Providence College to Salve Regina, that sense of purpose stayed constant.

His early career? A mix of everything. Volunteer management, alumni engagement, and admissions—each role adds another layer. And yes, sometimes that meant literally driving alumni around in a golf cart during reunions while they relived their college days like they were 18 again.

But one moment stood out. A handwritten thank-you note from a donor.

“A lot of the work that you do is unnoticed, but I noticed the work that you do, and it's great.”

That note didn’t just acknowledge his work; it defined his path forward.

It was the moment advancement stopped being a job and started becoming a calling.

The Work That Matters

Today, Teddy’s work sits at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and connection.

At Salve, he operates in a lean team—“3.5 people", as he puts it—managing everything from:

• Day of Giving
• Calendar year-end campaigns
• Giving Tuesday
• Athletic giving initiatives
• Affinity-based programs

His focus? Making giving feel personal.

What excites him most is the balance: the cyclical nature of advancement paired with the constant opportunity to reinvent it.

And then there’s AI.

For Teddy, it’s a tool.

He uses it to spark ideas, refine language, and simplify reporting. But the heart of advancement? That stays human.

“AI is a great enhancement… but it kind of goes back into the storytelling… I think there is some sweet perfection in imperfection sometimes.”

An Initiative He is Proud Of

One initiative stands out: the Campus Partners program.

The idea was simple but powerful: if students weren’t the best fit for calling campaigns, who else could connect meaningfully with alumni?

The answer: faculty and staff.

“If they had a favourite professor call them, it flashes them back and it excites them.”

The result?

• ~20 faculty and staff involved
• A full month of outreach
• A significant contribution to hitting a 13% goal

Instead of replacing existing efforts, he enhanced them. And now, it’s here to stay.

Rapid Fire

Where It All Comes Together

Teddy’s story tells us how advancement comes with campaigns or metrics and a whole bunch of people.

It’s about handwritten notes. About inspiring faculty/staff to make calls. About finding meaning in the work that often goes unseen within annual giving & advancement.

And most importantly, it’s about embracing the imperfections that make it all real.

Stories like his are what Humans of Advancement is all about—spotlighting the people behind the progress.