Teammate Spotlight: Sarah Jones

Sarah Jones serves as Philanthropy Coordinator for the Forefront Living Foundation (FLF) and will celebrate four years with the organization in April. In her fundraising role, her daily responsibilities include grant writing and reporting, stewardship of gifts and strategic planning for FLF’s signature event, the Each Moment Matters Luncheon. We sat down with this hard working and insightful teammate to get to know her better through a fun question and answer session. Read more about Sarah below.   

What are you passionate about regarding your professional role?
Professionally, I am passionate about fostering connections. In my role, I am committed to linking individuals with opportunities, aligning them with our mission and facilitating meaningful interactions among our stakeholders. I gravitate towards relational fundraising rather than a transactional approach. Relationship-based fundraising prioritizes nurturing a donor’s journey from a one-time contributor (typically giving towards a goal) to someone who consistently invests their time, resources and expertise in advancing an organization’s mission.

What makes you feel proud?
I am proud of my dedication to being a lifelong learner. I am always eager to dive into new experiences to expand my horizon, even though I tend to stumble when trying something for the first time. A donor once shared her family’s motto with me that I love: “Fergusons don’t get embarrassed.” While occasional embarrassment may surface in the face of failure, I strive to keep this mantra in mind.

On the weekend, you can find me:
On the weekend, you can find me spending time with my family. I am the best version of myself when I am with my husband and our two children.

My favorite foods/restaurants include:
My favorite food is sushi. A rainbow roll with a side of edamame is my go-to order.

Tell us about your hobbies:
I enjoy traveling, reading, hiking and dancing. My favorite travel destination is Croatia, and my favorite dances include the Waltz and Two-Step.

Tell us about your family:
My husband, Chris, and I have been married since 2010, and we have two children. Our daughter, Gwen, is eight and our son, Emerson, is four. We also have a sweet Labradoodle named Penny Lane.

How would your friends describe you?
My friends would describe me as kind, loyal and thoughtful. I pride myself on my knack for gift giving. I love to give gifts that make the recipient feel valued and seen.

Diane Fullingim, FLF Executive Director, shared the following about Sarah, “I enjoy working with Sarah so much – she has a keen understanding of our donors and truly loves building relationships with them. She understands their interests and is a great connector of people. She is passionate about our mission.”