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Sarah Wagner

Vice President LinkedIn

“I work collaboratively with staff, board members and donors to create the best strategies to ensure that my clients’ needs are met and goals are achieved and surpassed.”

About Sarah Wagner

Sarah Wagner has 40 years of professional development experience. She has served as counsel in institutional advancement for many cultural, environmental, educational, religious and human services institutions on their capital, endowment, and capacity building campaigns. Sarah especially excels at:

  • Working with every level of an organization’s staff, volunteers and donors to understand the whole picture and ensure that every voice is heard and concern addressed
  • Connecting donors with staff and board members to create a personal experience for each donor
  • Creating leadership gift strategies
  • Maximizing staff and volunteer strengths
  • Advancing an organization despite what may seem like insurmountable challenges

Before joining Campbell & Company, Sarah served in senior development positions at Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Museum of Science and Industry, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Chicago City Ballet.

Sarah graduated from Amherst College in the first class of women. She is Chair of the Advisory Council of the YWCA and former Chair of the Evanston Township High School Foundation and has served in leadership volunteer positions at Amherst College, the Evanston Community Foundation, The Music Institute of Chicago, her church, and other nonprofit organizations. Sarah is a former Director of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) – Chicago Chapter, and Co-President of the founding group of Women in Development Professions. She is a frequent guest lecturer on issues in philanthropy.

Areas of Expertise

Arts & culture, environment, human services, independent and public schools, capacity building, professional associations, volunteer training, board governance, major gift fundraising, campaign preparation and implementation

Recent Clients Served

  • Baker Demonstration School
  • Chicago Academy for the Arts
  • Chicago Botanic Garden
  • Chicago Children’s Museum
  • Chicago Classical Recording Foundation/Cedille Records
  • Chicago Community Trust
  • Chicago Opera Theater
  • Chicago Symphony Orchestra
  • Children’s Home & Aid
  • City of Chicago, Department of Environment
  • Episcopal Diocese of Chicago
  • Evanston Public Library
  • Girl Scouts of Chicago
  • Goodman Theatre
  • Greater Twin Cities United Way
  • Hubbard Street Dance Company
  • Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra
  • International Crane Foundation
  • Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society
  • LEARN Charter School
  • McGaw YMCA
  • Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
  • Minnesota Orchestra
  • National Benevolent Association
  • National Park Foundation
  • Northlight Theatre
  • Rare
  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago
  • Shedd Aquarium
  • The Nature Conservancy (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Wisconsin, World Office)
  • The Partnership for New Communities
  • United Way Metro Chicago
  • Walter Payton College Preparatory High School
  • YWCA Evanston/North Shore
  • YWCA Kalamazoo
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