Lauren Swern is a nonprofit strategist, educator, and development leader with nearly twenty years of experience in fundraising, marketing, stewardship, communications, and donor engagement. She currently serves as Development Director for the New Jersey Highlands Coalition and has taught and developed more than 100 virtual training programs, while also building and managing the Nonprofit Certificate Program at County College of Morris, where she helped more than 500 adult learners enter and advance within the nonprofit sector. Her real-world experience includes preparing for and navigating one-to-one donor conversations, making direct asks, listening for donor interests and concerns, and helping board members, volunteers, and nonprofit professionals become more confident in face-to-face solicitation. Lauren is also an Expert Advisor for the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, a conference presenter, founder of the NJ Environmental Fundraisers Gathering, and a published author whose work has appeared in leading nonprofit publications.