Laurie Herrick
Laurie Herrick has a passion for the nonprofit world that began with activism around ending hunger and poverty and led to excellence in coaching and training leadership teams. She’s an adept listener and in her leisure time, a lover of outdoor adventures and sports.
I am committed to spreading the word that mindset is our superpower and if we embrace it we have the power to heal the world. I founded Rainmaker in 2002 to help nonprofit organizations build a Culture of Philanthropy and to cause breakthroughs in the ways they think, plan, collaborate, relate to supporters, lead, and fundraise.
An author, fundraising consultant and entrepreneur I have over twenty years experience in the not-for-profit sector. The emphasis of my work is creating fundraising breakthroughs by empowering leaders to build a healthy Culture of Philanthropy within their organizations. It is through fostering this culture shift that I fulfill my personal mission to make positive social change.
Before founding Rainmaker, I ran a multimillion-dollar wholesale distribution company, and my involvement with the not-for-profit world was focused primarily on activism dedicated to ending the root causes of hunger and poverty. I’m now a veteran fundraiser and organizational development consultant, and I believe deeply in the power of coaching. I’ve provided fundraising training for boards and development professionals, coaching on capital campaigns and planned giving programs, and executive coaching and strategic planning. My work has helped raise tens of millions of dollars for nonprofit organizations across the country.
For the last 10 years, my portfolio has also included providing similar services to Jewish overnight and day camps through my role as a mentor with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s JCamp180 program. One aspect of that work includes leading a program called GIFT, a year-long class for development professionals. GIFT evolved when we saw that a team of professionals and board members could cause a quantum leap forward in establishing a Culture of Philanthropy if they collaborated and intentionally built it together. We named GIFT’s new iteration GIFT Leadership Institute for teams committed to this transformational experience.
I hold a bachelor’s degree from Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York, and learned much from early fundraising mentors Lynne Twist, author of The Soul of Money, and Terry Axelrod, who created Benevon. I am honored to have been trained by two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates: Al Gore in climate change, and Muhammad Yunus in the Grameen Bank micro-lending model.
When I’m not working as a Rainmaker, I like to blow glass, run, hike, swim, and spend time with my family. I also practice what I preach, working with a coach of my own to stay fit and compete in sports.
Ruby Maddox
Ruby Maddox We are heartbroken to share that our beloved colleague and friend, Ruby Maddox, passed away unexpectedly on April 17, 2025. Ruby was a brilliant light — a wise, generous, and visionary presence on the Rainmaker team. She brought her gifts to many of our clients and most recently shared her deep wisdom through the Choose Abundance Intensive, helping teams unlock their fundraising potential.
Ruby’s impact extended far beyond Rainmaker: she co-founded Gardening the Community, a thriving urban youth gardening program in Springfield, and Leaders of the Free World, an international leadership initiative supporting young Black men in the U.S. and with visits to Ghana. Through her coaching work at Direct Your Purpose, she helped countless people turn their deepest aspirations into action. Ruby made the world brighter. We know many of you worked closely with her — may your memories of Ruby be a source of strength and a blessing. We grieve along side you.
Eric Phelps
Eric Phelps is a Rainmaker who can crack a joke or turn a phrase, but his heart and mind are committed to the intricacies of executive leadership. His experience includes work with numerous nonprofits, foundations, and businesses across a wide variety of sectors.
I like to say I’m committed to putting the “zing” in “fundraising.” My ability to do so comes from my more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit management - in executive leadership, fundraising, human resources, program development, conference planning, and strategic oversight.
Prior to joining Rainmaker, I served as Vice President of Development for VentureWell of Hadley, Massachusetts. During my tenure, I was part of a team that increased annual revenue from $4-$12 million. And I collaborated with senior leadership to help secure more than $30 million, including new funding from the National Science Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Intel Foundation, and USAID.
I have also served as Director of the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy (JCamp 180), a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation in western Massachusetts. Other roles have included Executive Director of the New Art Center of Newton, Massachusetts; Executive Director of VSA arts of Georgia, and Development Director of IMAGE Film & Video Center/Atlanta Film Festival in Atlanta, Georgia.
I’ve consulted with numerous nonprofits in organizational development, board development, fundraising strategy, capital campaign and major donor campaign management, and strategic planning in sectors that include arts, environment, land use and conservation, education, the Deaf community, the Jewish community, and social services. I have conducted trainings for the Community Foundation of Western MA, Mass Nonprofit Network, Essex Community Foundation, and Women in Philanthropy.
I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts and a degree in American Sign Language from Georgia Perimeter College. I enjoy songwriting, reading, cycling, and spending time with my family.
David Sharken
David Sharken is a Rainmaker with a diverse background in nonprofit leadership. He’s steady, thorough, and leads with clear vision, skill, and experience. David relishes being outdoors in all seasons and loves being a grandparent.
I led a variety of organizations in roles including executive director, development and program director, organizational development consultant, and executive coach. Additionally, I’ve served as senior director for two private national foundations as well as an active board member for a number of nonprofits.
Prior to joining Rainmaker, I was the director of partnerships for a national foundation, The Proteus Fund in Amherst, Massachusetts, and director of the Camp Legacy Initiative and mentor for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s JCamp180. As executive director of The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts for 12 years, the organization grew from a staff of 12 and a $1 million budget to a 45-member team with an $8 million budget, and I helped create The Food Bank Farm and other innovative programs that received national acclaim.
After providing strategic guidance to successful major donor campaigns ranging from $500,000 to $18 million, I believe that fundraising campaigns can not only raise necessary dollars, but can elevate organizations to new heights through clear vision, effective leaders, and developing strong relationships with donors.
I earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational development from the University of Michigan and hold a master's degree from Claremont Graduate School in Public Policy Analysis.
I am an active grandfather living on Puffers Pond in Amherst, enjoy making maple syrup, garden mobiles, cross-country skiing, biking, and foraging wild mushrooms and other edibles.
Beth Spong
Beth Spong is a well-regarded catalyst for change with an extensive history as a nonprofit leader, entrepreneur, and trainer. She is witty, insightful, and accomplished in all her pursuits.
I’ve been a leader in the nonprofit domain for 30 years, first as a board member and volunteer, and then as a professional, in roles that include founder, development director, chief operating officer, executive director, leadership coach, and consultant. Experience in the trenches and on the mountaintops of nonprofit management allow me to consult and coach others from an informed point of view.
Before becoming a Rainmaker consultant, I owned a successful complementary health care business and was a respected national trainer of medical professionals. As executive director of MotherWoman in Hadley, Massachusetts, from 2008 to 2013, I launched a fundraising program, tripled annual revenue, and led the organization into national recognition in maternal mental health. At The Care Center in Holyoke, Massachusetts, in the director of donor relations seat, I had the opportunity to partner with my colleague, Laurie Herrick, in managing a year-round donor engagement program and legendary annual event.
My ongoing work with Treehouse in Easthampton, Massachusetts, has been a catalyst to triple the donor base, double organizational revenue, and increase impact and visibility from the local to national level.
I bring passion and insight to my coaching, and wit and wisdom as a presenter. I believe in nonprofit excellence to change the world, and the power of joyful philanthropy to make that possible. These qualities, combined with expertise and vision, have been central to increasing regional and national profiles and significantly expanding revenue.
A proud graduate of Mount Holyoke College, I’m an avid cyclist, a novice triathlete, and a lover of art, singing, and gardening. And I’m madly in love with my awesome, kind, and quirky husband, David Burton.
