Four Members Join CFRE International Board of Directors Beginning in 2023

Alexandria, VA – December 12, 2022 – CFRE International is pleased to announce the election of Rich Basler, CAP, CFRE (Canton, NY, USA); Catherine Bays, CAP, CFRE (Little Rock, AR, USA); and Stephen Mally, CFRE, (Sydney, NSW, Australia) to three-year terms (2023 – 2025) as well as the appointment of Edna Meza Aguirre, JD, CFRE (Tucson, AZ, USA), for a one-year term, to the CFRE International Board of Directors.

CFRE International is governed by a Board of Directors of 11, including 10 CFRE certificants and one public member. The members, who come from across four continents, lend their expertise and insight to ensure the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential continues to grow globally.

“CFRE International’s board governs the organization while championing confidence, ethics, and professionalism in fundraising through the CFRE credential,” said CFRE International President and CEO Eva E. Aldrich, Ph.D., CAE, (CFRE, 2001-2016). “As we move into a post-pandemic world and possible recession where fundraising professionals’ skills will matter more than ever, our board is key to ensuring the CFRE credential meets the sector’s needs. Our new members will be instrumental to our direction over the next three years.”

This year the CFRE International Committee on Directorship, chaired by Lesley Ray, MBus, CFRE, FFIA, had the task of selecting a slate of three candidates.

The slate of Basler, Bays, and Mally was elected by a 97.33% majority of current CFRE certificants who cast their ballots in the election closing August 31, 2022. To fill a vacancy on the board from 2022, Edna Meza Aguirre, CFRE, was appointed to the board per current by-laws. The four new members’ terms of service on the CFRE International Board of Directors begin January 1, 2023. Biographical information for the new members of the CFRE International Board of Directors is below.

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EDNA MEZA AGUIRRE, JD, CFRE
Director of Development & Political Consultant
Arizona Center for Women’s Advancement
Tucson, AZ
United States

A first-generation Tucson native, Edna is fluently bilingual and bicultural, with Spanish as her first language and learning English at age seven. She received her B.A. from the University of Arizona and law degree from the Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law. Edna self identifies as BIPOC/Latinx. She is governed by the tenet that representation is crucial. She brings a unique background of law, teaching, political, and not-for-profit fundraising to her 20-year career.

Edna is currently with the Arizona Center for Women’s Advancement.

She serves on the board of the Southern Arizona Chapter of Fundraising Professionals as the CFRE chair. She also previously served on that board as National Philanthropy Day co-chair (2013) and chair (2014). In 2015 she was awarded the AFP Fundraising Executive of the Year award for her career spanning the areas of higher education, not-for-profits, hospitals, and health care. She proudly serves on the board of the University of Arizona Consortium on Gender Based Violence. Edna also teaches International Alternative Dispute Resolution as well as the Deposition collaborative course at the University of Arizona Rogers School of Law. Edna has previously volunteered for Lawyers for Literacy, the Banner Hospital neo-natal unit, and the Sun Sounds Radio.

RICH BASLER, CAP, CFRE
Executive Director of Advancement Operations
St. Lawrence University
Canton, NY
United States

Rich is currently the Executive Director of Advancement Operations at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. There, he leads dynamic teams in prospect research & management, advancement information systems, and records management. Prior to joining St. Lawrence University, he was the Director of Major Gift Development & Advancement Services at Bloomfield College, where he helped to successfully lead the College through its first capital campaign.

Rich received his CFRE certification in 2019 and became a CFRE Ambassador in 2020. Since that time, he has mentored dozens of aspiring CFREs. In 2022, Rich also earned the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation from the American College of Financial Services.

Rich is currently on the Board of Directors of The Orchestra of Northern New York. Previously, he served for six years on the Board of Trustees of Kinnara, one of Atlanta’s premier professional chamber choirs, most recently as Vice President.

Rich has a degree in Music Performance (viola) from Mansfield University and lives in Canton, New York, with his husband D. Jason Bishop, a conductor and composer.

CATHERINE BAYS, CAP, CFRE
Director of Development
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
Little Rock, AR
United States

With almost two decades in the nonprofit sector, Catherine’s experiences include leadership in arts, education, and healthcare philanthropy. She gained her CFRE in 2012 and actively supports individuals interested in the CFRE process. She earned her Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy certification in 2021. Catherine’s strengths include creating strategic platforms to support an organization’s fundraising goals, relationship building, and board/volunteer management.

Catherine’s involvement and passion for the arts stems from her past experiences as a professional ballet dancer, teacher, and arts supporter. Her life experiences in funding the arts education have culminated in a rewarding career in nonprofit management and fundraising. Catherine remains very involved in the arts community, serving as an appointed member of the Arkansas Arts Council Executive Board since 2016 and an artist on the state’s art roster since 1996.

Catherine graduated from the University of Arkansas with a B.A. in English, with secondary education certification. She also holds numerous certifications in dance education training and is an accomplished public speaker. Catherine’s community volunteerism includes board positions with organizations that align with her interests in supporting literacy, children in need, and women’s leadership.

STEPHEN MALLY, CFRE
Director
FundraisingForce
Sydney, NSW
Australia

Stephen Mally brings over 35 years of fundraising and non-profit consulting experience.

Having served as a fundraiser in the United States, Stephen transitioned to consulting in Asia-Pacific and in Europe in 2008.

He is the CEO and Director of FundraisingForce, a consulting firm based in Sydney, Australia. As a consultant, he has worked with hundreds of schools, universities, and charities gaining a vast amount of exposure to diverse organizations and fundraising programs.

Stephen acquired his CFRE credential in 2012.

Stephen was named a Fellow of the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) in 2017. He serves on the FIA Board and is a member of the CFRE International Examination Committee. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.