Alexandria, VA, USA – Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) International is pleased to announce the election of Rich Basler, CFRE, CAP® (Keuka Park, NY, USA); Stephen Mally, CFRE, FFIA (Sydney, NSW, Australia); and Crystal Scanio, CFRE, CEFL (Irving, TX, USA) to three-year terms (2026-2028) on 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 represent three continents, lend their expertise and insight to ensure the CFRE credential continues to grow globally.

This year, the CFRE International Committee on Directorship, chaired by Tom Berekoff, MA, CFRE, had the task of selecting a slate of three candidates.

The slate of Basler, Mally, and Scanio was elected by a 95.42% majority of current CFRE certificants who cast their ballots in the election closing September 12, 2025. Their terms of service on the CFRE International Board of Directors begins January 1, 2026.

Biographical information for the CFRE International Board of Directors Class of 2028 includes:

Rich Basler, CFRE, CAP® (Keuka Park, NY, USA) is currently the Vice President for Advancement at Keuka College where he leads dynamic teams in development and alumni relations. Prior to joining Keuka College, he was the Executive Director of Advancement Operations at St. Lawrence University.

Basler 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, Basler also earned the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation from the American College of Financial Services. He most recently served on the Board of Directors of The Orchestra of Northern New York and six years on the Board of Trustees of Kinnara, one of Atlanta’s premier professional chamber choirs, most recently as Vice President.

Basler 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.

Stephen Mally, CFRE, FFIA (Sydney, NSW, Australia) brings more than 35 years of fundraising and non-profit consulting experience. Having served as a fundraiser in the United States, Mally transitioned to consulting in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America in 2008. He is the CEO and Director of FundraisingForce, a consulting firm based in Sydney, Australia, and Rancho Mirage, California. 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.

Mally acquired his CFRE credential in 2012, and was named a Fellow of the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) in 2017. In addition to CFRE, he serves on the board of Pink Elephants Support Network. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.

Crystal Scanio, CFRE, CEFL (Irving, TX, USA) has served as President and CEO of the Irving Schools Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting students and teachers in Irving ISD, since 2012. Prior to her work in education philanthropy, Scanio held leadership roles in the financial and insurance industries. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business from Texas Tech University and a Certificate in Financial Planning from Southern Methodist University. She earned her CFRE in 2017 and Certified Education Foundation Leader (CEFL) in 2018.

Deeply committed to community service, Scanio currently serves on the Irving Police Academy Advisory Board, the Medical City Las Colinas Hospital Board, and is the President of the National Association of Education Foundations. Recognized for her leadership and service, she has received honors such as Latino Leaders Magazine’s “Top 25 Young Latino Leaders in DFW,” the National Diversity Ambassador Award from Nissan Americas, and the “Hometown Hero” Award from Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne.

Scanio grew up around the world, an upbringing that shaped her global perspective and instilled a deep appreciation for diverse cultures. Along the way, she learned several languages, including Arabic, Spanish, Russian, and Bahasa Indonesian. Today, she brings that global outlook to her work while remaining deeply committed to making a local impact.