2008 Ann Castle Award Recipient: Valerie Anastasio

Valerie Anastasio, Development Officer, Special Projects at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston, is the recipient of the seventh annual Ann Castle Award.  Valerie has spent 17 years in development research, operations and prospect management, and frontline fundraising roles at educational and cultural institutions.  From 1999 to August 2007, she served as Director of Research and Prospect Development at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, working on strategic, feasibility and donor prospecting for the museum’s $500 million campaign.  Before joining the MFA, Valerie was Director of Development Research at Harvard University.  Prior to Harvard, she worked in frontline annual fund raising at Boston Lyric Opera, Brandeis University, and WGBH Television and Radio.

Valerie is an especially esteemed research professional who brings the experience and knowledge of fundraising to her understanding and practice of development research.  Her visionary ideas regarding the use of data to inform fundraising strategies have been valued tremendously by her colleagues at the MFA and her counsel has been strongly relied upon by many in the wider research community.  Valerie is an enthusiastic supporter of the research profession in general, and NEDRA in particular, which she has served in many ways, not the least of which as a former member of the NEDRA board.  Her leadership has also led to a new way of thinking about research programs in non-educational institutions.

Valerie generously shares her understanding of research strategies, methods, and skills with others in our profession at all levels.  She has made numerous presentations on a wide variety of topics for NEDRA, APRA, CASE and AFP programs.  Her presentations, most notably those on the hedge fund, financial services, and venture capital industries, have been regarded as must attend educational events.  Valerie’s professionalism, judgment, ethics, knowledge and experience make her a valued colleague to many in the development field.  The NEDRA Board and the Ann Castle Award nominating committee are delighted to recognize Valerie Anastasio with this prestigious award.