EngAGE is pleased to welcome two consultants to our EngAGE Northwest team, Jana Cole and Stan Sawicki.
JANA COLE is a professional fundraising consultant with more than 15 years of financial development and non-profit leadership experience in the Portland, Oregon area. She is an organized leader specializing in relationship development and development strategy. During her career in fundraising Jana has worked with Providence Foundations, Trillium Family Services, Self
Enhancement Inc. (SEI), YMCA of Columbia Willamette and United Way. As a fundraising professional and volunteer, Jana has been responsible for or influenced more than $100M in philanthropic support for Portland area non-profits. In 2017, she started her own non-profit fundraising consulting firm and enjoys working with her clients to develop strong strategy and focus around their fundraising needs, plans, and team utilization.
In her early career, Jana held sales and marketing positions in broadcast, the high-tech sector, and for communications agencies. The work offered significant experience in relationship development, strategic planning, and team leadership.
Personally, Jana is passionate about service, especially about uniting the community to ensure kids have every opportunity to succeed. She is a long-time member of the Rotary Club of Portland and currently serves as the Rotary Charitable Trust Board Chair. When not working, Jana sings in a local band, enjoys focusing on health and fitness, and tours the U.S. on her motorcycle.
STAN SAWICKI is a professional fundraising consultant who possesses nearly 25 years of experience in the Portland area and throughout Oregon. Prior to starting his own grant writing and foundation relations company, StanSaw Grant Strategies, in October 2017, Stan’s work with three not-for-profit organizations over the past two and a half decades—the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, the Christie School and Trillium Family Services—equipped him with a broad range of fundraising experience and expertise,
including grant writing, major gift development, board development, event management, and capital campaign fundraising.
While Stan has an impressive track record in all areas of fundraising, his work now focuses on his first love: writing. A former journalist in his native Canada, Stan’s persuasive and creative writing style translates well to the specialized skill of grant writing, as evidenced by the fact he has secured multiple grant awards from all the major local and regional foundations as well as countless mid-sized and small foundations and funders. As a result, his knowledge of, and relationships with, the 300+ grantmaking foundations in Oregon are extensive.
Throughout his career, Stan has remained active as a freelance journalist, contributing to dozens of publications. Perhaps most notable was a weekly sports column called Out in Leftfield for a newspaper in Lethbridge, Alberta—a nod to both his position as a collegiate baseball player and his perspective on life.
Chris Lawford’s parents were Peter Lawford and Patricia Kennedy Lawford, who was the sister of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.). Both of his parents struggled with addiction, before and after their divorce in 1966, and Lawford said he began using drugs in his early teens.
Chris Widdess, EngAGE Heartland Interim Executive Director – Chris is a proven change agent with 45 years of experience in strategic realignments, new market development, special projects and campaigns for nonprofit companies in all phases of their evolution. She has strong relationships in the Twin Cities arts and funding communities, having served as the Managing Director of Penumbra Theatre (2004-2015), and currently serving as the Vice Chair of the Minnesota State Arts Board and Chair of the City of Saint Paul Cultural STAR board. At 69 years of age, Widdess sees EngAGE Heartland as an opportunity to create her future community.
