In this episode, I host Erika Albert, Program Strategist for Major and Principal Gifts at ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In this role, she builds relationships with donors, develops fundraising strategies, and helps secure support to advance St. Jude’s mission of providing free care and advancing pediatric research.
Albert shares her story as a cancer survivor and her role in advancing St. Jude’s mission. We explore how AI tools enhance donor engagement, while authentic relationships remain at the core of fundraising. The episode looks at challenges with data responsibility and the hospital’s leadership in genomics research. The hospital’s commitment to hope, healing, and innovation is at the heart of the discussion.
Key Takeaways
- Personal Connection Drives Mission. Albert’s experience as a childhood cancer survivor deeply informs her passion and commitment to fundraising for St. Jude.
- AI Enhances Fundraising. The use of AI tools, such as Copilot and ChatGPT, helps her team streamline donor research, personalize outreach, and summarize complex medical information, slowing them to focus on building authentic relationships
- Balancing Technology and Humanity. While AI offers efficiency, maintaining genuine human connection with donors remains essential, especially in the era of increasing autonomation and skepticism about authenticity.
- Ethical and Data Challenges. The team faces ongoing challenges around data privacy, model accuracy, and ethical use of donor information, highlighting the importance of responsible technology adoption in philanthropy
- St. Jude’s Global Impact. St. Jude’s work extends beyond patient care, with innovative genomics research and international collaboration accelerating program progress in pediatric cancer treatment and benefiting children worldwide.
