Rising Star Award
The DMAW Rising Star Award turns the spotlight of public recognition to the most talented rising direct/interactive marketing professional nominated by his or her peers. To be chosen to receive this award, an individual must have at least ten years of experience in direct response or interactive marketing and show uncommon promise in thinking strategically and creatively about innovations that will advance the future of direct marketing. Recipients of this award must have demonstrated their leadership ability, both through their record of results achieved on the job and by “giving back” through their contributions to educating others about direct marketing.
Congratulations to our 2024 Award Recipient:
Victoria Vincent
Marketing Consultant
Previous Rising Star Award Recipients
2022
Jamie Graves
2022
Jessica Stober
2021
Robert Fisher
2019: Victoria Richards
2019
Victoria Richards
2018: Joe Goetz
2018
Joe Goetz
2017: Jade Nguyen
2017
Jade Nguyen
2016: Katy Jordan
Katy Jordan has over 15 years of nonprofit industry experience, she’s passionate about helping nonprofits through innovative — and integrated — outreach, fundraising and advocacy strategies. With a B.A. in music composition from Lehigh University, she began her career working with several performing arts organizations in the Baltimore area. There Katy realized the need for nonprofits to have business-minded expertise to be sustainable, and put herself through the M.B.A program at University of Baltimore. A few years later, Katy found a role on the agency side at CDR Fundraising Group.
Over the past six years, Katy has grown the digital and DRTV divisions of CDR and fostered integrated marketing across the agency. She has worked with charities including Disabled American Veterans, Shriners Hospitals for Children, The American Legion and the Christian Appalachian Project. Katy knows what it takes to start, build and sustain a successful nonprofit fundraising program. She’s a frequent speaker at industry events, a regular contributor to trade publications and serves as co-chair of the Programs Committee for the DMAW Educational Foundation. Katy is also a composer and musician who plays both the viola and piano. Katy is a co-founder of EMP Collective, a nonprofit that nurtures artists to bring art to new, diverse audiences.
Katy is grateful for the experiences she’s had to further the mission of dozens of nonprofit causes, and the opportunity to grow and lead a team of smart, dedicated professionals - the next generation of leaders in our industry.
2016
Katy Jordan
2015: Marie Kosanovich
Marie Kosanovich has worked in the Direct Marketing industry for almost 20 years – 10 of which have been dedicated specifically to fundraising for nonprofit organizations. During that time, she has worked with a variety of clients including the Art Institute of Chicago, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Defenders of Wildlife, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Heifer International just to name a few.
As the Account Director in the Nonprofit Division for The Lukens Company, Marie has received several awards including Silver and Bronze Awards for multichannel campaigns from Fundraising Success Magazine. She is a regular volunteer for the DMAW and has even been invited to speak at various DMAW events over the past several years.
Outside the office, Marie indulges her passion for philanthropy by volunteering with an organization that is near and dear to her heart, the USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore, where she has logged almost 500 volunteer hours since 2011. In 2014 she was recognized for her dedication to the USO by receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Although she has moved around the country several times over the last two decades — from Milwaukee, WI to southern GA — Marie finally settled down in Arlington Virginia but is proud to call Pittsburgh, PA her “home.”
Marie received her Bachelor of Science degree from Clarion University with a concentration in marketing and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Frostburg State University.
2015
Marie Kosanovich
2015: Rebecca Shapalis
Rebecca Shapalis joined Avalon in the spring of 2014, after 10 years with Production Solutions, a direct mail implementation firm. During her time at Production Solutions, most recently as Client Services Manager, she focused on fundraising, development and integrated direct mail execution for a diverse group of non-profit organizations. Her combined experience in relationship management and project management gives her a valuable skill set — including strategy, cost control, quality assurance and increasing revenue on behalf of clients.
Rebecca’s extensive background in production has allowed her to hit the ground running and provide a fresh perspective on schedule and vendor management. Her inherent service-centric personality enables her to establish positive and productive relationships with her client base. With her vast industry experience and keen insight, she can find a creative solution to any problem that comes her way.
At Avalon, Rebecca is instrumental in leading and organizing on-site and off -site training for new employees, and as a co-leader for the all-staff weekly production meetings.
Rebecca has been an active member of the DMAW since 2011. Over the years, she has served as a volunteer for numerous committees for the DMAW-AFP/DC Bridge Conference. And, most recently, she was appointed the Co-Chair for the 2016 Bridge Conference volunteer committee. She continues to be a manager that both her supervisors and colleagues consistently depend on for results.
Rebecca currently manages fundraising programs for National Parks Conservation Association and Common Cause.
A graduate of James Madison University, Rebecca received a BS in Science, Kinesiology with a major in Exercise Science and focused on the physiological impacts that physical and other activity has on the body.
2015
Rebecca Shapalis
2014: Heather Marsh
Heather is the Senior Director of Digital Marketing for ABD Direct, a full-service direct response fundraising firm that serves advocacy, cultural and political clients, including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Americans for Responsible Solutions and the Obama for America campaign. With 10 years of direct marketing experience, she has worked with many high-profile clients, including Wounded Warrior Project, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, The Wilderness Society, Disabled American Veterans, and many others.
Heather is a frequent attendee, speaker and volunteer for DMAW in several areas such as, for four consecutive years she has served on the marketing committee for the Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference; leading it as its co-chair in 2014. She has presented at the Bridge Conference, our monthly Lunch & Learns as well as our Annual Digital Day Forum and has written for the DMAW Blog. Over the years, Heather has also spoken at DMA NF Digital Day, DMA Digital Day and the NTEN Conference. Heather is an award-winning strategist, having received the DMAW MAXI Silver Award, as well as being recognized by Fundraising Success Magazine.
When not reading, writing or tweeting about nonprofit technology (#NPTech), she is an avid cook, cupcake baker and servant to her adorable rescue dog.
2014
Heather Marsh
2013: Lesley Hostetter
Lesley is both Director of Integrated Marketing and Account Supervisor at Lautman Maska Neill & Company. She oversees the integration of digital and mail for all clients, while managing the direct response programs for Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Reading Is Fundamental, Northern Westchester Hospital Foundation, The Actors Fund and The Center for Jewish History.
Before joining Lautman Maska Neill & Company, Lesley worked for Landmine Survivors Network (LSN) as the Manager of Donor Relations, where she oversaw the direct mail and major donor programs. Prior to LSN, Lesley spent 4 years at Adams Hussey & Associates, where she worked with a wide variety of nonprofit and advocacy organizations to grow donor bases and instill the art of effective fundraising.
Lesley graduated from Saint Michael’s College in Burlington, VT with a degree in Business Administration and dual concentrations in Marketing and International Business. She has been a volunteer with The Reading Connection for 14 years. When she’s not working, Lesley loves to travel with her husband, hike with her dog, and play with her one-year-old daughter.
2013
Lesley Hostetter
2012: Tung Ngo
Tung joined DataLab in 2004 after completing a degree in Computer Sciences at George Mason University. He is DataLab’s technology thought leader and heads up the data-processing division as well as the Data Center Services Division. His colleagues describe him as analytical, compassionate, innovative and humble – as someone altogether inspiring.
As DataLab’s System Architect, Tung Ngo has integrated digital marketing into DataLab’s core services while increasing the efficiency and accuracy of its data solutions by automating data processes. 850 processes to be exact. Each customized to every client’s unique needs.
At the same, Tung’s nimble forays into real-time bidding have put him and his DataLab team at the forefront of using broad-level big data to provide personalized content for online display advertising. There’s no more innovative marketplace today. Real-time bidding (RTB) is changing digital marketing. By 2017, it’s estimated RTB will be responsible for 34% of display advertising on multiple platforms, worth $7 billion in revenues.
Tung’s foresight in bringing DataLab into the new frontier of digital marketing via real-time bidding -- and his ability to create reliable systems to accurately and cost-effectively process large data sets -- all while leading a team of experienced individuals, teaching colleagues during in-house training programs, and mentoring younger, less experienced employees, amply demonstrate why we chose him to receive the DMAW’s 2012 Emerging Leader Award.
2012
Tung Ngo
2011: Sean Powell
Sean arrived shortly after The Engage Group was launched as PMG’s online division in 2007. A trained developer, he immediately set about to improve turnaround time and provide additional quality control features for our clients, while also searching for or developing alternate/additional systems to serve the specific online marketing needs of nonprofit fundraisers.
During Sean’s tenure as Director of The Engage Group, the division grew from just two clients to over 15, and the expanded staff of four now manages 30-plus email and social media campaigns each month. While Engage continues to use its own platform, EngagePlus, for many clients, Sean and his team also manage campaigns using Convio, Kintera, Salsa and other systems as well.
Sean makes time to be active in both the online community and several direct marketing associations. He publishes a blog, the “give grind,” where he identifies and salutes others in the online and fundraising industries for their innovations and ideas. He created “HTML Email Boilerplate,” a project he originally presented at the 2011 NTEN Conference as a way to help programmers, developers and even HTML beginners with a compilation of shortcuts, best practices and explanations for how to write code and create better, cleaner email communications. Sean has received praised from several other industry notables.
Sean speaks at national and local conferences and workshops hosted by the DMA Nonprofit Federation, DMAW and Direct Marketing Fundraising Association. He served on the program committee for DMAW’s inaugural Multi-Channel Boot Camp and the Online Marketing Committee for the 2011 Bridge Conference.
2011
Sean Powell