The Office of Institutional Advancement

The Office of Institutional Advancement serves The Williamson School through Alumni Relations, Annual Giving, Capital Campaign, Corporate/Foundation Relations, Development Support Services, Planned Giving and Public Relations. Advancement Office staff work collaboratively to build relationships among The Williamson School’s alumni and friends. Through these contacts the Advancement Office secures the partnerships necessary to ensure the future success of Isaiah Williamson’s vision.

Key Areas:

Alumni Relations
The purpose in Alumni Relations is to coordinate efforts which engage alumni in the School’s mission through effective constituent relations, communications, programs and special events.

Annual Giving
Our goal in coordinating an annual giving program is to encourage consistent financial support from alumni, friends, past parents, corporations, foundations and organizations, to be used for the purposes of current operations.

Capital Campaigns
A capital campaign is a concentrated, usually multi-year effort to promote financial support for larger capital projects and programs that fulfill a much broader, life changing mission than annual giving, ensuring a secure foundation for the future of the School.

Public Relations
The goal of public relations is to manage the School’s image, both internally and externally, through effective communications, media relations and publications; to communicate the overall qualities of Williamson School to all of its relevant publics.

Advancement Staff

John J. Schlesinger
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
jschlesinger@williamson.edu

John Schlesinger has over 25 years of institutional advancement experience in Philadelphia area colleges and universities. Before coming to Williamson, he worked at Philadelphia College of Optometry, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, Hahnemann University, and Temple University. At Williamson, he directs the expansion of new and existing programs that enhance overall resource development and manages the staff and programs in the areas of special events, annual giving, alumni relations, special and planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, and major gifts and stewardship. He joined Williamson’s Advancement Office in October 2000. John has a master’s degree in journalism from Temple University, Philadelphia, and a bachelor of science degree in English from Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va. He is a certified fundraising executive, conferred by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Sylvia Bastani
Director of Development
sbastani@williamson.edu

Sylvia, a new member of Williamson’s Advancement Office, has nearly 25 years experience in institutional advancement in the Philadelphia area. She has worked at the American Cancer Society, the Leukemia Society of America, Atwater Kent Museum, Pennsylvania Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania, and Parente Randolf Fundraising Consulting Services. Most recently, she was president and owner of Bastani & Associates, LLC, a full-service fundraising, marketing, and public relations firm. At Williamson, she directs and oversees all fundraising efforts and is responsible for coordinating annual operations, special programs, and grants from corporations, foundations, and individuals. She also manages all office operations and assists in the development of a cohesive fundraising team and develops, manages, and implements strategies to increase major annual gifts from individuals. Sylvia has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and is a graduate of The Executive College, Orlando, Fla.

Michele Minicozzi
Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Events
mminicozzi@Williamson.edu

Michele Minicozzi, who came to Williamson in 1998, works to advance the School’s mission through her efforts in coordinating annual giving programs and alumni events while working with corporations and foundations to secure support for Williamson’s programs. She has nearly 15 years development experience in higher education and health care, having worked at Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, Philadelphia; St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Philadelphia; Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia; and St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, Tampa, Fla. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism at Temple University and continues professional studies with the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Carl Vairo
Director of Public Relations and Publications
cvairo@williamson.edu

Carl Vairo came to Williamson in 1988 and is responsible for media relations, news releases, photography, advertising, special events, and publications, including, the alumni newspaper, The Williamsonian. He works closely with the Alumni Association, the Ladies Auxiliary, and serves as adviser to the student yearbook, The Mechanic. Carl has over 25 years experience in higher education public relations. Prior to coming to Williamson, he was university relations assistant at Penn State’s Delaware County Campus and began his career as a reporter at The Quakertown Free Press, Quakertown, Pa., and Pocono Today, Stroudsburg, Pa. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism at Penn State.

Benjamin Schools
Director of Development Services
bschools@williamson.edu

Ben, a new member of the Advancement Office, is responsible for database management, reporting, and other services related to communications and effective stewardship of giving. Before coming to Williamson, Ben received extensive experience in database management at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute in Delaware. He is proficient in Raiser’s Edge, especially as it relates to research and development of appeals, capital campaigns, and fundraising reports. He attended Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in New Hampshire.

Donna Rentz
Advancement Office Secretary
drentz@williamson.edu

Since 1994, Donna has provided secretarial support for the programs and events of the Advancement Office. Donna handles correspondence and direct mail; organizes corporate and foundation proposal packages; coordinates stewardship meetings and events; assists in special event preparation and execution; office supplies; filing; mail distribution, and other tasks. Earlier, Donna served in a similar capacity at the Interboro School District and Media Child Guidance. Donna earned an associate’s degree in business technology at the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology. 

Vicki Betterman
Administrative Assistant to Advancement
vbetterman@williamson.edu

Vicki Betterman joined the Advancement Office in January 2007. Her responsibilities include coordinating campus visits of alumni and friends, assisting in various projects coordinated by the vice president of institutional advancement including, and working with the capital campaign. She received development experience working in the Development office at Episcopal Academy.