The Porter County Community Foundation is pleased to welcome Jeri Pat Gabbert as Vice President and Chief Philanthropic Officer. Jeri Pat will lead the Foundation’s endowment fundraising strategies, nonprofit education and professional development programs. In her role, she will engage with donors and nonprofits to build permanent charitable funds that will benefit our community across a wide array of causes.
Jeri Pat Gabbert joins the Porter County Community Foundation team as Vice President and Chief Philanthropic Officer
Jeri Pat has more than twenty years of fundraising experience, having most recently served Indiana University Northwest as the Vice Chancellor for Advancement and External Affairs for the past ten years. In addition, she served Valparaiso University in multiple advancement roles. She is a faculty member with The Fund Raising School affiliated with the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and has taught as an adjunct faculty member at Ball State University, IUPUI, Hanover College, and Valparaiso University.
Jeri Pat earned the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation in 2009. She serves as the cabinet chair for the Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) – District V, is a board member for the Association of Lutheran Development Executives (ALDE) and is a member the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
“The Porter County Community Foundation is privileged to welcome Jeri Pat to our team,” said Bill Higbie, President and CEO of the Porter County Community Foundation. “Her extensive experience, knowledge and outstanding communication skills, joined with her great passion for promoting the power of generosity, will enhance the Foundation’s capacity to serve our community,” he added.
A well-respected fundraising professional, Jeri Pat has contributed to philanthropic research and curriculum. She has two articles published in The Journal of Education Advancement & Marketing as well as serving on its Editorial Review Board, and co-authored a chapter of Achieving Excellence in Fundraising.
“I am delighted to be joining The Porter County Community Foundation and look forward to collaborating with community leaders and local nonprofits to make a positive and long-lasting impact on Porter County and its residents,” said Jeri Pat.
Jeri Pat was honored by The Northwest Indiana Times as a member of the “20 under 40” class of 2015. Jeri Pat is a current board member for Valparaiso Events and a previous board member for Hilltop Neighborhood House. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hanover College in Communication and a Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies from Ball State University. She and her husband, Clay Patton, reside in Valparaiso with their two daughters.