FREEMAN PHILANTHROPIC SERVICES - Key Persons
Barbara Rittner holds a BA in Psychology from Ithaca College and graduate coursework at New York University. She is a frequent panelist/speaker and company representative at industry associations and trade shows.
Ms. Rittner has more than 25 years professional experience encompassing recruiting, corporate management, outplacement/change management consulting and training. Barbara was the principal of an entrepreneurial firm engaged in retained and contingency search. She worked with major firms including Unilever, Diageo, GE Capital, Priceline.com, Bristol Myers Squibb, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield and Cadbury. Client engagements also included being brought in-house to augment the firms' recruitment staffs.
Job Titles:
- EXECUTIVE
- RECRUITER
- Recruiter for Freeman Philanthropic Services LLC
Blake W. Rice is a Recruiter for Freeman Philanthropic Services LLC. Blake received his Bachelor of the Fine Arts Degree from Rowan University. Blake has worked in the NYC arts and culture scene for over a decade, working in for- and not-for-profits environments in diverse roles from screenwriter to producer. He first began to develop his recruiting skills as a casting director. One of four siblings, Blake enjoys playing lacrosse, co-hosting his podcast, and watching movies. He is thrilled to be a part of the FPS team.
Donna Frithsen joined the Purchase College leadership team in August 2019. Previously, she had served as Vice President of Campaign Strategy & Operations at Drexel University since July 2017. Prior to that, she was Vice President for Development, Medicine, and Health Affairs at Drexel University from 2015 through 2017, and Associate Vice President for Advancement at Drexel College of Medicine from 2013 until 2015.
Before arriving at Drexel College of Medicine, she was Chief Development Officer at Bryn Mawr College from 2009 through 2013. She also led development offices at Drew University, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Goucher College, University of Maryland, College Park Foundation, and the Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine.
A strong advocate of higher education, Donna has decades of experience, knowledge, and insights related to leading and implementing fundraising and major gifts efforts, overseeing corporate and foundation relations and planned giving campaigns, engaging alumni, and fostering strategic collaboration across departments and academic programs.
She holds a BA from Boston College, an MA from Rowan University, and certificates in leadership development from Johns Hopkins and in higher education management from the Harvard Institute in Higher Education Management.
Job Titles:
- SENIOR RECRUITER, CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT
Flavio dos Santos Furtado is Senior Recruiter, Candidate Identification for Freeman Philanthropic Services, LLC. Flavio has provided research, candidate identification, and evaluation for FPS since 2008, helping to accelerate the successful completion of over 300 executive recruitments. Flavio has played a crucial role for searches including the Museum of Fine Arts, City Year, Wheelock College, Success for Kids, Smile Train, Vera Institute of Justice, American Red Cross, AmeriCares, Feeding America, New England Center for Children, National Urban League, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and UNCF.
Now a resident of New York City, he was born in Belo Horizonte, the capital and largest city of the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brasil. He has worked extensively for corporations in Brasil, including 20 years with Avaliadora Geral de Bens (AGB), a general property evaluations company. Flavio has volunteered for Centro Latino in a variety of capacities.
Flavio, who is trilingual (Portuguese, English, and Spanish), specializes in executive recruitment for the not-for-profit community in Brasil. During his career as a Senior Recruiter, Flavio has been cited in The Power of Women's Giving in Philanthropy Matters and has completed the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) First Course in Fundraising in both English and Portuguese.
Flavio attended Pitagoras and the University of Fumec, where he studied Civil Engineering.
Job Titles:
- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT
Frederick Robinson is the Information Technology consultant for Freeman Philanthropic Services, L.L.C. Frederick has been working in the IT field for over 20 years supporting the Defense, Medical, Financial, and Not-for-profit industries. Frederick graduated Summa Cum Laude from Briarcliffe College with a Bachelors of Technology degree. He has been working with Freeman Philanthropic Services for over 10 years now supporting all their IT infrastructure needs.
Gail Girardet has been providing recruiting, research, and reference checking services to Freeman Philanthropic Services since the beginning of 2016. Prior to FPS she worked for ten years as the head of operations for a $1 billion private-equity firm overseeing and managing investor relations, human resources, financial reporting, and IT department. She also worked for 12 years with an international executive search firm managing high-level searches in financial services, healthcare, and for multi-national companies.
Mrs. Girardet is married with two college-age children and lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn. She has volunteered and fundraised for both her children's schools in Brooklyn and New York City. She currently volunteers at a senior center in Brooklyn.
Job Titles:
- FOUNDER
- PRESIDENT
- Founder and President of Freeman Philanthropic Services, L.L.C
- FPS' Founder and President
FPS' founder and president, Gail L. Freeman, brings extensive knowledge and experience to the firm with over 25 years' experience in the not-for-profit field. This invaluable asset enables the firm to enhance and accelerate the successful outcome of FPS' assignment. It also extends FPS' ability to understand the needs of organizations and institutions.
Gail L. Freeman is Founder and President of Freeman Philanthropic Services, L.L.C., a full-service firm offering a broad range of services including executive recruitment, on-board coaching, and board of directors and staff training leading not-for-profit organizations nationwide and internationally. As a recognized leader in the not-for-profit field, Ms. Freeman brings more than twenty-five years of experience in executive recruitment, not-for-profit management, and fundraising. Throughout her career, Ms. Freeman has worked in a variety of capacities in the not-for-profit field. Prior to the establishment of her namesake firm, Ms. Freeman served as Vice President and Director for a national retained executive search firm, where she led the Development & Institutional Advancement practice. In this capacity, she managed all aspects of the search process, including client relationships, research, networking, qualification, and final selection of candidates.
At the request of People to People International, an organization founded by Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Ms. Freeman was invited to join delegations of not-for-profit executives to meet with Chinese and Russian health, cultural, educational, social service and religious leaders. These delegations led exchanges on building philanthropic support for programs that respond to local needs, an issue of singular importance in the rapidly changing Chinese and Russian economies and societies.
Ms. Freeman frequently speaks, writes, and consults within the not-for-profit sector. She has published numerous articles for leading not-for-profit organizations and co-authored "How to Increase Your Annual Fund" (Fund-Raising Management). As a featured speaker for various AFP meetings, conferences, and other venues, Ms. Freeman covers a myriad of topics ranging from career-development to strategic planning. In addition, she has worked with and trained top-level volunteers and staff in fund raising.
Ms. Freeman is active in her roles as the Past Chair of The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University's Board of Visitors, current Chair of the Founding Board of the School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, board member for The New School Milano Graduate School and the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy International, and member of American Humanics' Nonprofit Sector Workforce Coalition. She has also served on the board of the Greater New York AFP Chapter and was the co-chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. Moreover, Ms. Freeman has taken on diverse challenges, including serving as a member of the National Steering Committee for Research America. Ms. Freeman graduated with honors from the Master's Program in Not-for-Profit Management at The New School.
Jerad L. McMickle is an Executive Recruiter for Freeman Philanthropic Services, LLC. At FPS, he manages current and former client and candidate relationships to ensure FPS exceeds its commitments to clients. In addition, he serves as an executive recruiter who has identified and recruited candidates to not-for-profit organizations in the Tri-State philanthropic marketplace.
Jerad has served as a not-for-profit volunteer across the East Coast. He participated in community service trips to work with Habitat for Humanity in Greensboro, NC, and the Refugee Urban Agriculture Initiative in Philadelphia, PA to help provide refugees with access to sustainable food and affordable housing. While attending his alma mater, Hamilton College, he served as the volunteer liaison between the College and Utica Public Library to design and execute a weekly literacy program for children with Down syndrome, a program which he led for two years. In his home county, Jerad volunteered regularly with the Lion's Club and led programs to increase high school and college access.
Nona Bishop brings ten years of experience as Human Resources professional in full cycle HR capacity. Her human resource superpowers are talent acquisition, leadership, and organizational development.
She leverages her operational lens from over ten years of serving as a mid-to-senior level leader in the nonprofit sector to provide strategic recruitment and organization support for not-for-profit organizations.
Nona holds a Master's in Human Resource Management and Bachelor of Arts from Mercy College. She is recognized by Society of Human Resource Management as a certified professional in Human Resource Management. Additionally, Nona is certified in Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity and Belonging through the University of South Florida.
Nona serves as a mentor of B.I.L.L.I.E Girls mentor program providing guidance and support to high school girls from the DMV area.
Nona's personal approach to work is the same as in life: you cannot pour from an empty cup. To ensure she always giving her very best, she prioritizes self-care in her downtime. To replenish, she loves hiking, reading biographies, fitness training and solo travel. One of her favorite quotes is, "not all those who wander are lost."
Job Titles:
- Executive
- Recruiter
- RECRUITMENT ASSOCIATE
Stacey Theodorakakis is an Executive Recruiter for Freeman Philanthropic Services, LLC. Stacey has over a decade of not-for-profit experience in animal welfare and environmental organizations as fundraiser, program coordinator, and educator. She has worked in the healthcare industry as an independent contractor and small business owner in licensed massage therapy. Stacey is inspired by her work at FPS identifying and developing ideal candidates for leadership roles at mission-driven organizations.
Viola Doles is Executive Recruiter for Freeman Philanthropic Services, LLC. Prior to working at FPS, Viola held positions as a real estate administrative assistant, a human resources coordinator, and an account executive.
Viola attended Hobart and William Smith Colleges where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Women's Studies and Public Policy Studies. During her time at HWS, Viola founded and managed a feminist living community called The Nest, which encouraged female empowerment in academics, athletics, and community outreach.
Born and raised at the Jersey Shore, Viola enjoys going to the beach, working out, and spending time with her rescue cat, Albert, in her free time.