Resume
Michelle Guski
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Nonprofit communications and fundraising leader with 15 years of experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives that engage donors, partners and communities. Translates organizational priorities into clear, compelling narratives that strengthen relationships, elevate mission impact and support revenue growth.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Wellstar Foundation: Communications Specialist February 2026 to Present
Contributed to Wellstar Foundation’s $66M+ FY26 fundraising total through donor communications, stewardship strategy, impact reporting, recognition initiatives and mission-centered storytelling.
Led end-to-end communications for the $1.3M Wellstar Grand Gala, directing mission-story video production across 20 patient, clinician and senior leader interviews and overseeing live audiovisual execution.
Directed the FY26 Impact Report from strategy through production, owning the narrative framework, content development, stakeholder coordination, writing, editing and delivery to connect philanthropic support with measurable systemwide impact and future priorities.
Partnered with Foundation leadership to develop the stewardship and communications strategy and implementation plan for a $50M gift—the largest philanthropic donation in Wellstar’s history—and created long-term engagement strategies for additional six-figure partners.
Developed impact-driven stewardship communications for the Sylvan Grove Tax Credit Program, using patient and community stories to deepen donor understanding and support a campaign that raised $2.3M.
Purpose Possible: Consultant September 2025 to February 2026
Lead grant writing and institutional fundraising communications, crafting clear and compelling narratives that align organizational programs with funder priorities.
Built and managed targeted grant pipelines, conducting prospect research and shaping outreach strategies that strengthen institutional funding opportunities.
Translated complex programmatic work into persuasive proposals, reports, and cultivation materials that elevate impact and improve funder engagement.
Refined messaging across development communications—creating templates, narrative frameworks, and content structures that enhance clarity and consistency.
Collaborated with senior leaders to prepare funder briefings and strategic communications that support cultivation, stewardship, and long-term partnerships
Senior Nonprofit Communications & Fundraising Leader
Breakthrough Atlanta // The Lovett School: Director of Development August 2020 to August 2025
Grew annual revenue from $740K to $1.8M through multichannel fundraising communications, annual appeals and donor engagement strategies.
Developed a peer to peer campaign toolkit and communications plan that raised $200K in two weeks, engaging 165 donors, 77% of whom were new.
Revamped event communications strategy, contributing to an 87% increase in event revenue over four years.
Advised the CEO on employee and stakeholder communications during the organization’s transition to an independent nonprofit, including messaging related to HR, benefits, staffing and organizational culture.
Used audience and performance data to increase email open rates by 17 percentage points and support a 44% government grant win rate.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta: Development Officer, Corporate Partnerships December 2015 to August 2020
Created external messaging for proposals, presentations, and stewardship reports that drove up to $2M annually in corporate contributions and helped surpass revenue goals by 20%.
Crafted personalized communications plans and branded content to appeal to key partners, generating an additional $2M in annual renewal and expanded funding over time.
Designed and led employee engagement campaigns in collaboration with corporate HR teams—using internal communications tactics to increase workplace giving and employee participation by up to 200%.
Served as lead presenter at over 20 corporate and community events annually, representing the organization and delivering compelling narratives that reinforced mission alignment and brand values.
Produced a newsletter for over 5,000 corporate subscribers, curating content that strengthened engagement, elevated the brand, and showcased partner impact.
Developed outreach strategies that included more than 120 tailored meetings annually, exceeding lead generation goals by 40%.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Art in Journalism May 2011
University of Georgia
Magazines major and Speech Communications minor
Associate of Art in Journalism May 2009
University of North Georgia
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Guest Services Liaison and Sports Fundraising Intern for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta from April 2012 to April 2013
Assistant Manager for American Eagle Outfitters from September 2009 to April 2012
Experienced in Asana, Canva, ClipChamp, Mailchimp, Monday, Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, Slack, WordPress and Wrike
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta: Program Coordinator, Corporate Partnerships May 2013 to December 2015
Developed and delivered program communications and impact reports for corporate volunteers, helping to sustain strong engagement with 50+ annual volunteer events.
Created tailored messaging and outreach materials that secured repeat funding from 83% of corporate partners, strengthening long-term relationships.
Managed communications for more than 300 workplace giving and matching gift campaigns, driving over $1M annually by coordinating targeted messaging and follow-up.
Crafted compelling grant proposals and corporate partnership content, contributing to over $400K in annual funding through clear, strategic storytelling.