About Me

Miriam Imerman's career path has not followed the usual course of law school graduates. Although she was prepared to pursue a "garden-variety" career as a litigator (while young and fiery), an advisor and counselor (in mid-career) and a drafter of wills and trusts in late career, things did not go as planned. Miriam was captured by a non-profit organization in her first post-law school position, and twenty-five years later, she remains happily ensnared in the not-for-profit world.

Miriam has held positions in organizations large (a university and major health care systems) and small (a five-person prepared and perishable food rescue operation). She has worked in areas from entry-level fundraising (special events and annual giving), to intermediate-level activities (honorial and memorial giving), on to corporate and foundation grant seeking, a stint as Executive Director, and the culmination of a fundraiser's career, planned giving. After all, if old lawyers don't die, but just do probate, it must also be the case that old(er) development professionals don't die: they just do planned giving.

At several points along the way, although not as often as she would have liked, Miriam has had occasion to disseminate a few bits of the knowledge she has acquired along the way. This dissemination has usually taken the form of the spoken word, in presentations to community groups, the occasional professional gathering, and even from the podium at her Temple (although, it must be confessed, these opportunities were generally made available during the summer months, when the rabbis were on vacation and the congregation was desperately in need of someone to fill the sermonizing time--but not for too long, mind you).

Through all the varied experiences with not-for-profit organizations Miriam has counted herself fortunate enough to accumulate, one fact has remained true and constant: the generosity of spirit and collegial spirit encountered among the cadre of professionals who populate the non-profit arena. This spirit of sharing and giving is what has motivated her to try and do a bit of sharing of her own. To the extent that a career full of the usual ups and downs has afforded some opportunity to observe and learn, one can only hope that by sharing some of that learning, others in this wonderful field of endeavor may derive some benefit.

And so it is in this spirit that fingers pound the keyboard, with the caveat offered that opinions expressed and observations offered herein are strictly those of the writer, and the reader is urged to draw his or her own conclusions, and continue whichever discussion he or she finds to be of sufficient interest. And something else as well: keep learning, and keep sharing: it's what sets us apart.