Commission on the Arts and Humanities David Steadman Confirmation Resolution of 2025

MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
February 14, 2025
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsy lvania Avenue , NW , Suite 504
Washington , DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979, D.C. Law 2-
142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01, and pursuant to section 4 of the Commission on the Arts and
Humanities Act, effective October 21, 1975, D.C. Law 1-22, D.C. Official Code § 39-203, I am pleased
to nominate the following individual:
Mr. David Steadman
38th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20016
(Ward 3)
for appointment as a member with specific experience in arts or humanities organizational
administration or governance of the Commission on the Arts and Humanities, replacing Chase
Maggiano, for the remainder of an unexpired term to end June 30, 2025, and for a subsequent term to
end June 30, 2028.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-mentioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel Bowser
Mayor

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~ Chairman Phil Mendelson
at the request of the Mayor
A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
To confirm the appointment of David Steadman to the Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the "Commission on the Arts and Humanities David Steadman
Confirmation Resolution of 2025".
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of:
David Steadman
38th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20016
(Ward 3)
as a member with specific experience in arts or humanities organizational administration or
governance of the Commission on the Arts and Humanities, established by section 4 of the
Commission on the Arts and Humanities Act, effective October 21, 1975 (D.C. Law 1-22; D.C.
Official Code§ 39-203), replacing Chase Maggiano, for the remainder of an unexpired term to
end June 30, 2025, and for a subsequent term to end June 30, 2028.
Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.

STRATEGIC NONPROFIT AND FUNDRAISING LEADER
• Skilled at guiding organizations through periods of growth and change by developing
vision and strategies that drive mission impact and sustainable financial management.
• Respected for leading successful fundraising initiatives, securing millions while
collaborating with boards and leadership to align efforts with organizational goals.
• Valued for building and managing high-performing teams that foster accountability,
innovation, and professional excellence across operations.
• Expert at identifying opportunities to expand programs and visibility through innovative
donor engagement, major gifts, and grant writing, boosting financial and programmatic growth.
• Adept at creating high-impact communications by using data-driven strategies, social
platforms, and digital tools to enhance donor outreach and strengthen organizational branding.
Education

Master in Public Administration (May 2025), The George Washington University, Washington, DC
Nonprofit Management Certificate (May 2025), The George Washington University, Washington, DC

B.A. in Music & English, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY

Nonprofit and Fundraising Leadership Experience
THE NATIONAL THEATRE FOUNDATION, Washington, DC 2020 – 2023

Chief fundraiser for the National Theatre Foundation (NTF), the 501(c)(3) responsible for the continued operation
and preservation of DC’s oldest performing arts venue (since 1835), during a critical era of unique challenge and
opportunity. Managed the Foundation’s 2-person development team, in close concert with the Executive Director
and Board leadership, to strategically and sustainably grow its nascent fundraising operations and secure the
future of the theatre.
Chief Development Officer (2020–22)
Senior Philanthropy Advisor (2022–23)
• Surpassed all quality markers and exceeded budgeted goals for four consecutive fiscal years.
☑ Raised $3.5M in operating and capital support; Increased revenue by 250% and expanded donor
base by 400% through innovative challenge campaigns and enhanced stewardship.
☑ Managed a portfolio of 100 individual giving prospects, building sustainable relationships;
successfully closed NTF’s largest individual contribution to date ($300,000).
☑ Worked closely with the Board of Directors and Development Committee to expand board support of
and engagement with NTF’s fundraising priorities.
☑ Expanded National Theatre Circles (leadership) giving program by 350% from FY20 to FY23,
planned, and executed NTF’s first in-person fundraising event Brunch & Broadway, exceeding
budget and attendance goals.
• Instituted best practices and standard operating procedures across all development activities.
☑ Revamped all outbound marketing communications, including the development of a new website,
production of NTF’s first annual report of donors, eNewsletters, expanded social media, etc.
☑ Reinvigorated a dedicate-a-seat program to attract and secure new leadership support.
☑ Hired, trained, and promoted NTF’s first Associate Director of Development.
• Served as lead grant writer, successfully securing record-setting grants from the DC Commission on the
Arts and Humanities, Clark-Winchcole Foundation, Compass Greater Washington, DC Share Fund, etc.
☑ Secured nearly $750,000 in grant support over three years from the DC Commission.

Dave Steadman

Dave Steadman • 2
ST. ALBANS SCHOOL, Washington, DC 2010 – 2020

Served in multiple key leadership roles in the development of fice at one of the top college preparatory schools in
the country, joining in 2010 as Director of Annual Giving, promoted to Executive Director of Annual Giving and
Alumni Relations in 2013, and tapped to lead the major gifts department in 2018. Over a decade long tenure, built
lasting relationships between donors and the school by helping to align their philanthropic goals with the school’s
priorities. Served through two capital campaigns that raised over $130 million, led a record-breaking Annual
Giving program over eight years that raised nearly $25 million.

Director of Major Gifts (2018–20)
• Set and led the school’s major gifts program, working in concert with the Executive Director for
Development’s senior staff on strategic planning to surpass fundraising goals of $4.5M annually.
☑ Raised over $2M for endowment and capital projects in a non-campaign year.
• Collaborated with the Senior Development Officer in managing and focusing individual prospect strategy
and operate as a liaison to the Governing Board’s Development Committee.
☑ Led a systemic review of 2,800+ major gift rated prospects, revising and expanding ratings as
needed in initial preparation for the next capital campaign.
• Sustained consistent personal contact with a portfolio of 150+ prospects, with a focus on cultivating long-
term philanthropic relationships and securing significant support for the school’s strategic objectives.
• Continually and comprehensively reviewed, assessed, and refreshed 2,000+ leadership donor reservoir.
• Partnered with special events team to execute key donor cultivation dinners and stewardship events.
☑ Grew interest and attendance for major donor cultivation events, and spearheaded regional events
around the country to better reach alumni.
Executive Director of Annual Giving & Alumni Relations (2013–18)
• Served as a senior adviser and leader of the STRIVE Campaign, a 5-year $50 million effort to support
new athletic fields and endowment, and sustain Annual Giving.
• Led a 4-person team and multi-channel marketing strategy to sustainably grow annual giving and
support and expand opportunities to engage alumni, parents, and friends in the life of the school.
• Sustained parent and alumni participation in the top tier of schools nationally: exceeded capital
campaign annual giving goal by 12%, raising $15.1M over 5 years, including a record $2.76M in 2017.
• Coordinated volunteer and staff efforts to expand regional and major on-campus weekend event
attendance, effectively growing event revenue by 250%.
• Cultivated, solicited, and closed multiple 5- and 6- figure gifts for scholarships, capital projects, annual
giving, and faculty support from a portfolio of 60 major gift prospects.
• Revamped loyalty and leadership programs to increase and sustain donor support; developed new and
creative marketing angles to keep annual giving “fresh”; and built and successfully achieved exciting
giving challenges to increase volunteer enthusiasm and donor motivation.
• Leveraged donor studies to better understand donor patterns and giving behavior, leading to the creation
of new leadership categories and levels of annual support.
• Oversaw redesign of all communications, including website, newsletter, and email/social messaging.

Director of Annual Giving (2010–13)
• Exceeded $2M+ budget goals over FY 10–13, growing total dollars by 6%. Expanded donor base to
3,000, a 19% jump; and boosted alumni participation from 38% to 45% and parents from 90% to 96%.
☑ Helped close out the $82M Centennial Campaign, bringing Annual Giving to new heights
• Used feedback from a wide-reaching survey process to rebrand and expand marketing efforts to
incorporate print magazine features, innovative participation challenges, and a full suite of digital
communications, including unique email, video, and social media content.
• Developed and implemented a cloud-based volunteer management tool that signi ficantly increased
success rates by allowing school’s 265 annual giving volunteers to track, connect, and follow up with
donors more efficiently.
• Hired, trained, and managed Associate and Assistant Directors of Annual Giving.

Dave Steadman • 3
HAMILTON COLLEGE, Clinton, NY 2005 – 2010

Director of Young Alumni Giving & Associate Director of Annual Giving (2007–10)
• Developed an integrated marketing strategy for the young alumni cohort, resulting in 19.3% increase (to
50.3%) in annual participation and 29% increase in total contributions over 3 fiscal years.
• Directed senior gift campaign and student engagement program that continually exceeded all
established quality markers, including 95%+ participation for 5 years in a row.
• Managed a relationship portfolio of 112 alumni volunteers, doubling the number of active young alumni
volunteers, generating 62 major gift prospects, and successfully soliciting 4- and 5-figure gifts.

Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, Regional Events (2005–07)
• Managed Senior Gift and Hamilton Alumni Leadership Training (HALT) programs, exceeding all quality
markers. Successes include recruiting largest HALT cohorts in program history, and designing and
executing an alumni networking weekend that brought together alumni and students for a robust
weekend of networking activities coinciding with the height of the Great Recession.
• Directed work of 85 regional volunteers to plan and market 150+ events a year. Increased number of
events by 22% and attendance by 49%, and codified “Al Ham Birthday Parties” as a signature event.
• Expanded electronic and person-to-person marketing efforts to grow regional event attendance to over
3,000 discrete attendees (a 1,000-person, 50% increase in 2 years).
• Managed relationships with 62 major gift prospects and coordinated efforts of 536 class volunteers.

Core Competencies and Skills

Core Competencies: Team leadership and development, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement,
budgeting and financial oversight, event planning, fundraising, donor relations, stewardship, major gifts,
campaign strategy and execution, grant writing and management, board collaboration and governance,
digital and print communication, alumni and community management, marketing and branding
Computer/Database: Raiser’s Edge NXT, Little Green Light, MS Office Suite
Web/Social: WordFly, MailChimp, Survey Monkey, Meta Suite, LinkedIn, Vimeo & YouTube
Activities
• Executive Board Member, Hearst Elementary School PTA (2024-Present)
• Development Committee Member, Common Ground Center (VT) (2024-Present)
• Tenor and Development Committee Member, The Washington Chorus (2010–Present)
• Alumni Council Member-at-Large, Hamilton College (2010–Present)
• Board Member, Development Committee Chair, Children’s Chorus of Washington (2019–2024)
• Conference & Webcast Presenter for Academic Impressions and CASE (Council for the Advancement
and Support of Education) (2012–2019). Topics: Social Media, Young Alumni Engagement, Surveys,
Student Philanthropy & Parent Giving
• Avid runner, singer & pianist

Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004

David Steadman

Mr. David Steadman is a fundraising and philanthropy professional
specializing in strategic planning, philanthropic matchmaking, brand
marketing, and volunteer management. He currently operates his own
consulting firm, Dave Steadman Consulting, where he provides financial
consulting to mainly arts and humanities organizations. Mr. Steadman
previously worked in fundraising and development for the National
Theater, St. Alban’s School, and Hamilton College, among other
institutions.
Mr. Steadman’s areas of fundraising expertise include individual
relationship cultivation, volunteer and personnel management, major
gifts, fundraising strategy, annual giving, philanthropy, stewardship,
young alumni engagement, personal solicitation, branding, direct mail, telemarketing, digital and
social marketing, non-profit and higher education administration, event planning, alumni travel,
and alumni relations.
A Ward 3 resident, Mr. Steadman earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music and English from Hamilton
College and is expected to complete his Master of Public Administration from George Washington
University this year.

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser

Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor

______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681

To: Kimberly A. Bassett, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: February 13, 2025
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of a resolution appointing David Steadman as a member
of the Commission on the Arts and Humanities
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolution and
found it to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Michael Porcello, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at
202-727-0872, or me at 202-724-7681.

______________________________
Elizabeth Cavendish