CHRISTOPHER BURKE

[Address removed]
West Roxbury, MA 02132
H (xxx) xxx-xxxx, C (xxx)xxx-xxxx
[e-mail address removed]

OBJECTIVE
A position that employs my talent for strategic development projects, and uses my varied fundraising and
interpersonal skills.
CHARACTERISTICS
With a lifetime of entrepreneurial activity in business, construction supervision and development, my capacity for
creative thinking and problem solving is established. As a young person in business, I developed a number of
successful enterprises, from baking bread, age 12, (sold hundreds of loaves) to tree-surgery/landscaping (entrusted
with esthetics of private landscapes in Greenwich, CT). As a field representative for Public Radio, I built a new
underwriting territory from scratch for my regional network. On non-profit boards and as a volunteer, I have been
able to master challenges, finding imaginative ways to raise attendance, increase cash flow, design and carry out
significant fundraising campaigns. As a development consultant to a young school during the worst of the 2009
recession, I created programming that raised $100,000 in three months. An underlying quality I bring to projects is in
discerning natural advantages and focusing efforts on using them to meet goals.
WORK EXPERIENCE
2009: Development Consultant, Montessori School of the Berkshires: Designed comprehensive fundraising
program for this 4-year-old school. We achieved our first goal of $100,000 in 3 months, starting January 2009, which
allowed the construction of the new campus to begin.
Board member and Development Chair, Brookline Arts Center: Organizing a program of actions to raise
rehabilitation funds for the historic firehouse that houses this organization, including grant writing and capital
campaign.
Board Member and Chair designate of Buildings and Grounds Committee at Chesterwood, A National
Trust for Historic Preservation property in Stockbridge, MA, the home and studio of Lincoln Memorial sculptor
Daniel Chester French
2008-continuing: Consultant, Matthew 25: volunteer recruiting and construction supervision for non-profit
dedicated to restoring housing for moderate income renters in Boston.
2001-2006: Development Associate, WAMC Northeast Public Radio: Created a distinct territory for
underwriting sponsorships in the Northampton and Amherst, MA, region for the Albany, NY-based network.
Increased sales more than 20 percent annually, to over $200,000, from scratch, in an area already served by an older,
more established NPR member station. I managed all aspects of the business from my own field office, including
research, sales, cultivation and stewardship, creative marketing, billing and collections.
2006-2008: Development Chair, Chesterwood: Among projects I have managed was a successful capital-
style campaign around a showing of the film “Gettysburg” along with a weekend of events that included appearances
by the director of the film, an evening garden reception and a period concert with brass quintet.
2004-2007: Board Member, Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce: Responsible for redesigning and
invigorating all networking events. Previous events had poor attendance and lost money. Our efforts produced over
$30,000 in new income for the Chamber in the first year and saw spectacular (900%) increases in attendance. The
key to this success was observing that Amherst is a community with high sensitivity to politics: we invited
politicians to speak at our events, and consequently attracted attendees in large numbers.
1986-2001: Owner and Construction Supervisor: Meetinghouse Construction, Charlemont, MA,
specializing in renovation projects on older buildings. My state supervisors’ license is current and I continue to
consult on projects for non-profits, especially involving fundraising for building projects. In my spare time I saved,
restored and renovated a 6,000 sq. ft. 1830 Unitarian Meetinghouse on the Mohawk Trail in Charlemont, MA,
preserving the public spaces.
1978-1988: Sales Representative, Metropolitan Insurance Companies. Associate Realtor, Property
Manager, G. Barrett Montgomery Associates, Greenwich, CT. Volunteer Hudson River Sloop Singer, soloist in
numerous fundraising concerts with Pete Seeger.
EDUCATION
Pratt Institute: BFA (Honors) in Film
Boston University: Certificate in Professional Fundraising
Course work: Associated Grantmakers on grant writing strategy and budgeting; CASE workshops on many aspects
of fundraising; Marlboro College on database design; UMass-Amherst on non-profit fundraising.