Tony talks with the University at Buffalo advancement team about digital transformation

Kathleen Heckman, AVP for Advancement at the University at Buffalo

Kathleen Heckman is Associate Vice President for Advancement Administration at the University at Buffalo, New York’s premier public center for graduate and professional education and the state’s largest and most comprehensive public university. A veteran higher education professional, Kathleen has nearly thirty years of higher education administration experience in special events, alumni engagement, advancement services, and administration. As chief operations officer, Kathleen provides strategic leadership for the division’s infrastructure and resource deployment (broadly defined). She drives efficiency, effectiveness, and quality by enhancing the coherence and integration of core service functions, administering resources strategically and creatively, and cultivating a robust talent management program. Kathleen oversees the internal operations of the division including budget and human resources as well as the departments of Advancement Communications, Donor Relations and Stewardship, Application Services, Network and User Support, and Prospect Research. Kathleen has an M.B.A. and a bachelor’s degree in International Business—both from the University at Buffalo. Kathleen lives in Clarence, New York with her husband and two children.

Geoff Bartlett, AVP for Strategic Initiatives at the University at Buffalo

Geoffrey Bartlett, Ph. D. is the Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at the University at Buffalo. Bartlett has nearly 25 years of annual giving and gift officer experience in higher education and cultural organizations. Before coming to UB, he served as the development officer for the College of Science and Engineering at Central Michigan University. Bartlett holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Central Michigan University and has taught a variety of fundraising, higher education, and organizational theory courses. He is a contributor to academic and practitioner-based national and international conferences. His most recent publication is An Exploration of University Communications on Donor Experience: A case study using Dedoose in Data Analysis Using Dedoose: A practical approach for research across the social sciences.

Our Discussion

In this episode of Engaging Ideas, we dive into the world of roadmapping and digital strategy. Our expert guests, Kathleen Heckman and Geoff Barttlet from University at Buffalo share their reflections on how they created an effective roadmap that aligns with business goals and drives staff competency. We discuss the key elements of a successful roadmapping process, including the 9 goals for the roadmap they created and how it differs from a digital marketing strategy. Our guests also share their personal experiences and tips on how to gain leadership and cross-departmental buy-in to overcome common challenges in the roadmapping and digital strategy process. Tune in now to learn more about why and how you can deploy a roadmapping effort to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape in your own organization!

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