Episode 98
Episode 98 of Tales From the Trenches Tuesdays again features Brieanna Quinn. She is a fundraising professional with over 20 years of experience, raising record-setting donations at higher education institutions and national nonprofits.
Brieanna shared a story that perfectly captures why so many of us are drawn to this work. It’s not about the galas, the donor stewardship events, or even the campaign goals. It’s about something much more fundamental: the transformative power of opportunity.
Brieanna’s story begins with her father in the late 1960s, facing a choice that would echo through generations. He could attend the free public high school down the road, or he could work to pay his own tuition at a private Catholic school. He chose the harder path, working to cover every penny of his education costs. When the priest told him he wouldn’t receive his diploma until the tuition was fully paid, her father did exactly that. He surprised everyone, including the priest himself.
The real impact of this decision became clear years later. Brieanna watched as her father thrived throughout his life, while her uncle, who had taken the conventional path to the public school, struggled with repeated challenges including time in jail. It was a real-world case study playing out in her own family. It was proof that access to quality education can literally change the trajectory of a life. As Brieanna reflected, education can be transformative, but not everyone has equal access to these opportunities.
This family history helps explain why Brieanna has spent over two decades focused specifically on education-related fundraising. She has helped higher education institutions and workforce development programs. While many fundraisers move between sectors throughout their careers, she found her calling early and stayed true to it.
When asked about her favorite part of fundraising, Brieanna answer was immediate: the people. She described the profound impact of hearing directly from program beneficiaries.
Brieanna also demonstrated refreshing honesty about the challenges of fundraising work, particularly navigating office politics. She described herself as someone who prefers straightforward, genuine interactions with both donors and colleagues.
Her approach offers a valuable reminder for all of us in the philanthropic sector: behind every campaign goal and donor strategy are real people whose lives can be fundamentally changed by access to opportunity. Brieanna’s father’s story—and her own career built on that foundation—proves that when we stay connected to those human stories, we remember exactly why this work matters.
Sometimes the most powerful case for support isn’t found in statistics or impact reports, but in the lived experiences of families like Brieanna’s, where one person’s choice to invest in education created ripple effects that continue to inspire meaningful work decades later.
I think education can be the key, but not everybody has the same access. And that’s what we got to fix.
Brieanna Quinn
Just click on the picture of Breanna below to hear our conversation.
L’chaim,
jack
