It takes more than diligence, determination, and passionate dedication to pull off some of the country’s most successful charitable fundraisers. And this year, all of these incredible women donated their time to Chair events from New York to Dallas to San Francisco. In this week’s highlights, we’re sharing one piece of wisdom from each volunteer to take into the new year.

Chair: Jean Larette

V: What is the most difficult part of chairing an event?

JL: I believe the most challenging aspect of Chairing an event is having the discipline to balance the time management goals of ones life while running a successful business, providing a happy family life for my daughter, staying fit and Chairing the event simultaneously. It is a challenge we are faced with daily. Clearly, at the end of the day, each aspect of one’s life needs attention and nurturing.

Chair: Dede Wilsey

V: If someone is new to fundraising and they want to Chair an event in the future what steps should she take?

DW: First, see a psychiatrist. Seriously, take on the role with great confidence and do it for the greater good of the charitable cause. Leverage the resources you have available within that organization. If it’s a hospital you’re raising money for, like the campaign I am chairing right now for the UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay, bring attention to the doctors who are performing miracles. If it’s the ballet, showcase the dancers. Play to the strengths of the organization you’re working with. Stay focused, be on the top of your game and go out and get the job done. Finally, write lots of thank you notes.

Chair: D’Andra Simmons

V: What are the qualities that make an event Chair successful?

DS: Connections in the community, connections with the right people who ultimately write the checks. To be respected in your community, you have to know the right people or people who can connect you to the right people – you must know how to get to the decision-makers. You have to be a dynamic personality, charismatic, a good public speaker, and personable. The person must have a genuine concern for the charity. You have to do your research and know everything you can about the charity – you have to be on the ball. If you don’t know absolutely everything there is to know about the charity for which you’re fundraising, then you’ll only look unprofessional. I have seen too many women make this mistake. They can’t field questions about the charity and then they wonder why they can’t get the checks.

Chair: Usha Burns

V: What are the differences in fundraising on the West Coast versus the East Coast?

UB: For a while there I lived in San Francisco as well as New Canaan, CT, and was an active member of the Junior League of Greenwich, CT, both very different from the West Coast. They had so many captains of industry in that area, not to mention that New Canaan had the most CEOs per capita in the nation; that really helped. They also had a lot of celebrities living there, for example New Canaan had Harry Connick, Jr., Brian Williams, Paul Simon and the CEO of General Electric, and the founder of Jet Blue and many TV executives. So with these types of celebrities and powerful people as Honorary Chairs or performers, it was easier to get people to donate and assure a strong guest list. However, the West Coast has a really great creative energy about it. My friends in Connecticut would call me the crazy Californian because I could just sit down and throw out ideas about how to do things bigger and better; their jaws would drop.

Chair: Daru Kawalkowski

V: When it comes to event décor, how do you help design the vision?

DK: When I first did décor for the San Francisco Ballet Opening Night Gala, the most common question was “what is the theme?” I replied, the theme is BALLET! Firstly, I don’t want the Patrons to forget what event they attended. Secondly, there has to be an “Oh, Wow” factor. The first year it was the oversized Degas paintings of dancers on all sides of the tent. The second year at City Hall we had the student dancers lined up both sides of the staircase in the rotunda in 17th Century attire with white wigs greeting patrons as they ascended to dinner. .. Oh, Wow!

Chair: Peyton Cochran

V: You’ve tapped into a wide selection of committee members, everywhere from Connecticut to California. How did you assemble such a team and how are they involved in a Folk Museum in NYC?

PC: Many of the committee members have been friends forever! I have lived in NYC, CT and Charleston South Carolina so many of the members come from those areas. When I began thinking about who I would ask to participate in this group I decided to start listing people who had unique qualifications and talent to bring to the table. I didn’t let geography limit my choices-because with technology everyone can be connected within an instant. Many times people look locally to compile a committee because it’s easier and more comfortable. Ironically the more people heard about what we were doing at the Folk Art Museum for the YP committee the more people started approaching me to see how they could get involved. One of the members is actually in Paris! The Vice Chairs and I work closely together to make decisions that will impact the development and the growth of this group. Additionally all committee members help promote and market the mission behind our group and how it relates to the AFAM.

Chair: Tatiana Perkin

V: From a fundraising standpoint, who is your role model?

TP: My uncle, who passed away in 1997, was my role model. He was the Director of Leadership Giving for the Harvard College Fund for years and taught me the most important lesson about fundraising:”give what you can give knowing that every bit counts.”As a graduate of Harvard College and the niece of a Harvard College Fund Director, I always felt obligated to give as much as I could to my alma mater. My uncle made me understand that I shouldn’t feel pressured to give, more that I should feel good about giving, even if it was a smaller amount than I had hoped to contribute. I think a lot of times people shy away from giving, because they don’t believe $100 can help. The truth of that matter is that your $100 goes a lot farther than you can imagine so you should be very proud of your contribution.