Since I started my company, there has been one person I have wanted to interview the most: Dianne Chipps Bailey. She is the Managing Director and National Philanthropic Strategy Executive for Philanthropic Solutions at Bank of America Private Bank. Her accolades are even more impressive than her title, and you wouldn’t even know it from talking to her. I heard Dianne speak years ago, and between her energy, optimism, and smarts, I was impressed—and slightly intimidated. And somehow, the interview surpassed expectations! There will have to be a Part II; we didn’t even make it through half of my questions.
As a powerhouse of intellect and charm, Diannie uses her superpowers to make a difference. After attending the University of California, Berkeley, she decided law school was the next logical step after studying literature and philosophy. “I was about to graduate from law school at Georgetown, and much to the consternation of my parents, I did not want to be a lawyer. I thought I was ready to teach law,” she said with a laugh. “When I told my professor that, she informed me, ‘That’s not how it works.’”
Dianne effusively expressed her love for strong women, and fittingly, it was a strong woman—the Dean of Georgetown Law School—who guided the start of her career. The Dean suggested she begin her career by raising dollars for the law school.
Jumping into the nonprofit world with both hands and the ambitious goal of doubling the annual campaign in 18 months, she was hooked. Her enthusiasm for Georgetown was profound, and I found myself hanging on every word as she spoke about her next adventure.
“When my husband and I moved to New York for his job, I realized I was successful at Georgetown because of my passion. I couldn’t fundraise for something I wasn’t passionate about,” she admitted. With a wry smile, she added, “I started to practice law. I never thought it would happen, but I spent over 18 years helping nonprofits and foundations. My previous experience in nonprofits and law school gave me a unique perspective, and I loved being able to help with technical issues, tax, compliance—you name it.”
Throughout those years, Dianne served on numerous boards, gaining even more insight into the nonprofit sector.
When her family moved to Charlotte, home to Bank of America’s headquarters, her journey took another exciting turn. After meeting a few contacts at the bank, she was sent a job description. Excitedly, Dianne explained, “I forwarded it to my husband, and he responded, ‘Did they craft this job especially for you?’”
In her role at Bank of America, Dianne gushes about the impact she gets to make. “It’s incredible! We can help clients with giving strategies, succession planning, board work, and grantmaking. Because we have so many assets under management, we are also extremely data rich. The depth and breadth of services and data points we can provide at no extra cost are an incredible benefit to our clients.”
When I asked about declines in giving, her signature optimism sparkled through. “I am bullish on millennials! They are poised to be the most influential generation ever. They’re going to dust the Rockefellers, the Gettys, and others. They care deeply and want to make a difference. Plus, they’ll benefit from the great wealth transfer. And thanks to Bank of America, we have the data to back that up.”
Our final question centered on trends in philanthropy. Dianne highlighted how giving is evolving. “Most donors limit their giving to cash and credit cards. But to unlock additional - and much needed funding - for nonprofits we encourage giving appreciated stock, using tools like retirement assets and donor advised funds. On the charity side, there is a lot of competition. Organizations need to go deeper with donors, learn their core values and how they want to participate.”
For so many reasons, I wish this had been a podcast. Dianne’s nonverbal gestures, the warmth in her voice, and her genuine graciousness would have added so much. Case in point: I completely missed our initial meeting, and instead of berating me or being annoyed, she interrupted my apology with, “Stop it. I had plenty of other work to do—don’t mention it.”
I can’t wait for Part II!
Comments