A passionate professional whose advancement career spans over three decades, Grace Cichomska brings a breadth of successful fundraising and management experience to organizations across the nonprofit sector. She has established new development programs as well as accelerated existing ones to greater success and has served in leadership roles in planning and executing capital campaigns ranging from $1M to $600M.
Prior to joining the firm, Grace served as Vice President for University Advancement at Dominican University for a decade, building and completing the university’s largest campaign in its history, exceeding its $65 M goal by $10M. Before that she was Vice President at Children’s Memorial Foundation charged with a $600 M campaign to build a new hospital now named the Ann & Robert H. and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She was also Director of Leadership Gifts at DePaul University where she staffed university leadership and trustees in their advancement efforts and built integrated development/alumni relations/communications programs in partnership with deans of several schools within the university. Grace launched her higher education advancement career as Director of Annual Giving at St. Xavier University.
Beyond the higher education and health care arenas, Grace established successful development programs and initiatives at Lourdes High School, Avery Coonley School, William Ferris Chorale, and the Crisis Center for South Suburbia. Grace began her professional career as a secondary and college educator.
Throughout her career, Grace has built relationships and solicited gifts to advance the missions of the organizations she has served. As a strategic thinker and strong communicator, she enjoys building high-performing teams, being a valued partner to colleagues, and mentoring young professionals. She has presented at conferences, conducted major gift workshops and fundraising seminars, and facilitated staff development initiatives in a variety of settings including the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), The Woodmark Forum, and the Associated Colleges of Illinois.
Grace earned her undergraduate degree in theology from Mundelein College (now Loyola University) and her master’s degree in religious studies from Indiana University. She and her husband, Gene Herskovic, are longtime residents of La Grange Park, Illinois and have two children.
