Meet the Finance Team
Next up in our five-part series on the 2018 Executive Board is the Finance Team! From the first day of fundraising to total reveal, the members of this team work day and night to ensure all of our finances are in order!
Eric Massey, Finance Director
Explain your position in layman's terms.
My position oversees the Finance Team and manages the overall totals for the organization. My team and I are in charge of planning fundraising initiatives to help dancers and fundraisers meet their goals.
What is your favorite Dance Marathon related memory?
My favorite Dance Marathon memory happened in my freshman year. I was a dancer that year and during the closing ceremonies a father of one of the miracle children came up to me and thanked me for participating. The emotion in his eyes and words hit home with me. That’s what drives my 'why' to this day. I have never forgotten what Dance Marathon meant to that family.
What do you and your team do during the Marathon?
During the Marathon my team works in many different areas of the civic center. My team helps enhance the fundraising experience for our dancers and the marathon experience for our partners. Additionally, we keep track all of the money raised throughout the marathon weekend.
What words of advice would you offer to a first-year dancer who is nervous about fundraising?
My best advice for anyone who is nervous about fundraising is to just have fun with it. I often refer to fundraising as FUNdraising and try to embrace all the fun aspects of raising money for our beneficiaries. The more you have fun with raising money, the less it seems like a daunting task.
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Alex Genna, High School Programs Chair
Explain your position in layman's terms.
My team and I work with the local and surrounding schools to put on a "mini" version of DM at FSU. They do everything that we do, including fundraising campaigns, holding executive positions, and standing FTK during their marathon.
What is your favorite Dance Marathon related memory?
My favorite DM memory is from last year's high school season. The two high schools that I had the privilege to work with were Florida High and Pope John Paul II High School. Working with these students throughout the year and then seeing all their work come to fruition was incredible.
What is your favorite part of interacting with the high school students?
I started a Mini Dance Marathon at my high school my junior year, so when I came to Florida State I knew it was something that I wanted to be involved in. I love working with our high school programs because it feels like I have come full circle in my Dance Marathon experience. My favorite part is seeing how much they grow as leaders, teammates and miracle-makers as the year goes on. If I can be the inspiration for one high schooler to continue their journey with Dance Marathon, my job will be worth it!
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Henry Sweat, Finance Chair
Explain your position in layman's terms.
The Finance Chair is responsible for tracking and analyzing our fundraising data at FSU, and trying to use this information to raise even more money through strategic planning.
What is your favorite Dance Marathon related memory?
My favorite DM memory was working together with the Finance Team during last year's Marathon. I remember running around and counting money with the best coordinators ever, while also having time to sneak out periodically and enjoy the marathon.
What you are excited to change up about the Finance team this year?
The Finance team this year is working on making our jobs much more about data management and analysis rather than being just about tracking and counting money. We want to be able to recognize fundraising trends while they are happening so we can further capitalize on these opportunities!
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Kalyn Holder, Partnership Chair
Explain your position in layman's terms.
As the Partnership Chair, I use my business and communication skills to build relationships with our local and corporate partners. It’s my job to create value for companies in order to further both their business goals and our cause.
What is your favorite Dance Marathon related memory?
My favorite DM memory is last year’s total reveal! I think that moment is so special because everyone in the room feels the impact that we, a bunch of college students, have on so many lives. In that moment, every $5 donation, every DM email, every meeting, every small act of kindness that is encouraged through the DM mentality adds up and you realize that all of those seemingly small things can and do change the world.
If you could choose any partner as title partner at the marathon, who would it be and why?
If I could choose any partner as a title partner at the marathon, I would choose Lululemon. Lululemon doesn’t have a traditional company vision statement; instead, they have a “Lululemon Manifesto” that is a collection of thoughts intended to empower and better the lives of people around the world. Their mission is essentially to motivate people to Do More and that’s something that we as a DM family can relate to.
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Megan Simmons, Fundraising Chair
Explain your position in layman's terms.
In this position I create fundraising initiatives for our Dance Marathon community throughout the year. I work with the internal team, external teams and everyone in between to ensure they reach their fundraising goals for Dance Marathon 2018.
What is your favorite Dance Marathon related memory?
My favorite Dance Marathon memory has to be the combination of the final line dance along with the total reveal. Whenever something good happens in my life, I dance, so knowing that I was about to see all of our efforts from the past year revealed onstage made me dance my heart out. This past year, there was a part of the dance where we raised our arms up while the music played “Are you ready for your miracle?” and in that moment I got chills. Then, when the total reveal went up, I lost it. There’s nothing like that feeling.
What's the craziest thing you have done for a DM donation?
I do a lot of odd jobs for donations (sewing, crafting, FTKabbing), but the craziest thing I’ve done for a donation was The Fun Buns Challenge. My Facebook status looked something like: “For those who don't know, I highly enjoy wearing my hair like this in the comforts of my home, but I will commit to sharing this fun bun style with the rest of the world for an entire week IF I raise $100 by next Sunday. This means I would style my hair in two buns for everyday activities for a week if I reach this goal.” I gladly wore those fun buns for a week knowing it was for a great cause.
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Safe to say, these miracle-makers are invested in our cause. Interested in joining them? Captain applications open up September 5th. Any questions can be directed to dmfsu.financedirector@gmail.com. Be on the lookout for the fifth and final entry in this series which will cover the Marathon Events team!
BONUS: What is the phrase on the front of this year's Miracle Week Tank?
The first person to send the correct answer to dmfsu.pr@gmail.com will receive a $5 donation!
