Chris Amherst
The University of Chicago Advancement
Director of Data Management

Which aasp events have you attended? Please share anything memorable or meaningful.
My first aasp Summit that I attended was five years ago.  After that, I started presenting at Summit. Summit 2022 was the most memorable. My co-presenter and I really leaned into using cat pics to talk about data governance. Of course, this meant that my cats Sophie and Rajah got to be aasp-famous as a result.

Which volunteer roles have you held with aasp?
Previously, I served on Advancement Technology Best Practices for five years as a Volunteer and later as a chair. I was able to co-author a best practice on “Master Data Management.” Currently, I serve as the Co-Chair of the Knowledge Base, leading 45+ amazing volunteers across five subcommittees.

What motivates you to volunteer with aasp?
Connecting back to the events I’ve attended, it’s being part of a community, and giving back to the community. (My love language is “acts of service." So if aasp had a cookie exchange, I’d be showing up with five boxes of cookies.)

What do you hope to achieve in your current aasp position?
To paraphrase from the Foundational Academies charge: Empowering tomorrow’s leaders in advancement services with the tools and knowledge needed to master, innovate, and lead within their advancement organizations. 

How have you benefited professionally and/or personally by volunteering with aasp?
For me, fundraising is all about building relationships and cultivating community. Volunteering has been an enriching experience because of the connections to people within our field.  

Other than your volunteerism with aasp and your career, what are your interests/passions?
An interesting fact about me and my family: we’ve visited all of the Disney parks around the world.