Spotlighting Melanie Lachs

Melanie Lachs

I tracked down Melanie Lachs, Grants Manager at The Florida Aquarium at the August 17, 2010 AFP Suncoast chapter luncheon. Why was I stalking an innocent member of our chapter? Because she is a NEW member of course! Read on to learn more about Melanie.

Why did you join AFP Suncoast?

Melanie has been grants manager for years now. But she has attended a number of the AFP Suncoast chapter meetings and it has helped to expand her interests in fundraising. She thought it was time to join officially.

What was your favorite vacation ever?

She took a vacation to New York City with her sons, ages 15 and 18 years. Her family is from New York and she wanted to share some of their heritage with them. They stayed in the theatre district and one of her most memorable moments was when they visited the John Lennon Memorial.

What do you like best about your work?

Melanie loves her job! Through her grant writing she gets to learn about many different areas of the Aquarium such as the coral ecosystem, conservation and children’s programs.

These new members are all wet!

I missed the July chapter meeting, but you couldn’t keep me away from sunny Florida in August! And I learned how some new AFP Suncoast chapter members are keeping their cool. They are staying wet at The Florida Aquarium. They were so enthusiastic they brought colleagues and nearly dominated an entire table at the meeting!

Mark Haney

What is your reason for joining the chapter?
Mark G. Haney is Vice President of Advancement at the Florida Aquarium. He recently relocated to the Tampa Bay from Miami. Mark joined AFP when it was called NSFRE and he didn’t think twice about joining the Suncoast chapter after moving here.

Describe an ideal day in your life.
A good day for Mark is one spent with donors, but any day of the week he enjoys getting to know people.

What was your favorite vacation ever?
Without hesitation, Mark told me his favorite vacation was to the Ozarks in Missouri. He called it hill-billy country with such affection that I might have to check it out for the future.

Judy Anderson

What is your reason for joining the chapter?
Judy M. Anderson is Manager of Annual Giving at the Florida Aquarium. She joined AFP in February. She comes to The Florida Aquarium from the corporate world and is looking forward to getting connected through the Suncoast chapter.

Describe an ideal day in your life.
Judy is just excited to start getting to know the people, places and ideas that are in her new world of philanthropy.

What was your favorite vacation ever?
To say that she went on a “cruise” would be misleading. Judy spent seven days in the Caribbean on a boat whose only occupants were the crew, Judy, her husband and a few of their friends. Perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving!