May 22, 2025
Great donor stewardship goes beyond thank-you notes — it creates a sense of meaning for the donor. In this kickoff episode of our new series on stewardship, Sami Zoss sits down with Dzenan Berberovic, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Avera Health, to explore how thoughtful stewardship can deepen relationships, celebrate generosity, and offer donors what they truly seek: a lasting sense of purpose and impact. Learn why stewardship isn’t just a follow-up tactic — it’s central to transformative fundraising.
Want to suggest a topic, guest, or nonprofit organization for an upcoming episode? Send an email with the subject "NPFX suggestion" to contact@ipmadvancement.com.
Additional Resources
[NPFX] Meaningful Donor
Relationships: The Key to Financial Stability
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/meaningful-donor-relationships-the-key-to-financial-stability
[NPFX] The Challenges Facing Higher
Ed Fundraisers
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/the-challenges-facing-higher-ed-fundraisers
[NPFX] Measuring More than Money:
Why Donor Relationships Matter
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/measuring-more-than-money-why-donor-relationships-matter
Sami Zoss is the founder
of Zoss Collaborations, a business solutions consulting
firm specializing in nonprofit growth and operational efficiency.
With an MBA in Finance and Marketing, Sami brings a wealth of
expertise in donor engagement, technology integration, and
strategic planning to her clients. Before founding Zoss
Collaborations, Sami served as the COO and later as Acting CEO of
the Dakota State University Foundation, where she led
record-breaking fundraising campaigns and implemented innovative
donor engagement strategies that significantly expanded DSU’s donor
base. In addition to her work with educational institutions, she
has been a dedicated volunteer with organizations like Camp Gilbert
Inc., supporting children with Type 1 diabetes.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/samizoss/
https://samizoss.com/
Dzenan Berberovic was
born
in Bosnia, one of the poorest countries in the world. He spent six
years as a refugee in Germany before immigrating to the United
States when he was nine. Inspired by the generosity of
strangers, Dzenan discovered his life’s calling: philanthropy.
Today, he serves Avera Health as Chief Philanthropy Officer. As
the steward of Avera’s 20,000+ annual benefactors, Dzenan has
served and led teams to raise more than $600 million. Dzenan was
named the Outstanding Young Professional by the Association of
Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global. Before transitioning to
healthcare, he received the Rising Star Award from the Council for
Advancement in Support of Education (CASE). The Association for
Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) honored him as a 40 Under 40
recipient. Dzenan received a graduate degree from Saint Mary’s
University of Minnesota in Philanthropy and Development.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dzenanb/
https://www.avera.org/
Russ Phaneuf, a
co-founder of IPM Advancement, has a background in higher education
development, with positions at the University of Hartford, Northern
Arizona University, and Thunderbird School of Global Management. As
IPM's managing director & chief strategist, Russ serves as lead
fundraising strategist, award-winning content creator, and program
analyst specializing in applied system dynamics.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/russphaneuf/
Rich Frazier has
worked in the nonprofit sector for over 30 years. In his role as
senior consultant with IPM Advancement, Rich offers extensive
understanding and knowledge in major gifts program management, fund
development, strategic planning, and board of directors
development.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richfrazier/