About Linda N. Spencer

As an experienced professional in the non-profit sector, Linda has done extensive business development and worked in such areas as non-profit strategy, corporate social responsibility, board development, capital campaigns, individual/major giving, institutional support, development audits and reviews, campaigns and internet fundraising. She has worked with such organizations as the New York City Center for Charter School Education, START Treatment and Recovery, Elevate New York, the Allan Houston Foundation, New Leaders for New Schools, Harlem Educational Activities Fund, and NYC2012: New York Olympic Bid.

Prior to being a consultant or subcontractor to international, national and local non-profits, Linda was the Senior Vice President for Development at Covenant House International, which is an agency that serves children in crisis and who are homeless. Linda was directly responsible for raising over $55 million annually for the corporate headquarters and was also charged with working with the 27 sites in the United States, Central America, Mexico and Canada in order to support them in raising an additional $50 million annually. This work involved board management and development, corporate social responsibility, strategic planning, the implementation of an individual/major giving program, institutional support, planned giving, capital campaign work, direct response, social media and web fundraising.

Before assuming her role at Covenant House International, Linda led Inner-City Scholarship Fund (ICSF) as the Executive Director in an overall reorganization with the support of a high-powered Board of Trustees.  Annually, ICSF raised over $12 million from the board and volunteers, major donors, events, institutional funders and direct mail.  Previously, she directed the planning and implementation of the annual $10 million Appeal in all parishes of the Archdiocese of New York.  Linda was instrumental in the establishment and success of the $100 million Inner-City Scholarship Endowment Fund, which is now called the Endowment Fund for Inner-City Schools.

Linda holds a Master of Arts Degree in Social and Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.  She also earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from St. John’s University.  She spent part of her younger years living abroad in Brazil and Argentina and is fluent in Spanish. A native New Yorker, Linda operates between Europe and the U.S.