Tom Ahern, ABC

Tom Ahern is considered one of North America’s leading authorities on donor communications.

Each year, he delivers dozens of workshops on the techniques of (and psychology behind) effective fundraising communications. He is the author of four well-received books, on donor newsletters (2005); How to Write Fundraising Materials That Make More Money (2007); Keep Your Donors, a book about donor retention methods co-authored with Simone Joyaux (2007); and Seeing Through a Donor's Eyes (2009).

In 2009 and again in 2010, CASE, the fundraising association for higher education, named him a "Faculty Star," acknowledging the unusually high ratings his workshops receive.

Tom works with dozens of clients nationwide every year. They include brand names like Save the Children, as well as hospitals, universities, foundations, and local charities. He specializes in bequest marketing; donor communications evaluations; direct mail; newsletter interventions (a Minnesota children's hospital increased donor income from $5,000 per issue to $50,000 per issue after training with Ahern); and case statements for big-ticket campaigns.

Tom is also an award-winning magazine journalist, for articles on health, women's rights and other social justice issues. He has his MA and BA in English from Brown University, and a Certificate in Advertising Art from the RI School of Design. He holds accreditation (the ABC) from the International Association of Business Communicators. His office is in Rhode Island. He writes his books at his second home in France.