Azul Announces Hire Senior Leadership Development Staff
Online: Español
For Immediate Release
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Media Contacts
Betsy López-Wagner, López-Wagner Strategies, betsy@equitablecomms.com
Maeve Stewart, López-Wagner Strategies, maeve@equitablecomms.com
Azul Announces Hire Senior Leadership Development Staff
Azul, a grassroots Latinx environmental justice organization working to protect the ocean and coasts, has hired its first Director of Development
WASHINGTON, DC – Azul announces the hiring of its most senior development professional – Susan Fiske Koehler – as the grassroots environmental justice organization builds out its fundraising team in 2023.
The hiring of Koehler as the organization’s first Director of Development, a new role at Azul, positions Azul to further increase its impact at a time of increasing demand. Koehler has worked alongside environmental and human service nonprofits, and political candidates to raise millions of dollars and increase annual giving and her career has included working as a political consultant in California and Washington D.C.
“Hiring Susan to grow our grant development and fundraising is in direct alignment with our strategic direction to maintain our commitment to the communities we work alongside and support in the fight for ocean justice,” said Marce Gutierrez-Graudiņš, Founder and Executive Director of Azul. “Susan’s expansive background and expertise is a welcome addition to our team and her hiring reinforces Azul’s commitment to advancing a gente-powered movement for the ocean and coasts.”
Koehler, formerly an Azul’s development consultant in 2022, works to secure philanthropic funding for projects, programming and general operational support, working predominantly with major donors and program officers. She is responsible for setting and supporting the organization’s development strategies alongside Gutiérrez-Graudiņš at a time when the organization aims to reach a $3.4 million budget by 2025.
“I am committed to bringing my deep nonprofit and for-profit experience to support Azul in realizing its missions and achieving real change in people’s lives – and, I’m a realist who knows it takes more than good intentions to make this happen,” said Koehler.
Founded in 2011 to bring Latinx perspectives and participation to ocean conservation, Azul celebrates its 12th anniversary this year, advancing environmental justice and equity-focused policies and advocacy initiatives in the state of California, across the nation, and at international levels. Azul continues to be the only ocean conservation organization in the nation to focus specifically in working with Latinx communities to protect the ocean and coasts.
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