Meet the CapDev Team

When you partner with CapDev, you get a designated senior counsel and the support of an entire team of professionals.

We Have the Expertise You Need for Success

Partnering with CapDev means you benefit from a full team of experienced professionals and a designated senior counsel. With our guidance, you’ll have the expertise—and comfort level—needed to ensure your project’s success.

We’re Known for Our People

At CapDev, we have a team of experts who know nonprofits and leadership across the Southeast. With our proven knowledge and experience, you can confidentially convey to your nonprofit’s staff, board, and donors that your project is in good hands.

Meet Our Staff & Management Team

Contact Allan:

(336) 747-0133, ext. 201

Allan Burrows

CEO

Allan joined the CapDev team in 1994. Named president in 2006 and CEO in 2022, his expertise is in organizational strategy, leadership engagement, major campaigns, and staffing.

A devout UNC Tarheel alumnus, Allan has served the nonprofit sector since 1986, beginning with the Baptist Children’s Homes of NC and the NC Child Advocacy Institute. Allan volunteers in many capacities and has served on numerous nonprofit boards, and is a noted featured speaker and author on philanthropy and giving trends. Allan was awarded the Triad AFP Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.

A native of Warrenton, NC, Allan and his wife Laura live in Winston-Salem and have two grown children. When time allows, Allan enjoys golfing, travel and any reason to be at the beach.

Contact Ann:

(336) 747-0133, ext. 202

Ann Bennett-Phillips

President

Ann joined the CapDev team in 2006 after 20 years in banking. Ann and Allan are owners of the company and in 2022, she was named president. Ann manages all client services and CapDev’s senior counsel team, ensuring that every client’s needs are met.

Ann is a graduate of North Carolina State University and the North Carolina School of Banking. She has volunteered with many nonprofit organizations and served on several boards, including the NC Center for Public Television, the Forsyth Tech Foundation, chair of the Forsyth Tech Board of Trustees, and chair of Central YMCA of Winston-Salem.

A native of Winston-Salem, she has two sons. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, playing all racket sports, horseback riding, snow skiing, hiking, and traveling.

Clare Jordan

Vice President

Meet Clare
Contact Clare:

(336) 793-6001

Clare Jordan

Vice President

Clare joined the CapDev team in 2006 and was named vice president in 2022. She previously held positions in both development and marketing for nonprofits. She manages the firm’s business development, study of philanthropic trends, conference engagements, and partners in strategic roles with CapDev clients.

A graduate of North Carolina State University, Clare is an avid volunteer, starting the NCSU Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity in college; chairing the Advisory Council for NCSU’s Institute for Nonprofits; chair of NCSU’s Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship Board; and chair of UNC School of the Arts Board of Visitors, among other board service. She was awarded Distinguished Alumna of the Year in 2021 for NCSU’s College of Humanities & Social Sciences, and named to the Triad’s “40 Under 40” in 2009.

A Winston-Salem native, Clare and her husband, Fred, have four adult children. She enjoys reading, traveling, and family time on the New River.

Conner Phillips

Chief Operating Officer

Meet Conner
Contact Conner:

(336) 406-2322

Conner Phillips

Chief Operating Officer

Conner joined the CapDev team in 2024 as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to his tenure at CapDev, he worked as a Product Manager at Hanes Companies where he developed a user-centric approach to strategic planning and execution.

Conner is a graduate of North Carolina State University. He volunteers at a variety of nonprofit organizations and currently serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County.

A native of Winston-Salem, Conner, and his fiancée Caroline, moved back home after school where they enjoy traveling, skiing, fly fishing, hiking and spending time with their two dogs.

Maggi Jackson

Director of Client Services

Meet Maggi
Contact Maggi:

336-747-0133 x 204

Maggi Jackson

Director of Client Services

Maggi joined the CapDev team in 2014. Having worked at the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History and the American Association of Museums, Maggi also served as assistant to the director of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for seven years, and was introduced to CapDev through former Senior Counsel, Dr. Betsy Bennett.

She has also shared her skills as a volunteer in the school system and as a reading tutor. Maggi and her husband, Chris, a law professor and associate dean at Wake Forest University, have two children. They live in Winston-Salem and love cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Amy Cavas Bridges

Manager of Search Services

Meet Amy
Contact Amy:

336-747-0133 x 208

Amy Cavas Bridges

Manager of Search Services

Amy joined CapDev in 2023 as the Search Manager, responsible for managing all aspects of executive and candidate search. She previously worked with Blue Rock Wealth Management in operations and with Mensh Insurance as director of client relations and marketing.

A native of Towson, MD, she graduated from Elon University as has called Winston-Salem her home for the last 30 years. She has volunteer experience with the schools, W-S Lacrosse and her church, and enjoys time with her four kids, great food, reading and any beach.

Brandy Vandergriff

Client Services Associate

Meet Brandy
Contact Brandy:

336-747-0133 x 205

Brandy Vandergriff

Client Services Associate

Brandy joined CapDev as the Client Services Associate in 2023. Returning to development work after starting her career as the Associate Director of the Annual Fund at Washington and Lee University, Brandy is a proud alumna of UNC-Chapel Hill and has volunteered extensively and served on boards with local nonprofit organizations for many years. Working with CapDev enables her to further foster her love of the nonprofit sector.

Brandy and her husband, Daniel, a renewable energy attorney and Wake Forest law graduate, are both North Carolina natives and have called Winston-Salem home for over 15 years. They have two amazing adult children plus one lazy golden retriever. Both love their community and spend time traveling, reading, exercising, and hosting parties together.

Contact Stephanie:

336-867-9689

Stephanie Flores de Valgaz

Marketing Manager

Stephanie joined the CapDev team in 2023 after 13 years in education. She is a seasoned community leader and has served on several nonprofit boards including the Novant Health Foundation and Bookmarks. Stephanie collaborates with the marketing team to develop and execute CapDev’s communications and business development plans.

After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, Stephanie spent time living in Santiago Chile and traveling throughout South America. Having grown up in Winston-Salem, she returned to her roots with a commitment to community engagement. In addition to teaching, Stephanie has expanded her professional skill set to include DEI facilitation, strategic planning, and organizational leadership training.

Known as a connector, you can often find Stephanie participating in Winston-Salem’s vibrant arts and culture scene and supporting the city’s nonprofit ecosystem. She also enjoys walking with her dog Matilda, dining with friends and family, and traveling.

Meet Our Senior Counsel Team

Ann Thomas

Senior Counsel

Meet Ann
Contact Ann:

336-747-0133

Ann Thomas

Senior Counsel

Ann joined the CapDev team in 1995. Her first job was teaching school in Kenya, and she now considers her job as “teaching philanthropy.” Her background in development stems from work at The Nature Conservancy and at Duke University.

Originally from Greensboro, NC, Ann attended college in Los Angeles. She then earned a Master’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill. Ann considers her strength to be guiding and directing campaign leadership and devising appropriate solicitation strategies for major gift prospects, with a goal of ensuring the client’s success.

Ann makes her home in Pittsboro, NC with her husband, Sledd. They have two adult daughters. When not working she enjoys traveling with family and friends, and has even climbed the second highest mountain in Africa, Mt. Kenya.

Jen Tozier

Senior Counsel, Search

Meet Jen
Contact Jen:

336-409-5843

Jen Tozier

Senior Counsel, Search

Jen joined the CapDev team in 2012. With over 20 years of professional and volunteer experience in the nonprofit sector, Jen got her start as the Director of Alumni at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, NH. She was the Director of Development at Calvary Day School prior to joining CapDev.

Having served 10 years in the role of Director of Search Services, Jen is transitioning into the Senior Counsel role for Search in 2023.

Though she is a North Carolina native, after graduating from Gordon College in Massachusetts, Jen lived in New England for 18 years. She has volunteered extensively and served on several boards, such as Young Life and Triad Youth Lacrosse Association. Mother to four boys, she and her husband Rick are now empty nesting in the mountains of North Carolina where she enjoys hiking, mountain biking, traveling and reading.

Contact Jennifer:

910-624-2013

Jennifer Hanes Sullivan

Senior Counsel

Jennifer joined the CapDev team in 2022. She previously served seven years as Director of Advancement for Cape Fear Academy. A Greensboro, North Carolina native and graduate of North Carolina State University, Jennifer was elected class president, a position that placed her on the Board of Directors for the NCSU Alumni Association. She then started her career in Admissions at NC State University and took her first fundraising role with the Georgia Tech Alumni Association. She was then recruited back to her alma mater to serve as the Director of Alumni Clubs with the NC State Alumni Association.

She holds a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from UNC Wilmington, where she finished first in her class. She also worked with the Alumni Association and chancellor on fundraising for special projects while at UNCW. Following graduate school, she moved to Fayetteville, NC and became the director of the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. She has also raised funds for the Duke Cancer Center.

Jennifer lives in a historic home in Wilmington, NC. In her spare time, she loves to travel (including a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro), spend time with friends, garden, exercise, and read.

Kevin Jacques

Senior Counsel

Meet Kevin
Contact Kevin:

336-747-0133

Kevin Jacques

Senior Counsel

Kevin joined the CapDev team in 1998. With over 40 years of nonprofit and institutional advancement experience, Kevin has guided many successful development programs, capital campaigns, and staff searches.

He is a graduate of Western Washington University. Prior to CapDev, Kevin served as Vice Chancellor of Advancement at UNC Wilmington; Executive Director University Development at Northern Arizona University; Director of Development College of Sciences and Arts at Washington State University; and Director of Annual Giving at the University of Puget Sound.

Known for his patient guidance and expertise in the nonprofit sector, Kevin is loved by his CapDev clients who rely on him as their “teacher” in the course of philanthropy. Kevin and his wife live in Wilmington, NC where he especially loves spending time with his grandchild.

Contact Kristye:

(919) 480-7710

Kristye Brackett

Senior Counsel

Kristye Brackett joined the CapDev team in 2019, after serving as the vice president for philanthropy at Transitions, Life Care, a longtime CapDev client.

A Raleigh native and Meredith College alumna, Kristye started her career with First Union Capital Management, and took her first fundraising role with UNC Chapel Hill’s Kenan Flagler Business School. Following a move to New York City, where she was the associate director of gift planning at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Kristye and her family relocated back to the Triangle in 2008 where she was the Executive Director of External Relations at Duke Heart Center. She then served as the Director of Leadership Giving for her alma mater.

She and her husband have one son and live in Raleigh, NC. Kristye enjoys time with family, her dog and friends,  eating at unique restaurants, fly fishing, hiking, kayaking, traveling near and far, and reading books of all subjects.

Lilly Skok Bunch

Senior Counsel

Meet Lilly
Contact Lilly:

336-747-0133

Lilly Skok Bunch

Senior Counsel

Lilly joined the CapDev team in 2016. She has made a career serving in the philanthropic sector as both a practitioner and a consultant.

As the CEO of her own consulting firm for eight years, Lilly worked with a diverse set of clients. Before joining CapDev, she served as the interim president of the Culpeper Wellness Foundation in Culpeper, Virginia, and she led Helping Hands Clinic in Lenoir, NC. Lilly also served as the Vice President of External Relations and Development of Peace College in Raleigh, NC, and Alumnae Director of her alma mater, Hollins University, in Roanoke, Virginia.

Lilly’s was a former Rotary Club president and served on the board of the Catawba Valley Community Foundation. She and her husband, Al, have one son, and live in Winston-Salem. She enjoys walking with friends and traveling.

Meet Our Specialists

Contact Paula:

336-747-0133

Paula Hall

Writer

Paula joined CapDev in 2019 to craft cases for support. Since graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her professional career has led to nonprofit experience in public health, senior care, and education, including 20 years of service to the Moravian Church.

She lives on a family farm in King, NC with her husband and seven children, along with a menagerie of animals. She writes about their homesteading escapades in a blog, and enjoys giving back to the community.

Paula believes that we all have words within us that can positively impact the world we live in, and she feels fortunate to help in that discovery.

Amy Heath

Bookkeeper/Controller

Meet Amy
Contact Amy:

336-747-0133

Amy Heath

Bookkeeper/Controller

Contact Eddie:

336-747-0133

Eddie Huffman

Writer

Mac Bennett

Strategic Counsel

Meet Mac
Contact Mac:

336-747-0133

Mac Bennett

Strategic Counsel

Mac joined the CapDev team as a Senior Counsel after serving in roles as chief executive officer at both the Central Carolina Community Foundation and the United Way of the Midlands in Columbia, SC.

An alumnus of the University of South Carolina, Mac began his career as an assistant in the Office of the President at his alma mater and served 11 years at the university in various roles, including Chief of Staff for the President.

Now semi-retired, Mac and his wife live in Beaufort, SC where he enjoys time with family, fishing, boating, and golfing, as well as occasional strategic consulting work with CapDev.

Working with CapDev is like being supported constantly by a family of partners, mentors, and advisors.

Johnny Burleson, NC Museum of Art

Capital Development Services has been a true asset to our capital campaign. We appreciate their team approach to client service. They have been most responsive to our requests and a valued partner.

Ragan Folan, former CEO, Old Salem Museum & Gardens

CapDev is an incredible partner and friend to Operation Home and most of all, the families we serve! Their team is the definition of professional and goes above and beyond at every turn. Finding a partner that combines top notch expertise with passion for your mission creates a very special relationship and Operation Home considers them a part of our family.

Miriam Langley, Executive Director, Operation Home, Charleston SC

It has been a really wonderful gift to work with Capital Development on the campaign. We accomplished great things in our fundraising effort - perhaps far more than we should have expected given where we started. None of it would have been possible without the extra-mile support of the extended family that is CapDev.

Anita Brown-Graham, former Director, NC State University Institute for Emerging Issues