Meet Taylor Ryan, a member of our fundraising team. She is dedicated to her role and seeks out opportunities to bring creativity and innovation to her work and to her team. Her energy and excitement make her a vital member of the Nebraska-Iowa staff.
Q: Could you explain what your title means and take us through your workday, or what projects you work on?
A: My title is Development Coordinator; and this means I am the main support for the fundraising team. I run all reporting and help keep track of where we are in regards to our fiscal year goals. Every day, I start with checking our monthly gift reports. Depending on what is needed for the fundraisers, I create donor and contact accounts in Salesforce. I make sure everything is updated and linked properly. I also deposit all donations that come to the Heartland office and communicate with any donors that may need receipts, questions answered and more.
Q: How long have you been with the Red Cross? Is this your first position with the Red Cross? If not, what was it?
A: I have been with the Red Cross for almost two years (in January), and this is my first and only position (so far) with the Red Cross.
Q: What do you like about your work?
A: I really love being able to interact with donors. They are very thankful to receive calls and interaction from the Red Cross. I also enjoy looking at the numbers and reporting. Seeing where donors prefer to give is so interesting to me. I think one of my favorite things about my position though, is my team. They are so supportive and encouraging of the different ideas I have, especially this past year when I helped to create a regional Pride committee in collaboration with Biomed.
Q: What do you like to listen to during the workday?
A: I go between different playlists of indie or rap music. Recently I like listening to Reddit stories being read.
Q: In what part of the region are you located, and what do you enjoy about your community?
A: I am located in Omaha, Nebraska. I really love the Omaha community and how each part of the city is completely different. There’s always something to do, although I love the farmers market in the summer the most.
Q: How do you spend your time when you aren’t working?
A: When I’m not working I spend my time hanging out with my cats, taking them for walks around town or our neighborhood and starting endless crochet projects that I will never finish. Recently I have started three crochet hats, a blanket, two sweaters and a pair of overalls as my new crochet projects. And I enjoy planning future trips.
Q: What has most surprised you while working for the Red Cross?
A: I have been most surprised by how much the Red Cross really does. Growing up, I never really had a connection to the Red Cross and only knew about blood donation. Being scared of needles, I never thought that I would be involved with the Red Cross; but learning about all the different lines of service really inspired me and continues to motivate me.