OUR TEAM

At the core of any telefundraising firm is the calling team. Our team is comprised of well over 100 veteran callers in three locations who are well-versed in fund-raising principles and calling fundamentals. They understand that you cannot raise funds for an organization unless you strive to make “friends” first. They are extensively trained in fund-raising fundamentals, calling skills, and most importantly, listening skills.

Many of our clients have previously tried using student callers or volunteers, and come to us because our program works!

It is important to note that Advantage hires more mature callers for its programs. The average age of our callers is 47. We believe that life experience and educational background are pivotal requirements for anyone representing our clients.  We are proud to report a retention rate of well over 70%. This rate is significantly higher than the industry average. Callers are required to go through two weeks of extensive caller education and training on a client’s program, and Advantage requests that a representative from the organization be available for caller training at our offices on the first night of calling.  Additionally, we will take our callers to a client’s campus, office or facility for a tour and additional training with your staff.

Anthony R. Alonso, President

Anthony Alonso, President of Advantage Consulting, has over 20 years of experience in the design, implementation, and management of over 400 diverse fund-raising programs, including the United States Naval Academy Foundation, the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, the Betty Ford Center, the Advocate Charitable Health Foundation, The Field Museum, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, the Association of Fundraising Professional (AFP), numerous diocesan and religious organizations across the country, and the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation. Mr. Alonso has spent the last twenty years as a consultant, working for clients in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Mr. Alonso has hosted roundtables and discussions on topics ranging from Making the Most of Your Annual Fund Program to webinars on How to Incorporate Your Phone Program into Your Organization’s Major Gift Efforts. 

It is Mr. Alonso’s expertise that has led his clients to successfully raising over $200 million within the last five years from the lower end of the donor pyramid. Mr. Alonso has served on numerous boards including the board of his Catholic Prep School, assisting them in their fund-raising efforts, and he is an active member of AFP, CASE and AHP. Mr. Alonso also sits on the international board of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy. He sits on AFP’s Industry Partner’s Council which provides counsel to AFP from the perspective of the business community. Additionally, Mr. Alonso sits on the AFP New Jersey Chapter Board. Mr. Alonso is also a board member of Giving Institute: Leading Consultants to Non-Profits. Advantage is a member firm of Giving Institute and abides by the Giving Institute code of ethics for consultants. Advantage’s management staff are members of AFP, and Advantage provides AFP with calling services for their Every Member Campaign on a pro-bono basis.

Robert Alonso, Executive Vice President

Robert Alonso, Executive Vice President of Advantage Fundraising Consulting, and President of Alonso Consulting, has been in the computer consulting business since 1979. Understanding that any organization's fundraising program is only as good as its database management system, Robert lends his expertise to take our client programs to the next level. His experience with the issues surrounding database management and letter generation are unsurpassed. Over the last ten years, Robert Alonso has worked with major telemarketing organizations to develop and implement back-office systems for the production of fundraising letters, reporting of fundraising results, automation of calling centers, and fulfillment of pledges. He has also developed software, which is currently in use by a major vendor of directories for the legal community and educational market.

Maria Baamonde, Vice President for Client Services

Ms. Baamonde joined Advantage in 1996 and has managed annual giving and capital campaign wrap-up programs for a myriad of clients including Rutgers University Foundation, the United States Naval Academy Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Foundation, The Field Museum, the Caron Foundation, the Diocese of Camden, the Diocese of Jacksonville Florida, and Fairleigh Dickinson University.  Ms. Baamonde also served as Director of Information Services for Advantage in her early years. Her experience in this area is critical for clients concerned with data issues surrounding their programs. Prior to joining Advantage, Ms. Baamonde worked with the Liberty Science Center and the New Jersey Nets organization in their fulfillment and database management areas.

Gwen Bowen, Assistant Vice President, Calling Operations

Gwen Bowen joined the Advantage team in 2001 and has previously served in the positions of Program Director and Director of West Coast Calling Operations for Advantage. Ms. Bowen is responsible for managing calling operations at all of Advantage’s calling centers. Ms. Bowen also takes over the management of the company’s team of program managers and directors.  Clients who have worked with Ms. Bowen over the years understand first-hand the commitment to excellence that she brings to each project she manages. Ms. Bowen is a graduate of Temple University and sits on the board of the Las Vegas Chapter of AFP, where she serves as chair of Philanthropy Day.

Tanja Heinen Vice President for Client Development

Victoria Wilt Stockman, Senior Consultant and Writer

Victoria Wilt Stockman, CFRE, Senior Consultant and Writer for Advantage, has nearly twenty years of varied fund-raising experience that she brings to Advantage.  She began her career while an undergraduate as a student caller at her alma mater, Susquehanna University, and later, she managed their phone program.  Upon graduation, Ms. Stockman worked in a consulting capacity for a variety of organizations.  In 1996, she left her consulting assignments to pursue experience on the non-profit side and took a post at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, where she established the Rutgers Telefund Program.  Ms. Stockman then moved on to serve as Director of Annual Giving, Special Gifts and Development Records for the University of Delaware. Ms. Stockman also worked as a major gift officer at Princeton University.

Throughout her career, Ms. Stockman has been responsible for planning, managing and directing highly successful annual giving programs for the various non-profits she has served.  Cumulatively, she has helped raise over $50 million in annual support for these organizations, as well as increase donor participation.  She is a member of AFP, CASE and AHP and has often been asked to share her experiences as a speaker at fund-raising conferences and seminars.

Production and Data Entry Team

Our Letter Production and Data Entry departments are guided by procedures that have been developed to ensure quality results for our clients. We offer you practically any style of letter and font you would like. There is not a job we have been asked to do where we could not deliver. We can provide you with advice on everything from the best stationery to use to get the letter opened, to providing you with your daily calling results electronically via our secured Partner section on the web-site – in a format you can easily upload. Our staff has nearly twenty years of experience in the data management, assemblage and mailing of personalized pre-and post-call letters for the non-profit market. 

The diverse fund-raising experience offered by Advantage Consulting cannot be surpassed by any other consulting firm. Advantage Consulting is positioned to offer you the best combination of consulting, mailing, telephone and technological expertise to meet your needs.

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind is that we are a company dedicated to the non-profit market. We understand your donors are your most valuable asset. We believe that “raising friends” is synonymous with quality fund-raising. Our goal is to strengthen that relationship through our services.