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Kimberly Rodstrom
Executive Director, Data Intelligence & Technology/Prospect Research & Portfolio Development at Kent State University
Professional Background
Kimberly Rodstrom is a seasoned professional in the field of data intelligence and technology, with a robust career dedicated to enhancing prospect research and portfolio development within the educational sector. Currently, she serves as the Executive Director of Data Intelligence & Technology/Prospect Research & Portfolio Development at Kent State University, a role that positions her at the forefront of university advancement initiatives. In this capacity, Kimberly orchestrates strategic research efforts that significantly contribute to the university's fundraising success and alumni engagement initiatives. Her extensive experience at Kent State University establishes her as a pillar of knowledge and expertise in development and research.
Throughout her tenure at Kent State University, Kimberly has had an impressive career trajectory, marked by progressive leadership positions. She began as a Marketing and Sales Support Specialist at Diebold, where she honed her skills in data analysis and market research which laid the foundation for her future roles. Transitioning to Kent State University, she quickly climbed the ranks, serving first as the Advancement Prospect Research Manager. Here, she developed her expertise in the critical analysis of donor data and relationship management, focusing on optimizing fundraising efforts through reliable insights. In her subsequent roles of Associate Director and later Director of Prospect Research, Kimberly implemented innovative research strategies that paved the path for more effective donor cultivation and engagement.
In her previous role as Director of The Mount Union Fund at the University of Mount Union, Kimberly demonstrated her capacity for leadership and strategic thinking in managing fundraising campaigns and strengthening alumni relations. This position further enriched her understanding of the philanthropic landscape, allowing her to contribute meaningfully to donor development projects. Her vast and varied experience equips her with a unique perspective on the integration of technology and data within university advancement, making her a sought-after resource for building robust donor relationships and decision-making processes based on solid data analysis.
Education and Achievements
Kimberly Rodstrom's academic foundation is as impressive as her professional accomplishments. She pursued her MBA at Kent State University, furthering her education in business administration, a field into which she has seamlessly integrated her academic learnings with practical experiences. Prior to her stint at Kent State, she graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the University of Mount Union, where she laid the groundwork for her career in organizational leadership and development.
Throughout her career, Kimberly has actively participated in numerous workshops, conferences, and professional organizations to remain ahead of trends in data intelligence and prospect research. Her commitment to continuous learning and improvement has not only benefited her career but also positively influenced the institutions she works for, leading to increased efficiency and effectiveness in their fundraising efforts. Kimberly is known for her analytical skills and her ability to translate complex data into actionable strategies, a crucial asset in the ever-evolving landscape of university advancement.
Achievements
Kimberly Rodstrom has made significant contributions to the field of development research and data intelligence, particularly in higher education. Her innovative approaches to prospect research have helped institutions maximize their fundraising capabilities. She has been instrumental in implementing data-driven strategies that result in enhanced donor engagement and retention, ultimately leading to increased philanthropic support for her institutions.
In addition to her direct contributions to fundraising results, Kimberly has played a vital role in mentoring and training staff across various levels of advancement. Her leadership style fosters collaboration and encourages professional growth among her colleagues, proving that effective teamwork is key to successful fundraising efforts. Kimberly’s recognition in her field stems not only from her successful initiatives but also from her commitment to sharing knowledge and best practices with others in the sector. Her work has set benchmarks in several key areas of prospect research, serving as a model for similar educational institutions seeking to improve their donor engagement strategies.
As Kimberly continues her journey in data intelligence and university advancement, her insights and expertise are sure to leave a lasting impact. Her educational background, combined with her diverse professional experience, positions her as a respected leader and innovator in the realm of prospect research and development within higher education.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Clay encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Clay work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Clay is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Clay's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Clay as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Clay eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.