Who’s Jon?

Originally from the tri-state area of New York, I now reside in Saint Paul, Minnesota with my wife and two golden retrievers, Benny & Manon. Ask me about the Knicks or pizza and I’ll talk your ear off.

After a stint in corporate banking, I found my passion for supporting creatives and news makers. For over six years, I worked in fundraising and development at North Country Public Radio, in Canton, New York. There, I learned the ins and outs and best practices to solicit listeners and steward donors to encourage their continued support. I helped develop an innovative interruption free fundraising model - a massive departure for an industry known for “beg-a-thons” fundraisers that discouraged listening. In addition to fundraising at NCPR, I sold underwriting (public radio sponsorships), coordinated events, and was an occasional roadie for live shows out in the community. The best part of working for a small community station, is knowing your work is supports stories like this.

When we moved to Minnesota, I took a job with American Public Media — Minnesota Public Radio’s national brand — and began working with a wide-range of podcasts and nationally syndicated radio shows. In that role, I ran a handful of annual fundraising programs. These programs featured themed, one-off, and annual fundraising campaigns to support shows like The Splendid Table, Brains On, and Terrible, Thanks for Asking.

In addition to working with the aforementioned influential and established programs at APM, I was also introduced to and began fundraising efforts for Too Beautiful To Live, a beloved daily podcast hosted by Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh. After some time working with Luke & Andrew, the three of us decided to take TBTL and start our own production company to produce and distribute the show. In the years since, the show has thrived as a commercial-free endeavor, and is 100% listener-supported thanks to the generosity of the Tens (iykyk).

With nearly fifteen years fundraising for radio and podcasts, I have the knowledge and resources to give you and your creative endeavor the tools to grow. Whatever you’re prioritizing — prospect and revenue generation, growing your social media presence — I got you, let’s talk.