Our team
Julie Eason – Director
Julie is an experienced fundraiser who has held several Director of Fundraising and interim Director of Fundraising roles, and raised millions for the charities she works for.
Julie has been consulting since 2014. Julie has experience across all types of fundraising, while her specialisms are grant and foundations fundraising and strategic, organisational development.
Julie began her career in NUS as an elected member of the National Executive and Vice-President. She then entered the Cabinet Office on the fast stream and was promoted off it within nine months to take up the position of Principal Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office, and later, Department for Communities and Local Government. From here Julie headed to Sydney where she served as Director of Housing & Social Policy for the New South Wales Department of Planning, Infrastructure and Natural Resources.
Julie returned to the UK Civil Service from Sydney, before moving into the voluntary sector in 2009. Her roles included managing a countywide partnership of charities providing advice, and Director of Fundraising for a major advocacy provider. Julie has won a Government Excellence in Delivery award, and designed and funded a project that won the Charity Times Award for best use of technology in 2017.
Hannah Travers – Director
Hannah is an experienced fundraising consultant with over 15 years’ experience in the charitable sector establishing and delivering fundraising strategies to diversify and grow income. Having worked across a broad spectrum of causes as a Director of Fundraising she specialises in fundraising for the arts alongside medical research and young people. Hannah has been responsible for leading multi-million fundraising campaigns to secure and manage funding from the European Union, Department for Education, Cabinet Office, Arts Council, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Social Investment Business, NESTA, Garfield Weston Foundation and many more.
Max Beer – Deputy Director
Max graduated in Business Studies, trained in circus skills & performing arts at Bristol’s Fool Time, and consolidated his skills in arts and business with a PgDip with distinction in Arts Management. He moved to Northern Ireland in 1997 to coordinate an EU Peace funded project for Strabane Lifford Development Commission. Joining Derry’s Playhouse in 2000, Max raised some £15m for capital redevelopment, core, and programming costs. He became Interim CEO in 2018, working with the Board to repair the organisation’s financial and operational resilience. He joined Belfast’s contemporary opera production company Dumbworld in 2021 and is a Senior Consultant for The Arts Fundraisers.
Kate Lewin – Director – Major Gifts
Kate Lewin has over 18 years’ experience in fundraising for a range of causes including international development, emergency response, health, female empowerment, the arts and local grassroots. As a major donor fundraising specialist, Kate has vast experience successfully engaging philanthropists across the UK and internationally. Her career highlights include raising £2.7m for the British Red Cross where she led the creation of a prominent women’s giving circle. Kate also has experience in corporate, legacy and trust and foundation fundraising, as well as managing prestige events. With particular expertise in peer-to-peer fundraising and stakeholder management, Kate advises charities large and small on how to make major donor fundraising work for them.
Adrienne – Senior consultant
Adrienne has over 20 years’ experience in fundraising for a wide range of causes including international development, education, health, the environment and the arts. A former Director of Fundraising & Communications, she has successfully secured funds from a range of sources including trusts and foundations, public and media appeals (BBC Lifeline), government funders, corporate sponsors and awards. Adrienne also helps clients to develop and implement fundraising and marcomms strategies.
Pea – Consultant
Designer and charity furniture worker, Pea believes in social justice and the transformational power of making things. He has a keen interest in fundraising and the arts, having been lead artist on projects that have benefitted from funding, including the Big Steam Print with Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft. He designs websites and graphics for The Fundraisers and is proud to be a member of the trans community.
Deanna – Consultant
Deanna is a senior consultant with over 22 years’ experience in trust fundraising, leading teams and delivering training. She started her professional career as a children’s and reference librarian in public libraries, before moving into fundraising in a variety of settings. Deanna uses her skills and experience to support charities to deliver their vital work, as well as mentoring and coaching fundraisers to put in place mechanisms and knowledge to improve themselves, their abilities and qualifications. Deanna was the Chair of the Scottish Special Interest Group for Trusts, Statutory and Foundations fundraisers; a Project Lead (Trusts) for the Commission on the Donor Experience; and is a Trustee of the Edinburgh World City of Literature Trust.
Having lived and worked in her native Canada and New York City (where she was in the book selection committees of one of the largest US public libraries), she has called Scotland and the UK home for more than 21 years. A love of history, costume and textiles finds her trawling the shelves for historical dress patterns she uses for her involvement in an educational historical interpretation group. (With a side passion for all things Star Wars).
Madeleine – Consultant
Madeleine is a solution-focused fundraiser, motivated by building effective relationships and supporting individuals, teams and organisations to achieve their potential. Over the past 20+ years she has led fundraising across arts, culture, heritage and education, working with a range of organisations from the BFI to the National Literacy Trust. She is happiest working in partnership to creatively solve complex problems and challenges. At the University of Cambridge, Madeleine worked closely with the Campaign Board to help successfully deliver their £2bn fundraising campaign. She has particular expertise in £1m+ gifts, in maximising Board relationships, and in the prospect and pipeline management which underpins successful fundraising at every level.
Katie – Consultant
A strategic, values-driven charity leader and TEDx speaker with a proven track record in youth and LGBT+ services, Katie has secured over £4 million in funding from trusts, foundations, local authorities, and NHS Sussex. With more than a decade of experience in the charity sector, she brings clarity and compassion to complex issues and has consistently led inclusive, purpose-driven teams. Now working as a consultant, Katie helps organisations drive financial growth & stability, enhance service design & impact, navigate strategic & political landscapes, build collaborative partnerships, and champion equity & inclusion.
Leah – Apprentice
Leah is a community volunteer in Nairobi, Kenya. She works with Women and adolescent girls living in the urban slums and rural areas in the category of Young Women & Adolescent Girls (YWAGs). Leah advocates on Sexual Reproductive Health and Life Skills and is passionate about working with persons with disabilities in the fields of sexual and menstrual health, poverty and education. She is currently an apprentice for The Arts Fundraisers and working to become a skilled and experienced fundraiser.
