St. Augustine, Fla. (Aug. 10, 2017) – Nicole Donnelly Pece has been selected as the new development director at the Betty Griffin Center.

Pece comes to the nonprofit organization with nearly 20 years of experience in fundraising, development and as a major gifts officer.

“We’re excited to have someone with Nicole’s expertise join us to continue our work in assisting victims of sexual and domestic violence in St. Johns County,” said Betty Griffin Center Executive Director Joyce Mahr.

“We have many new initiatives and fundraising events in the planning stages, and Nicole will be a major catalyst in moving those projects forward over the coming year and beyond.”

Pece arrives at the center after serving as the director of development for both the Carpenter Library and the College of Education and Human Services at the University of North Florida (UNF) for almost three years. While there, she collaborated with the Deans on key initiatives to secure major gifts, coordinated with
Leadership Councils and alumni and developed marketing collateral to support fundraising efforts.

Before joining UNF, Pece served as director of development at Flagler College in the office of institutional advancement from 2010 to 2014. Pece worked in a variety of fundraising positions at the college prior to that, including serving as capital gifts officer, director of the annual fund and special giving, and as assistant director of development from 2000 to 2004. She initially joined Flagler College in 1997 as director of student housing.

Prior to her year tenure at Flagler College, Pece worked at World Learning Inc., where she was the activities coordinator for international students on the Jacksonville University campus. Previously, she served as a campaign manager for a state representative in Massachusetts – beginning her professional career as an
aquatics director for Duxbury Recreation Department.

Pece received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Boston College in May 1989 and received a Master of Arts in Teaching from Jacksonville University in 1993. She also completed doctoral coursework toward her Higher Education Administration Degree at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida in 1997.

To contact her regarding fundraising, special events and other sponsorship opportunities, she can be reached at (904) 824-1555 or via e-mail at nicolep@bettygriffincenter.com.

For more information about the nonprofit organization’s programs and services, visit www.bettygriffincenter.org.

About Betty Griffin Center
The Betty Griffin Center was founded in 1990 by concerned citizens and incorporated as the Safety Shelter of St. Johns County to develop plans to provide shelter for local victims of domestic violence and their children. In 1992, the nonprofit agency contracted with a local motel for space and started a 24-hour crisis line and court advocacy program. By 1994, the agency purchased and opened Betty Griffin House as a permanent shelter. The shelter was expanded in 1998 to meet local demand, and a sexual assault program was added the same year. The Sexual Assault Victim Recovery Program is currently recruiting on call volunteers to provide victim advocacy. For information contact Kelly at 904-808-8544.

Today, Betty Griffin Center shelters 250 to 350 victims of domestic and sexual abuse annually, operates a 24-hour helpline, provides professional counseling for victims of domestic and sexual abuse, provides age appropriate violence prevention training and operates two thrift stores at Julington Square and Anastasia Square to assist in funding the agency’s ongoing operations
For more information or to make a donation, visit www.bettygriffincenter.org. To report if you or someone you know is being abused, call the Betty Griffin Center 24-hour crisis helpline at (904) 824-1555.

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Media Contact:
Ron Whittington
(904) 563-0402
ron@whittingtonpr.com