About Taryn Deaton

Taryn Deaton is an experienced development and communications professional who is passionate about helping organizations fulfill their missions. With more than 20 years of development, non-profit, and higher-education leadership experience, Taryn is skilled at supporting organizations as they articulate a vision and a plan to achieve it. Taryn is well-versed in non-profit operations, an expert in building long-term relationships and strong partnerships, and a collaborative leader.

Prior to joining Thread Strategies, Taryn served as Senior Director of Development and Strategy at BJC, an organization dedicated to protecting faith freedom for all people on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. She was BJC’s chief fundraiser and also guided initiatives and special projects to advance the BJC’s strategic direction. Taryn was responsible for all integrated fundraising strategies, including annual, major, monthly and planned gifts, foundation giving, donor development and data management, and events.

As Senior Manager, Donor Development for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) in Alexandria, Virginia, Taryn created growth strategies for individual, foundation, and federated giving. She planned and executed events and outreach to steward donors and introduce prospects to LLS’s work.

Taryn started her career in higher education. As the Director of Campus Relations for the Texas Exes, the alumni association for The University of Texas at Austin, Taryn developed and implemented a marketing plan to raise support and awareness of programs among university administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, community leaders, and media. Taryn then moved to Columbia University in New York to become Associate Director for Alumni Affairs. In that capacity, she organized Columbia College’s annual alumni reunion which comprised more than 100 events spanning four days for more than 1,700 participants.

Taryn graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, with a bachelor’s degree in communication. She earned a Master of Theological Studies degree from Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University near Philadelphia, where she was a Brauch Scholar. Outside work, Taryn often can be found dreaming about her next trip (or incredible meal) with her husband, catching a Cubs game, or laughing with those who mean the most to her.

About Tracy Shaw (she/her)

With more than two decades of experience in development and nonprofit leadership, Tracy Shaw has helped a variety of organizations meet the needs of their communities by providing direction and guidance in fundraising planning and execution. As Principal at Thread Strategies, Tracy leads organizations through the process of crafting development strategies and building operations to support those strategies, including optimizing donor databases. Tracy holds a Master of Public Affairs with a certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.