Jean Ahwesh is a Senior Principal of Jerold Panas, Linzy & Partners— one of the nation’s most highly regarded firms in campaign services and financial resource development. A significant force in the industry, the firm has served over 4,000 client institutions since its founding.

Jean Ahwesh is among the most respected and seasoned professionals and executive leaders in the consulting, transitional, and interim nonprofit sector, specializing in advancement and philanthropy in higher education, healthcare, medical research, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Successfully served as the President or Executive Director of Institutionally Related Foundations (IRF) at several national universities and healthcare foundations; she earned a successful track record in strategy formulation and tactical execution, emphasizing the executive leadership of the board and management of staff.

As an affiliate with the AGB (Association of Governing Boards) and the Interim Executive Network headquartered in Washington, DC, Jean successfully drove change in the consulting and interim space, assisting multinational charitable and family foundations with granting priorities, mentoring, and coaching at all levels. Special skills include the architecture of coordinating multi-channel direct response and communications programs to serve as a bridge among all groups of donors and prospects, including mid-level, principal, and leadership giving programs through all channels.

Technical skills include creating compelling case statements, conducting insightful feasibility studies, conducting evaluations of institutional foundations and development and philanthropy programs, and conducting data-based research on foundations and corporations to build capacity, funding, and long-term partnerships. Effectively negotiated, organized, and implemented various projects involving varied sectors, working at the CEO level with multiple stakeholders (boards of directors, volunteers, staff, and significant benefactors) in organizations with complex infrastructures.

Ms. Ahwesh earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from West Virginia Wesleyan College. She received a Master of Business Administration in marketing management from Waynesburg University, where she is currently an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate School of Business Administration. She graduated from the technology commercialization program at the Graduate School of Industrial Administration at Carnegie-Mellon University.

A frequent speaker at international, national, and regional fundraising and nonprofit management conferences.  Previously, Jean served as President of the Fairfax County Citizen’s Police Academy Class of 2019, The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Board of Trustees at Sherwood Oaks, and Waynesburg University’s Board of Directors, among others. Jean previously volunteered in the athletic department at Stanford University and USA Diving. Jean is President of the Andrew Kuremsky Charitable Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation.