Hi, I’m Christina! Nonprofit Fundraising Consultant and Recovering Development “Team” of One.
I’m on a mission to change the way nonprofits fund their work — and retain the people who are deeply committed to it.
I launched Guava Tree Strategies because I believe that nonprofits have the power to create incredible impact.
…but only when their teams are supported, and they have the systems and people in place to fundraise effectively.
I’ve been a Development “Team” of 1, and I know exactly why the average fundraiser lasts just 18-24 months at a nonprofit (if that). That’s why my approach is people-centered.
Why Guava Tree?
My parents both grew up on Caribbean islands surrounded by guava trees. In Spanish, we call them guayabas. My favorite way to eat them is in a pastel de guayaba con queso - a puff pastry dessert stuffed with guava paste and cream cheese.
Guava trees are resilient, adaptable, and have deep roots - just like the best nonprofits. They bear fruit every year and grow stronger with time. That’s exactly what I want for the nonprofits I work with: strength, resilience, and built to last.
Nonprofit Fundraising Strategy Meets Nonprofit Staff Retention.
There are a lot of fundraising consultants out there. I’m the only one who treats staff retention as part of the fundraising strategy.
Most nonprofits don't lose their fundraising momentum because of a bad strategy. They lose it because the person carrying that strategy burned out and left. And then you start over. Again.
Staff turnover doesn't just hurt your team. It sets your fundraising back by years.
That’s exactly what I help you fix.About Me
Before I just list some fun facts about me, I want to tell you why I’m doing that.
I don't do the "hop on a call and get straight to the agenda" thing. I want to know how your weekend was. I want to hear that you stayed up until 2 a.m. because the book was too good to put down, or that your kid scored their first goal at their soccer game this weekend.
That isn’t small talk; it's connecting. And that's exactly what fundraising is, too. The strategies and systems matter, but underneath all of it, fundraising is relationship building — with your donors, and with the people you work with along the way.
So, consider this the part where you actually get to know me. And when you reach out, tell me what resonates with you.
I’m a mom to two adventurous girls, married to a commercial pilot, and we take our kids everywhere. Seriously, my kids have been to more countries than most adults.
Aisle seat, always.
I love to run. I’ve run 9 marathons and I’ve lost count how many half-marathons I’ve run.
I’m part of the theatre kid to nonprofit professional pipeline, and I’m proud of it. Currently listening to Wicked and Hamilton on repeat.
I never go anywhere without a book (always fiction, almost always hardcover).
I recently started learning to sew and it’s been such a fun outlet.
I will always show up with baked goods.
I’m a Girl Scout Troop Leader! When cookie season comes around, you now know who to call.
Ask Me About
the next book you should read
book recommendations
where I went on my last trip
the time I packed for a trip to Switzerland and ended up in Las Vegas
how to spend the perfect weekend in Washington, DC (and where to get pastel de guayaba)
building a long-term fundraising strategy
Personal stuff aside — let's talk about why I'm the right person to help you build a fundraising strategy that lasts.
I’ve been a nonprofit fundraiser my entire career. I've raised more than $20M for nonprofits working on voting rights, affordable housing, human rights, paid leave, affordable childcare, and education.
Before I started Guava Tree Strategies, I worked in both in-house and consulting roles across the nonprofit sector. I’ve worked with organizations with budgets ranging from under $1M to over $15M. In that work, I've developed strategy, written grants, managed peer-to-peer programs and monthly giving, secured major gifts and endowments, and built mid-level giving programs. I’ve led teams and been a “team” of one. And I’ve seen what happens when fundraisers are given too much responsibility without the right support.
That experience is why I believe staff retention is a fundraising strategy, not a separate HR problem — and why I built Guava Tree Strategies around helping nonprofits create the kind of fundraising infrastructure that doesn't depend on any one person burning out to keep it running.
Your mission deserves more than survival mode.
It deserves sustainability, stability, and a partner that meets you where you are and helps you build a bigger impact for your organization.