Dear Residents and Team Members,
I am thrilled to announce the newest addition to the Givens Philanthropy Department. Please join me in welcoming Jennifer Clarkson Soster as our new Philanthropy Director. Jennifer is a non-profit professional with more than 25 years of progressive development and leadership experience in all facets of advancement, including campaign planning and execution, staff management, annual giving, planned giving and major and principal gift solicitations. She is a highly effective leader driving results through strategic planning, strong relationship building with diverse constituencies, volunteer and community engagement, and operational effectiveness.
Prior to joining Givens Communities, Jennifer served as Director of Donor Relations for the University of North Carolina Asheville and Director of Institutional Effectiveness for Warren Wilson College. Prior to relocating to the Asheville area in 2020, she served her alma mater, DePauw University, for more than two decades in a variety of leadership roles including as Executive Director of Alumni Relations.
As a community leader, Jennifer has been a Rotarian since 2009 and served as Club President for two terms. She is a member of the Leadership Asheville 42, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, the Association of Donor Relations Professionals, and Kappa Gamma Sorority.
Jennifer graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana earning degrees in Psychology and Elementary Education. She received certifications from the University of California, Davis in Planned Giving as well as Major and Principal Gifts. She is certified by the National Association of Sports Medicine as a personal trainer with specializations in senior fitness and corrective exercise. Prior to moving to North Carolina, Jennifer founded her own fitness company, Life Cycles Fitness, LLC, serving adults and seniors in areas of physical health an general wellness.
She and her husband, Fred, reside in Leicester and are the proud parents of two children, Erica and Frederick. They are also the proud grandparents of Charlie.
Please extend a warm welcome to Jennifer as she settles in and begins making meaningful contributions to Givens. Her office will be located in Oxford Commons at Givens Estates in the first-floor administration offices. We’re thrilled to have her on board. Welcome Jennifer!
Sincerely,
Brian Guengerich
VP of Philanthropy
