Darlene Dorceus

Experience

Biography

Darlene Dorceus is a seasoned fundraising and advancement professional with more than 15 years of experience in the K–12 private school sector, higher education, and nonprofit philanthropy. Her career is defined by a track record of driving strategic fundraising initiatives, strengthening donor pipelines, and leading high-impact teams that deliver sustainable growth.

Currently serving as Director of Advancement Services & Annual Giving at Johnson C. Smith University, Darlene provides visionary leadership over the university’s annual giving strategy, donor operations, and engagement efforts. Under her direction, the university has experienced a 75% increase in annual giving revenue, fueled by innovative campaigns and data-driven donor cultivation strategies. She oversees the full gift lifecycle—from processing to stewardship—while also managing private grants, endowment accounts, and the department’s operating and restricted budgets. A strong advocate for operational excellence, Darlene led the institution’s CRM conversion project and implemented customized dashboard reporting systems to improve transparency, accountability, and results tracking.

Prior to her role in higher education, Darlene held key development and advancement positions at several mission-driven organizations. She also supported capital campaign efforts with a strong emphasis on data integrity, reporting, and financial reconciliation. Darlene developed systems and processes for donor data management and served as the primary liaison to the board for development reporting, consistently delivering measurable outcomes that fuel institutional advancement.

Darlene brings creativity and experience in executing all aspects of high-level fundraising events, including registration, auction management, and donor communications. Her expertise in event logistics and volunteer coordination has ensured seamless experiences for stakeholders and donors alike.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Nyack College, as well as a Certificate in Fundamentals of Finance & Accounting from the American Management Association. Most recently, she received a Certificate in Emerging Leadership from the university. Darlene is highly skilled in a wide range of donor management and advancement technologies, including Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge, Financial Edge, Jenzabar, Ellucian, Swell Fundraising, BidPal, Greater Giving, and Snowball, along with advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace. She is also fluent in Haitian Creole. Darlene currently resides in Charlotte, NC, with her husband and two children, Hailey (13) and Ethan (10).