Five Questions: Nancy Fazzino

Nancy Fazzino leaves her post as United Way of the Ozarks vice president of resource development and planned giving to join the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools as executive director. Her first day is Dec. 10. Fazzino had been with United Way in Springfield since 1996, after spending three years in a similar role with United Way in northeast Ohio.

Q: How did you end up working with United Way?

A: I was originally executive director of a free health clinic for the working poor in northeast Ohio, and I worked with United Way for funding while I was there. Eventually, I ended up working for United Way. It just sort of happened.

Q: And why did you decide to move to the schools foundation?

A: When I heard about the opportunity, I felt it would be a good challenge, and I like that challenge. I’ve been here for 11 years, and while I’ve enjoyed it, I think a new opportunity is always a good thing to look at and consider.

Q: Your United Way job entails facilitating donations for the organization. How will you use

those skills with the foundation?

A: I work directly with donors and with planned giving, so this new position ties in very well. I’ve been over there a couple of hours this week, splitting my time, and I’m finding many of the same people that I’ll be working with – the organizations, the donors and the volunteers – a lot of them are the same. (Springfield Public Schools Superintendent) Dr. (Norm) Ridder is on my board here at United Way, for example, and of course I’ll work with him a lot at the foundation. A lot of the same businesses and groups are represented on both boards.

Q: What’s your proudest accomplishment with United Way?

A: We’ve grown the campaign. We raised $2.5 million the first year I was here, and now it’s $3.7 million. That’s very important to me because it meets a lot of needs in the community and supports a lot of agencies. But in the last couple of years, the (Female Leaders in Philanthropy) and the Hunger Hurts Kids initiatives have been something I’m very proud of.

Q: You’ll be working to raise funds for school programs. What activities did your children enjoy when they were in school?

A: They’re both grown now, but my daughter, Joanna, went to Carver Middle School and then went to Kickapoo (High School). My son, Anthony, graduated from Missouri State (University), and my daughter goes there now. My son was very much into sports, but my daughter was in the arts. She enjoyed her art classes and other related extracurricular activities. They had very different experiences when they were in school, which is great.

Interview by Jeremy Elwood.[[In-content Ad]]