Russell Philanthropies is delighted to announce that longtime nonprofit development leader and donor engagement expert Evelyn Chen has joined Russell Philanthropies as its newest partner, continuing the firm’s cycle of ongoing expansion.

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“This is a time of uncertainty and volatility for many nonprofit organizations,” said Richard Russell, founder of Russell Philanthropies. “Evelyn brings an unparalleled ability to help clients steadily and confidently address challenges, while bringing fresh, creative thinking to develop new pathways for impact.

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“We couldn’t be more pleased to have her expertise as part of Russell Philanthropies.”

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She brings more than two decades of experience helping develop and implement development strategies for mission-driven organizations, spearheading donor engagement programs, and building and leading cohesive, high-performing teams. 

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Most recently, Evelyn served as Senior Vice President at leading workforce development nonprofit Per Scholas during its national expansion, where she helped triple the size of the development team to fuel revenue growth from $25M in 2020 to $61M in 2024. There, she established new teams focused on Development Operations, Major Gifts and Individual Giving and Government Grants — and led a national grants team to co-design partnerships with corporate and foundation donors, which raised $31M in 2024 alone. 

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“Now more than ever, nonprofit organizations need to be exceptionally agile and authentic in the way they connect with and inspire donors, create partnerships with others, and build bridges in their communities,” said Chen. “As partner, I’m excited to work closely with our clients to help them do that, especially at a moment in time where nonprofits may be asked to do even more to help the most vulnerable within our communities.”

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Previously, she oversaw development for international women’s rights group Equality Now, delivering the organization’s most successful fundraising results in its 25-year history and helping to secure partnerships with Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments. She has also led development for Panthera and New Yorkers for Parks, and held a variety of fundraising roles at The Nature Conservancy in New York City — a major market for the global multi-million dollar organization — during a period of accelerated growth.

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Evelyn helped launch a historic fund at her alma mater, Dartmouth College, to support teaching and research on Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities to ensure the fullness of America’s rich history is being taught. She volunteers her time with PAWS New York and Reading Partners.

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