5 Questions with Foundation President, Paulanne Jushkevich, MA, CFRE

1. What attracted you to Connecticut Children’s?

Why would someone NOT want to work at Connecticut Children’s?! It is truly the culmination of my career. With years of running large, complicated foundations under my belt, Connecticut Children’s is a very natural progression, professionally: the Foundation supports Connecticut’s only health system dedicated exclusively to children. On a personal level, it’s an honor to be included in the mission of a children’s health system, as a person who has been blessed with children. On top of that, Connecticut Children’s has an incredible, progressive and ambitious mission to develop the finest levels of care and delve into innovative research that might intimidate other institutions. There is simply no scenario where I would want to be anywhere else.

2. Are you optimistic about the state of philanthropy? 

I have been in fundraising long enough to witness some important evolutions take place in philanthropy, and I really love where it’s going now. In a Forbes article from March 2022, writer Karla D’Alleva Valas remarks that the three key themes in contemporary philanthropy are:

• tireless generosity amid challenging times;
• increased sophistication of donors and;
• a next generation that is leading the way.

All of the above are exciting and inspiring, and I am especially encouraged to have witnessed firsthand how people actually become more generous in times of crisis. The sophistication of donors that has increased considerably over the years has rendered even the most modest philanthropist an investor in their charity of choice. This has dramatically changed the way we fundraise, because the professional fundraiser has the honor of being the conduit to and facilitator of what the donor is determined to impact. It’s a partnership, and one of the most satisfying roles a person could pursue in their career.

3. What are your goals and vision for Connecticut Children’s Foundation? 

We are so fortunate to include some very brilliant professionals at the Foundation. I am excited to work with Jim Shmerling, President & CEO, as he shares with me his vision and that of the Corporate Board for the short-, intermediate- and long-term goals of Connecticut Children’s. And I am appreciative of the passionate, skilled members who serve on our Foundation Board. We have tremendous support across the state, but as we come up on the one-year anniversary of the opening of our Westport Specialty Care Center, I am particularly inspired by the number of Fairfield County individuals and organizations who are benefitting from the care their children receive from Connecticut Children’s. Grateful parents and grandparents in Fairfield County can make a tremendous difference with their investments in our health system.

My team and I are enthusiastically looking to involve more friends in Fairfield County in our work, both in the southern part of the state, as well as at our flagship medical center in Hartford, where we have started the most marvelous expansion.

We are building a new, eight-story clinical tower to add 50 private Neonatal ICU rooms, so parents can stay beside their tiny newborns, while these sweet babies get the best care possible in the most healing environment. We are adding an Advanced Cellular and Gene Therapy Unit, so we can perform bone marrow transplants, which means kids won’t have to go all the way to Boston for the treatment they need to save their lives. And our new Fetal Care Center is one of only six programs in the entire nation with the capability to provide the most comprehensive range of fetal care. Dr. Timothy Crombleholme and his team are operating on fetuses in utero, so these babies survive until birth and have a much better chance to live healthier lives. This is amazing work, and my team and I are privileged to share it with the people and the companies who want to support it and—literally—want to save kids’ lives.

I will continue to call on our community leaders, media and every one of the heroes and heroines who are part of Connecticut Children’s, to join me in bringing the Foundation to new heights of success, for the benefit of every child who needs us.

4. What makes you optimistic about the state of philanthropy?

For better Or worse, I have been in fundraising long enough to have seen some really important evolutions take place in philanthropy, and I really love where it’s going now more than ever. In a Forbes article from March 2022, writer Karla D’Alleva Valas remarks that the three key themes in contemporary philanthropy are:

• tireless generosity amid challenging times;
• increased sophistication of donors and;
• a next generation that is leading the way. 

All of the above are exciting and inspiring, and I am especially encouraged to have witnessed firsthand how people actually become more generous in times of crisis. The sophistication of donors that has increased considerably over the years has rendered even the most modest philanthropist an investor in their charity of choice. This has dramatically changed the way we fundraise, because now the professional fundraiser has the honor of being the conduit to and facilitator of what the donor is determined to impact. It’s a partnership, and one of the most satisfying roles a person could pursue in their career.

5. Who are your biggest influences? 

I have a picture of Michelle Obama in my office taped to the wall, and I stare at it when I am trying to weather something graciously and with courage. But I live and breathe for my two sons, who have most certainly influenced every decision I have ever made in my adult life. On a daily basis, I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with people who I learn from every single day and who inspire me with their brilliance, their determination and their vulnerability.