Rebecca served as our Director of Client and Executive Operations at DRiWaterstone for six years, but as anyone who worked with her knows, that title only hints at what she truly meant to this firm. She was the quiet force behind so much of what we do. Nothing of consequence moved through our organization without Rebecca’s care, her judgment, and her steady hand. She held things together in ways that only became visible when you stopped to notice — and she did it all with humility, warmth, and an unmistakable commitment to the people around her. She was a beloved colleague in every way.
For 22 years prior to her joining DRiW, Rebecca served in several key roles, including Director of Board Governance and Ethics and Executive Assistant to the CEO for our close friends and partners, the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She supported eight AFP Global board chairs and worked closely with the AFP President and CEO, always bringing clarity, calm, and a sense of purpose to the work. Her guidance to the AFP Ethics Committee was trusted and respected, not because she sought attention, but because she earned confidence through consistency and care.
Rebecca cared deeply about ethical practice in fundraising. She believed that ethics wasn’t just a policy area—it was the foundation of trust between fundraisers and the communities they serve. To honor that commitment, the Rebecca A. Powell Fund was created to support the AFP Ethics Program.
Supporting this fund is one of the most meaningful ways to carry Rebecca’s influence forward. Your gift sustains the work she poured herself into, equips fundraisers with the ethical guidance they rely on, and keeps her steady, principled voice present in the profession she helped shape.
By giving in her memory, you help ensure that the values she lived by continue to guide AFP—and the fundraising community—for years to come.
Donate to Association of Fundraising Professionals
Those who wish may also choose to contribute to the Alzheimer’s Association.
