Office Hours
By Appointment
About Me
Jennifer Shawa, MNPA, CFRE, is a Certified Fund Raising Executive with more than 24 years of leadership experience in the nonprofit sector. Since 2002, Jennifer has specialized in helping organizations build effective development programs, create comprehensive fundraising strategies, strengthen donor relationships, and advance organizational growth and impact.
Jennifer currently serves as Assistant Executive Director of The SOMA Foundation, Inc. and the Daniel P. Amos Family Foundation in Columbus, Georgia. In this role, she oversees foundation operations, grantmaking, strategic initiatives, and nonprofit partnerships. She also provides leadership in organizational development, governance, and philanthropic strategy.
Throughout her career, Jennifer has served as the lead fundraiser for organizations including a Feeding America food bank, a child advocacy organization, and a nonprofit medical clinic. She has led fundraising strategy, donor engagement, grant development, and major gift efforts that have supported organizational growth and long-term sustainability. In addition, she has worked as a nonprofit development consultant, advising domestic and international organizations on fundraising, strategic planning, and organizational development.
Jennifer is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Atlanta Chapter and founded the Nonprofit Development Meet-Ups, a professional learning network serving nonprofit leaders in Columbus, Georgia (since 2019) and LaGrange, Georgia (since 2023). In 2026, the initiative expanded to the Auburn-Opelika community through a partnership with The Cary Center at Auburn University.
She is a graduate of Leadership Columbus (Class of 2019), Leadership Troup (Class of 2020), and Leadership Macon (Class of 2022). Jennifer holds a Master of Nonprofit Administration from Louisiana State University Shreveport.
Areas of Expertise
CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive), Fundraising Strategy and Major Gifts, Foundation and Corporate Giving, Nonprofit Capacity Building, Strategic Planning, Board Development and Governance, Grantmaking and Philanthropy, Donor Engagement and Stewardship, Organizational Leadership, Community Impact Initiatives