Our Work at Drew School

Drew is a 110-year-old urban, co-ed day school serving 300 students in grades 9-12 from around the Bay Area.

Drew was my first school in California and quickly became my home base. Working with the title of Advancement Consultant, I crafted a unique working arrangement that was based on outcomes and allowed me the flexibility to work with other schools. My role quickly grew to meet the needs of school and its program.

I had ultimate oversight for annual giving, major gifts, re-branding, and a successful head search. We raised more than $11 million in 6 years at a school with an enrollment of only 300 students (35% of whom receive tuition assistance). After leaving Drew to pursue consulting, I continue to enjoy close, personal and professional friendships with the wonderful people there.

Testimonial

“Barbara is the consummate advancement professional – something every member of the Drew community she interacted with agreed upon unanimously, and was reaffirmed by every interaction I had working with her. She combines incisive strategic thinking with a deep well of emotional intelligence that allows her to navigate the often-complex world of fundraising with a level of grace and class that is unique in this field. Barbara is the perfect partner to help senior leadership of schools and non-profits advance every aspect of their mission.”

David Frankenberg
Head of School, Drew School
San Francisco, CA

Testimonial

“As a seasoned Head of School hoping to create the most financially stable school I could by my retirement, then 4+ years away, I hired Barbara Barron to lead a major overhaul of our development office. Retaining her as a consultant matched both her professional needs and ours. Together, we immediately began a most-remarkable period of institutional advancement at Drew that yielded significant gifts and a deep sense of institutional sustainability.

As I retired in June 2016, Barbara proudly remained, serving on the Head Search and having developed a comprehensive Advancement Office with a list of professional accomplishments that still boggle my mind as they continue to benefit the school. Truly, she is that “one-in-a-million” colleague who transformed a needy institution, continued her remarkable professional growth, and became a true school leader in the process. I highly recommend her for any role in Advancement or school governance.”

Sam Cuddeback
Former Head of School, Drew School
San Francisco, CA

Testimonial

“Barbara is a truly inspiring, compassionate, and talented colleague and mentor. She is masterful in all areas of advancement work and consistently aims to strategically innovate and elevate our program. Her ability to build capacity and motivate colleagues to be bold and ambitious is remarkable. Barbara is a genuine asset and will bring immense value and joy to any organization lucky enough to work with her.”

Lauren Davis
Director of Development, Drew School
San Francisco, CA

Testimonial

“In her six years at Drew, Barbara re-energized and re-engaged our Board of Trustees by cultivating individual relationships. With her very effective collaborative style, she brought renewed focus and emphasis to the critical importance of our fundraising goals, initiatives, and donor stewardship to the Board. Barbara is thorough, an intelligent and balanced thought partner, and is viewed by a diverse group of colleagues as the consummate professional.”

Mona Lessing Harroch
Board Chair 2011-17, Drew School
San Francisco, CA

Testimonial

“Barbara is a visionary and strategic thinker who also pays great attention to details. Under her leadership over the past four years, fundraising at Drew has grown to a remarkable new level. The Annual Fund giving has increased by about 60%. She is the architect of the Major Giving Campaign at Drew, called “Funding Drew’s Future,” which has generated over five million dollars so far. She worked closely with me during the refinancing of our bonds, and with her vision, experience, and commitment to Drew’s mission, we were able to raise over two and a half million dollars toward our debt, and successfully complete the transaction with over $500,000 in savings for the school on an annual basis. Her leadership and contribution have been instrumental in making Drew a sustainable school. She has laid a strong foundation for philanthropy and cultivated a deep culture of giving that will serve Drew for years to come.”

Mohammad Kazerouni
CFO, Drew School
San Francisco, CA

Does your school need an advancement consultant? Tell me your story here or reach out via e-mail.