Stronger Together.
We are a fair, honest, and sincere collective who create the most benefit through serving together. We take your institutional challenges personally, and value humility when our clients are successful.
Individually, we have all been entrusted to develop and lead high-performance teams. As a group, we have also faced our share of challenging situations in higher education. We can’t wait to help you navigate your own.
Stephen Alexander
Founder and Principal
Stephen Alexander is the Founder and Principal of College Avenue Partners.
Steve’s higher education experience encompasses the broad spectrum of advancement. Steve has directed major gifts at Arizona State University, where he drafted a campaign plan for the WP Carey School of Business, helping lead a team that generated $21M in the first 12 months. At the University of Southern California, Steve served as Executive Director of Development and Graduate Relations during the successful $6B Campaign for USC. Steve has also directed national fundraising strategy for Bowling Green State University and directed principal giving for Western University in London, Ontario. Steve has also been elected to civic office, serving as Vice Chair of the Greater Essex County District School Board. He has also contributed his time to many volunteer boards and community organizations.
In founding College Avenue, Steve has led clients through the exploration and implementation of successful alternative revenue concepts and best-in-class advancement practices. He advised the University of Windsor on advancement while also actively participating in the development and negotiation of the institution’s first public-private partnership, a 440 bed residence hall and dining facility. He also helped direct campaign fundraising for the $72M Toldo Lancer Centre, a state-of-the-art athletic complex that replaced aging facilities.
Steve is a graduate of the University of Windsor and remains passionate about his alma mater.
Email Steve Alexander
steve@collegeavenuepartners.com
Margaret Pomfret
Vice President and Senior Advisor, Higher Education Advancement
Margaret Pomfret joined College Avenue Partners in January 2024 to help lead our efforts in support of colleges and universities, bringing over 25 years of progressive experience in higher education. Margaret has served as Vice President of Institutional Advancement for Ashland University and as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Ohio Dominican University in Columbus.
As a Vice President of Advancement, Margaret reimagined alumni relations, advancement operations, and philanthropy at Ashland, raising over $200M in philanthropic support while improving efficiencies and systems. She designed, directed, and led the Campaign for Every Individual, which generated over $100M in support of campus improvements, scholarships, and the creation of new academic programs including the Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
While at Ohio Dominican University, Margaret registered immediate impact as EVP and COO, crafting improved business efficiencies across Human Resources, Admissions, Information Technology, and Advancement. At an institution where every dollar mattered, Margaret led a team which developed and launched Made for Bold, which resulted in 200% increase in philanthropy and 100% increase in the number of donors in the first 18 months. She is a connector and an industry leader who is often tapped to speak at national and regional conferences. Margaret brings to her work a deep humanity and value for the contributions of others, which enables her to maintain meaningful relationships with the many she has mentored throughout her career.
Margaret has a Bachelors and an MBA from Ashland University and is in the final stages of completing her PhD in Higher Education Administration at the University of Dayton.
Email Margaret Pomfret
margaret@collegeavenuepartners.com
Sharon Lowe
Senior Advisor, Grants, Government, and Foundation Relations
Sharon Lowe has over 20 years of experience in higher education fundraising and serves College Avenue Partners as a Senior Advisor. Most recently, Sharon was the Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships in Institutional Advancement at Ohio Dominican University and the Director of University Grants and Foundation Relations at Ashland University.
Sharon excels in facilitating strategic collaborations that bring partners together to maximize resources and increase the capacity of the university. She worked directly with the President and Executive Vice President of Ohio Dominican University to quickly stabilize the institution through external partnerships and advocacy, expanding experiential opportunities for students to drive enrollment while escalating fundraising opportunities.
As the Director of University Grants and Foundation Relations for Ashland University, Sharon generated multiple revenue streams through philanthropic engagement with foundations, corporations, state, and federal agencies. Sharon led the grants division to raise over $42M for the institution, increasing the productivity of the department by 38% over 5 years. Grant funding supported academic program development, research, scholarships and other high impact opportunities for students.
Sharon earned her BA from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and an MS in Nonprofit Administration Leadership and Fundraising from Louisiana State University, Shreveport.
Email Sharon Lowe
sharon@collegeavenuepartners.com
Kyle Vaughn
Senior Advisor, Advancement Operations and Data Strategy
Kyle Vaughn brings over 15 years of experience in higher education and the non-profit sector to College Avenue Partners as our Senior Advisor for Advancement Operations and Data Strategy. His ability to interpret challenging data and create action plans is admired across higher education, as is his passion for creating impactful solutions. Kyle’s abilities set the stage to empower fundraisers success as they strive to serve their donors and institutions at the highest levels.
Kyle founded KLV Consulting, where he served clients in implementing high industry standards in order to improve data integrity and reliability. He is valued for his ability to quickly analyze and identify prospects for quick assignment to support annual giving, major and principal gifts, and has created tracking and metric strategies to match. He previously served as Executive Director of Institutional Advancement at Ashland University, where he managed a team of 14 while overseeing Alumni and Parent Engagement, Prospect Research, Annual Giving, and Grant and Foundation Relations. His expertise in operations is underscored by significant experience as a major gift fundraiser, which helps him bring understanding to the acute needs of frontline gift officers.
Kyle has given back to the field of advancement through his service as President of Independent College Advancement Associates (ICAA), membership in Association of Advancement Services Professionals (AASP) and through other advisory engagements throughout the industry. Kyle has an MBA and BS in Finance and Economics from Ashland University, and is active in his community through youth sports and as a member of civic committees and organizations. We believe that his depth of experience combined with the dash of magic he brings to data analytics will ensure our partner schools realize their fundraising goals efficiently and effectively.
Email Kyle Vaughn
kyle@collegeavenuepartners.com
