Michelle Tullier connected with new MCDA member Dr. Christine Murphy,
who is serving on the MCDA board.
Please tell
us about your role as Director of Donor Engagement & Major Gifts at United
Way of Greater Portland.
I work with individuals and families who contribute $10,000 or more to
UWGP. I love helping connect philanthropically minded people with a wonderful
charity and watching how excited they get when they see what an impact their
generosity can have on the causes they care most about.
What is your connection to
career development, and what attracted you to MCDA?
In addition to lecturing, I ran a small consultancy during
my PhD program years. At first, my work focused on non-profit development and
fundraising, but I quickly found myself working with individuals who were
transitioning across different career paths, often from academia to the
non-profit world (which is my own path). I’ve worked extensively outside of
the U.S, so I am very interested to learn about the career landscape across
Maine. I am also excited to learn more about the ways in which I can contribute
to MCDA and make a positive and lasting impact. I also love to meet people!
Where are you from and where
have you lived?
I am a New Hampshire native but have lived all over—six
years in Scotland, England, and France, two in Japan, two in Mongolia, one in
India, and a year backpacking across Africa, as well as extensive time spent in
Nepal, Cambodia, Vietnam, Italy, and California.
What are some of your fun facts
or interesting accomplishments?
Due to my many years of international travel, work, and
research, I have gained a working knowledge of eleven languages. Not fluent,
unfortunately, but pretty functional! I am also proud to call myself a Buddhologist—someone
with a PhD in Religious Studies, focusing on Buddhism. There are very few of
us, but I’m one of them.
Thank you, Christine, and welcome to MCDA!
