NCEF Appoints New Development & Volunteer Coordinator

Naples Children & Education Foundation Appoints

New Development & Volunteer Coordinator

The Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, announced the appointment of Laura Collett as its Development & Volunteer Coordinator. In this role, Collett will assist NCEF’s Chief Development Officer in enhancing the non-profit organization’s philanthropy in the areas of major giving, planned giving and endowments. She also will coordinate volunteer activities throughout the year.

“Laura joins the NCEF team with a passion for people and making a difference, “said NCEF Chief Executive Officer Maria Jimenez-Lara. “Her participation in the Naples Winter Wine Festival and other activities throughout the year will help us achieve our mission of improving the educational, emotional and health outcomes of underprivileged and at-risk children in our community.”

Collett graduated from Suffolk University in Boston with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management with a minor in Marketing. While earning her degree, she worked in her family’s heat-treating company. Following graduation, she shifted to the company’s Marketing Department, where she worked closely with the Sales Department at a nearby software company.

Collett moved to Westerville, Ohio to raise her children and helped create several fundraisers for their sports teams. Later, she returned to Boston where she attained her National Producers License for Life and Health. She currently remains a licensed insurance agent. During her years at Northwestern Mutual, she volunteered by preparing and delivering lunches to the homeless.

About Naples Children & Education Foundation

The Naples Children & Education Foundation, the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, is improving the educational, emotional and health outcomes of underprivileged and at-risk children. Through its annual grants and strategic initiatives, NCEF has impacted over 50 of the most effective nonprofits in the community, providing more than 275,000 children with the services and resources they need to excel. NCEF’s unique approach, which emphasizes collaboration between organizations and bridges public and private resources, has become a blueprint for how to transform a community, one issue at a time.

 About Naples Winter Wine Festival

The Naples Winter Wine Festival, one of the world’s most prestigious charity wine auctions, offers a weekend of unforgettable memories. Guests enjoy world-class food and wine during intimate dinners in private homes and are invited to bid on once-in-a-lifetime travel and wine experiences during an electrifying live auction. Since its inaugural event in 2001, the NWWF has raised nearly $220 million, making a profound difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.

 For additional information on the Naples Children & Education Foundation or the Naples Winter Wine Festival, contact Lisa Juliano at lisa@napleswinefestival.com or 239-514-2239.