Adriana M. Higgins

Adriana M. Higgins, Ed.D Director of Development

Adriana M. Higgins, Ed.D Director of DevelopmentUniversity of Texas Medical Branch

Adriana Higgins

Adriana M. Higgins , Ed.D
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Adriana M. Higgins, Ed.D., joined the Houston Zoo in 2002 as Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving.Her fundraising career began with the Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) area of the military where she was a Marketing Specialist responsible for obtaining corporate gifts to support military families during deployments.After moving around with her husband and working in higher education both as an adjust professor and in enrollment management, she settled in Houston to continue her career in higher education.After twelve years in enrollment management where she was the Director of Admissions at Texas A&M at Galveston and at The University of Houston, Adriana joined the world of planned giving.In 2004 the Planned Giving Program at the Houston Zoo received the CASE District IV- Grand Award.Adriana is a member of the Planned Giving Council of Houston's Board and Sponsorship Committee and holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of Houston.

When Adriana Higgins first joined the Houston Zoo as director of majorgifts and planned giving, she was fairly new to the industry.Luckily for her,she quickly found a loyal partner in The Stelter Company, and the results ofthe Zoo's marketing efforts have been wonderful.

"I've really enjoyed working with Stelter," says Adriana."It's been a first-class operation.By creating such an appealing publication, Stelter has enabled us to communicate the mission of the Houston Zoo to our donors, members and constituents more effectively."

Since the Zoo began working with Stelter to produce a four-color custom newsletter, they have received the highest award, the Grand Award/Gold, from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in Category 14, Most Improved Program in Planned Giving."Stelter was instrumental in our ability to earn this award," says Adriana."Our newsletter is a phenomenal piece.We've had comments on it from both people in the industry as well as our constituents."

As a result of their mailings, the Zoo has received more bequests, more inquiries into setting up endowments and more interest in legacy gifts."It's been wonderful," says Adriana."We're getting the word out, and people are responding."

Adriana urges others who are new to the world of planned giving to get help from a reliable company.