April 12, 2021
Following industry-wide search, company elevates highly regarded Data Axle executive, underscoring strategic commitment to the nonprofit sector and its clients
DALLAS — April 12, 2021 — After posting record growth in its nonprofit division and announcing its expanded focus on serving nonprofit clients, Data Axle announced today that it has promoted from within to appoint Niely Shams as President of the division. Shams currently serves as Executive Vice President of Sales and Client Services and, over her eight-year tenure at Data Axle, has steadily risen through higher posts, while serving some of the most influential nonprofit organizations in the world. In her new role, Shams will shape the division’s service strategy and define the focus of the solutions Data Axle offers its nonprofit clients.
“As we continue our work to help save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, we value our partnership with Data Axle. The work they have done with us to further our mission and vision through strategic initiatives led by Niely Shams and our fundraising team has been invaluable,” said Helene Vallone Raffaele, Vice President, Donor Strategy and Experience, UNICEF USA. “We are proud to work with an organization of dedicated fundraising experts with integrity and wish Niely congratulations. Her expertise, vision, and innovative approach make her a natural choice for this expanded leadership role.”
Following an extensive external search by advisory firm Heidrick & Struggles, Shams was identified as the strongest leader to assume the role of President of Data Axle’s Nonprofit Solutions Division. She assumes her role at a time when donor activity is on the rise worldwide – but the means for that activity continue to evolve. According to a recent survey by Data Axle, “New best practices to connect with today’s charitable donors,” while donation preferences tend to vary by age, cross-channel communication and fundraising strategies are more important than ever. Survey findings indicated that when it comes to how people like to contribute to their favorite charities, donors are embracing more and more options. Data Axle continues to advance its strategies and solutions to help nonprofits reach and connect with this evolving cross-channel donor profile.
“Over my time at the company, Data Axle has deepened its commitment to the nonprofit sector and focused on ensuring our clients have access to integrated strategies and solutions at scale. We serve some of the most prominent nonprofits in the world, so this omnichannel perspective and roadmap are essential,” said Shams. “Given my foundational work with our clients and internal consulting and agency teams, I’m incredibly excited about the evolving donor profile and how well Data Axle is positioned to serve nonprofits in this incredibly dynamic sector.”
“As we continue to build out our Nonprofit Solutions Division and survey the sector for top talent, it’s notable that we return to our own phenomenal internal team. Niely is one of the most respected executives not only in our ranks but in the nonprofit community,” said Data Axle Chairman and CEO Michael Iaccarino. “Niely’s long-standing dedication to serving our clients, and their respect for her will continue to fuel our vision and our growth. The focus on omnichannel fundraising and donor acquisition programs that Niely brings and her intimate knowledge of the nonprofit space position us to serve our clients even more effectively, in their global donor development efforts.”
To learn more about how Data Axle serves nonprofit organizations, visit https://www.data-axle.com/how-we-help/nonprofit-political/.
About Data Axle Data Axle is a leading provider of data and real-time business intelligence solutions for enterprise, small business, nonprofit and political organizations. The company’s solutions enable clients to acquire and retain customers, and enhance their user experiences through proprietary business and consumer data, artificial intelligence/machine learning models, innovative software applications and expert professional services. Data Axle’s cloud-based platform delivers data and data updates in real-time via APIs, CRM integrations, SaaS, and managed services. Data Axle has 45+ years of experience helping organizations exceed their goals. For more information, visit www.data-axle.com.