1990
1991 Graduated from
Dickinson College
1995
2000
1994 Hired as director of
development at Oglebay
Institute
1999 Earned the Certified
Fundraising Executive
designation by the
Association of Fundraising
Professionals
2001 Co-chaired the Junior
League of Wheeling project
for child advocacy that
became Harmony House
2005
2006 Hired as the first female
and eighth president and
CEO of Oglebay Institute
2010
2013 Hired as director of
nonprofit advisory services
at McKinley Carter Wealth
Services
2015
2020
2019 Nominated as treasurer
of the Community Foundation
of the Ohio Valley’s Women’s
Giving Circle
“I feel I have been
blessed throughout my life ...,
and I do what I can to help
others whose circumstances
might not be as well off.”
make strides in arts and environmental
education programming and bring in
several large grants. She then joined
McKinley Carter Wealth Services in 2013
as the director of nonprofit advisory ser-
vices. In 2017, she took on an additional
role as the firm’s business development
manager.
“In 2013, the firm was managing a few
nonprofit endowments and recognized the
need to offer nonprofit clients a service
model similar to its model for individuals
and families,” she says. “Many nonprofit
organizations struggle with sustainability,
and their efforts in fundraising, planning
and governance must be aligned with their
financial investments. While our trusted
advisors are managing these institutions’
portfolios, I work with executive direc-
tors and boards on long-term strategies
that will help them be more sustainable,
independent and efficient.”
As business development manager,
McDermott helps develop strategies to
grow the firm in all areas and serves
as a champion for its many projects,
which requires strong coordination and
communication.
“I am incredibly organized, which is
helpful when managing multiple projects
and teams,” she says. “When working with
teams, I believe it is important for each
person to contribute in a way that also
strengthens their own individual skills
and when that person achieves success,
to recognize their accomplishments.”
Her mastery of communication, team-
work and organization as well as her love
for the arts and the Wheeling community
are reflected in her various community
service roles. She currently volunteers as
a board member for the YWCA Wheeling,
president of the Wheeling Symphony
Society Auxiliary, treasurer of the Com-
munity Foundation of the Ohio Valley’s
Women’s Giving Circle and sustaining
member of the Junior League of Wheel-
ing. McDermott is also a trustee for the
Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, W.E.
Stone Foundation and Wheeling Land-
scape Commission, and she volunteers
on the United Way of the Upper Ohio
Valley’s allocation panel.
In the past she has served as commis-
sioner of the West Virginia Women’s Com-
mission, board member for the Rotary
Club of Wheeling, member of the Wheel-
ing Arts & Cultural Commission and
the Oglebay Institute Mansion Museum
committee and trustee for the Wheeling
Area Chamber of Commerce and Arts
Advocates of West Virginia, among others.
“I am primarily drawn to organiza-
tions supporting women, children and
the arts,” she says. “I feel I have been
blessed throughout my life and that my
children are fortunate as well, and I do
what I can to help others whose circum-
stances might not be as well off.”
McDermott has dedicated her life to
the Wheeling community and the state
of West Virginia, and she can’t imagine
living and serving anywhere else.
“My husband and I were both born
and raised in Wheeling, and most of our
families still live here, so it was natural
for us to stay,” she says. “There is some-
thing incredibly special about having
your children grow up with grandparents,
aunts, uncles and cousins just a few miles
away. Wheeling is a great place to raise
a family.”
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