Cooper Coleman Places Director of Development for Paws Chicago

CHICAGO, IL – Cooper Coleman LLC, a nationally recognized executive search firm serving nonprofit and social impact organizations, is pleased to share that Denise Ashurst has been appointed Director of Development at PAWS Chicago, one of the nation’s leading no-kill animal welfare organizations.

Ashurst brings more than a decade of nonprofit fundraising experience to her new role, where she will lead major and principal philanthropic efforts in support of PAWS Chicago’s mission to end pet homelessness. An experienced development professional, Ashurst is known for her commitment to relationship-based philanthropy, strategic donor engagement, and impact-driven storytelling.

Ashurst most recently served as Director of Individual & Community Giving at IWS Family Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center serving more than 12,000 low-income children and families across the city. In this role, she revitalized donor communications, reimagined the planned giving program, and guided strategic board development that resulted in the recruitment of three new members. Under her leadership, the organization’s annual appeal increased by more than 600% in one year.

Ashurst previously held the role of Philanthropy Officer at the Archdiocese of Chicago, where she managed a portfolio of 135 major donors. Her achievements included renewing over $1 million in annual appeal gifts with an average 74% year-over-year increase and raising an additional $1.6 million in major gifts through customized proposals. She also managed $10 million in pledged assets for a capital campaign and stewarded a planned giving portfolio of more than 450 donors.

“We are delighted to welcome Denise to the PAWS Chicago team,” said Katie Law, Senior Vice President of Development + Community Engagement. “She brings a strong record of fundraising success, coupled with the strategic insight and energy that will be essential as we continue to advance our mission and elevate the standards of animal welfare in Chicago. Her leadership will be instrumental not only in shaping the future of our development efforts, but in driving forward our vision of a No Kill Chicago where every pet is valued and protected.”

Johnny Cooper, Founder + CEO of Cooper Coleman, added: “Denise brings her expertise and a genuine personal connection to PAWS. She embodies the passion and strategic thinking needed to lead development efforts at the highest levels in support of the critical, lifesaving work PAWS does every day. We’re thrilled to have partnered with PAWS on this important placement and to welcome Denise into this role.”

A proud PAWS adopter, Ashurst lives in Lakeview with her 14-year-old rescue cat, Splash. Her two grown children, both Chicago residents with their own rescue pets, share in the family’s lifelong passion for animal welfare.

About PAWS Chicago

Founded in 1997, PAWS Chicago is working to build a No Kill Chicago — a city where every pet is valued, cared for, and protected. Since its founding, the organization has helped reduce the number of homeless pets killed in Chicago by more than 92%. Through groundbreaking programs in spay/neuter, adoption, foster care, animal behavior, community engagement, and its state-of-the-art Medical Center, PAWS has saved more than 79,000 lives and provided over 300,000 spay/neuter surgeries. PAWS Chicago’s model is transforming animal welfare by setting new standards in care, innovation, and community-driven solutions.

To learn more, visit www.pawschicago.org

About Cooper Coleman LLC

Cooper Coleman LLC is a full-service retained executive search firm partnering exclusively with nonprofit organizations, foundations, and research and academic institutions to drive meaningful growth. With headquarters in Chicago, IL, and offices in Cincinnati, Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, its team moves nonprofit organizations forward by placing the right leaders in the right roles at the right time and helps to strengthen their leadership and fundraising capacity to amplify their mission and impact.

Cooper Coleman's diverse client portfolio spans a wide range of social impact areas, reflecting its commitment to serving the entire spectrum of the social impact sector. Its clients are focused on a variety of causes, such as civil rights, health equity, the performing arts, adoption and foster care, LGBTQ+ advocacy, tech for good, and more.

Founded by CEO Johnny Cooper, who has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the social sector, Cooper Coleman prioritizes making essential executive search services accessible to organizations across the social impact sector. With a team of experienced consultants and a commitment to providing first-in-class search services to its clients, the firm has established itself as a leader in the field and is ranked among the Top 65 Nonprofit Executive Search Firms by Hunt Scanlon and among the TOP 250 Executive Search Firms nationally. Cooper Coleman is also proud to have co-founder William B. Coleman, Jr., a veteran executive search consultant with over 25 years of experience in the field, as part of its leadership team. Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table and are dedicated to strengthening nonprofits and other social impact organizations.