UCA Associate Vice President of Campaign and Development Joan Shofner has been recognized as a 2025 Conway Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Business Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit.
Joan Shofner, associate vice president of campaign and development, has been recognized as a 2025 Conway Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Business Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit.
Shofner is a proven leader in nonprofit and higher education advancement whose vision and drive have transformed UCA’s fundraising success. Since joining the university in 2010 as the first director of advancement research, she has steadily built a career defined by innovation, leadership and results. Today she leads UCA’s Development Office and a team of eight professionals, cultivating a culture of collaboration and excellence that is recognized across campus and in the advancement field.
“Joan leads with both vision and heart,” Vice President of University Advancement Mary Bane Lackie said. “She sets a clear standard for excellence, delivers results, and never loses sight of the people doing the work.
“By investing in her team’s growth and professional development, she creates an environment where fundraisers feel supported, challenged and empowered – making UCA’s Development Office not only a high-performing unit, but also a place where people want to work. Just as importantly, she is deeply committed to developing the next generation of fundraisers, ensuring the profession remains strong, ethical and impactful well into the future.”
Shofner brings data and strategy together to achieve extraordinary results. Her leadership in adopting AI-driven platforms for donor engagement positioned UCA as a national example in leveraging technology to strengthen philanthropy. That initiative alone produced 225 new or increased gifts – 76 of which exceeded $1,000 – and Shofner was invited to share UCA’s success story at the 2024 Fundraising AI Global Summit: Generate Good conference, where more than 9,000 registrants from 141 countries learned from her expertise. She co-presented with Gravyty and Susan G. Komen in a session titled Revolutionizing Donor Engagement: How AI Empowers Nonprofits to Scale Mid-Level and Major Gifts.
The annual Women in Business Awards event honors individuals in the Conway area who have demonstrated excellence in leadership and community service, inspiring others on both personal and professional levels.
The Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit Award is presented to individuals working in nonprofit, education or government sectors. Honorees reflect a strong commitment to leadership, service and professional excellence within their fields.