June ’24 DAR Star: J.J. Thomas

by Rachael Andrews

We work with absolutely incredible people—and we all have varied interests and experiences, which adds to the unique makeup of the University of Georgia. We’ll be regularly spotlighting a few rock stars from around the division so that even if you don’t cross paths with them in the break room or Zoom with them on a weekly basis, you can get to know colleagues who can enhance your work life and productivity.

Without further ado, please enjoy our Q&A with J.J. Thomas …

Name: J.J. Thomas

Title: Assistant Director of Annual Giving

  • A huge part of my job is to help schools and colleges across UGA accomplish their goals for Annual Giving special projects, solicitations, and stewardship. This includes communication through channels such as direct mailing pieces, emails, calling campaigns, texting and crowdfunding through our Georgia Funder platform. I also coordinate with UGA’s Engagement Center to recruit Student Ambassadors to financially engage alumni. The Engagement Center is a great way to not only interact with our alumni, but also to teach our students how philanthropy is alive and well at UGA.

Where can we find you?

  • Online: ude.agu@samohtjj
  • On Campus: 1 Press Place
  • At Home: Athens, Georgia

Time in DAR: 8 months!

Where did you grow up: Toccoa, Georgia

What is your favorite reason for working for UGA/DAR? It is so cool that I am blessed with the opportunity to have a career where I get to combine my passion for fundraising to meet the needs of others with my love for the University of Georgia.

What is your favorite spot in Athens to grab lunch? I will always accept an invite to The Blind Pig!

Outside of work, I’m passionate about… Georgia Football. Go Dawgs!

What are 3 things you wish others in DAR knew about your job? 1) The Annual Giving team is awesome! We are the ultimate collaborators and are committed to helping others achieve their goals. 2) Although we mostly do not have face-to-face interaction with donors, the Annual Giving team is constantly thinking about different and fresh ways to reach our constituents across all demographics and platforms. 3) The Engagement Center is full of Student Ambassadors who love UGA and are excited about the opportunity to engage with alumni. Whenever your unit has a project that could include a phone element, they would love to have you for a visit!

Work project you’ve been most proud of participating in: Dawg Day of Giving 2024! Over 11K donors and over $13.8M raised!

Tell us about your family! I have one sister who is a member of the UGA Class of 2024 and my parents still live in Toccoa in the house they built after they were married in 1990!

We hope you learned something new about J.J. We are lucky to have him on our DAR team! Feel free to reach out to him if you would like to grab lunch at the Blind Pig or chat about the Georgia Bulldogs.

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