Mel B. Shaw offers more than 30 years experience in fund development and marketing. Formerly the Vice President of Marketing for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), he created and produced the Lou Rawls Telethon, raising $4 million annually in corporate sponsorships and over $500 million in annual gifts to date. Mel also served as the Executive Director of the Texas Association of Developing Colleges, facilitating joint programs and fundraising.

Prior to forming Saad & Shaw Comprehensive Fund Development Services he headed his own firm Shaw & Company, which specialized in capital campaigns, annual giving, development assessments, feasibility studies, board development, campaign designs and planning, and major donors. Mel holds a Bachelor of Science from Lane College in Tennessee ; a Masters in Business Education from the University of Memphis ; and was a fellow at Harvard University ’s Institute of Educational Management. In 1964 was named teacher of the year by Geeter High School in Memphis, TN. In 1991 Mr. Shaw received an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Lane College .

He is the co-founder of The Great Urban Escape; serves on the Steward Board of Oakland ’s First AME Church ; is the Vice-Chair of the board of the Lincoln Child Center in Oakland , CA ; is on the Board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)  Golden Gate Chapter; is a member of the Advisory Council of the MultiCultural Alliance, a program of AFP's Golden Gate Chapter; and is a member of the Development Executives Roundtable.
 

Pearl D. Shaw, CFRE  (formerly Pearl Saad) is a development professional with management experience in the private and non-profit sectors. She has served as Development Director of the Women’s Funding Network, an association of 100+ women and girls’ foundations; and as a major gifts officer for Mills College . Her private sector experience includes business development and marketing. Prior to forming Saad & Shaw Comprehensive Fund Development Services, she headed her own firm, Phrased Write, providing nonprofit organizations with proposal writing, executive coaching, and strategic fund development services including major gifts work.

Pearl has written proposals securing millions of dollars for her clients. These include the Omega Boys Club; Regional Technical Training Center ; Centro de Servicios; Bay Area Black United Fund; and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, San Francisco .

Pearl has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Development Executives Roundtable since 2002, and is a member of the Association of the Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Pearl serves on the Board of Directors of Unity Church of San Leandro and is a member of the Advisory Council of the MultiCultural Alliance, a program of AFP's Golden Gate chapter. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from UC Berkeley, a Masters in Public Administration from Cal State Hayward, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive.