Liz Murray, PMP

Director, Data Ecosystem Consulting

Liz Murray is a fundraising and information systems expert with a proven track record of leading data-driven transformation within organizations. With over 20 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector, she has a deep understanding of the complex challenges and opportunities presented by the modern digital business landscape.

As the leader of JCA’s data ecosystem consulting practice, Liz is committed to helping clients unlock the full potential of their data assets. Through her strategic guidance and technical expertise, she enables organizations to make data-driven decisions, improve operational efficiency, and achieve sustainable growth.

Liz joined JCA as a Consultant in March 2017. She has worked with numerous nonprofits, predominately in Higher Education and Healthcare, on system implementation, system selection, and business process improvement projects. Her clients include the Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, UHN Foundation, University of Arizona Foundation, and University of Toledo Foundation.

Prior to joining JCA, Liz was Manager, Knowledge & Systems at Sunnybrook Foundation in Toronto. She gained a broad range of industry experience through her past roles at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Sarasota Opera, The Glenn Gould Foundation, The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, and the University of Waterloo.

Liz received a Master of Information from the University of Toronto in 2016, specializing in Information Systems & Design and Knowledge & Information Management. She completed the Cultural Management Co-operative Business Program during her undergraduate studies at the University of Waterloo. In 2022, Liz earned her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

MORE ABOUT LIZ

What do you do at JCA?

I lead the Data Ecosystem team. I love working with our consultants and clients on a wide-variety of projects. It’s inspiring to work together as a team towards a shared goal. Together we can solve the unsolvable and make dreams come true! As a member of the Leadership team, I help guide the direction of the company and work to continuously improve our operations, offerings, and, project methodologies.

What is your background? What brought you to JCA?

I was fortunate to have stumbled upon nonprofit work very early in my career. I completed a Cultural Management co-op program during my undergraduate studies which included six work placements in the field. This allowed me to test out different roles and see first-hand how they each contribute to the big picture. After graduation, I decided to specialize in prospect management and research. This was my gateway to information systems. Eventually, I decided to go back to school part-time to complete a Master of Information (MI) degree. I joined JCA after completing my MI so that I could use my expertise and experience on a daily basis to help organizations design and develop their fundraising systems.

What do you do outside of JCA?

I enjoy reading (I love a cozy mystery); gardening; cooking (soup is my ideal meal); watching baseball and managing my fantasy baseball team; listening to records; and exploring nearby parks and trails. I am also a proud lover of cats.

What is one of your favorite stories of/with a JCA client?

I had the pleasure of working with the University of Arizona Foundation for several years on multiple implementation projects. This allowed me to form exceptionally close relationships with the project team. We shared a lot of laughs over the years (finding levity is an essential implementation survival skill!). When I went on-site for their CRM go-live, I was honored to receive multiple gifts of Cheez-It crackers because they all knew they were my favorite snack and at the time, unavailable in Canada. That was a very memorable and touching moment. And thankfully, I can now get Cheez-Its at my local grocery store.