Entrepreneur and national fundraising leader joins nonprofit

FORT MYERS — Valerie’s House, a nonprofit that helps grieving children work through the loss of a loved one, named Jay Graham director of philanthropy.

Graham is an experienced senior development executive, and has held leadership positions at the Muhammad Ali Center and The Healing Place, both in Louisville, Ky. He is also an entrepreneur, who has launched and run several businesses throughout his career, according to a statement from Fort Myers-based Valerie’s House.

Graham will oversee fundraising and donor development efforts, working closely with Valerie’s House founder and CEO Angela Melvin to expand the program’s impact on grieving children in the community, the release states.

“We are excited to have Jay join the Valerie’s House team,” Melvin says in the release. “Not only are his years spent helping build nonprofits a benefit, but his personal experiences of dealing with loss make him believe helping our children is a calling, not just a career.”

Valerie’s House serves 140 children from Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Sarasota counties at its Fort Myers and Naples locations.