Roberta Knickerbocker Jaggers receives the Outstanding Professional Fundraiser Award

Posted on December 12, 2025

On November 12, 2025, Library Foundation President Roberta Knickerbocker Jaggers received the Outstanding Professional Fundraiser Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals - Indiana Chapter. This is her acceptance speech:

Many thanks to the AFP Indiana Chapter for recognizing me as this year’s Outstanding Professional Fundraiser. I am humbled to be in the company of the award’s past winners and future recipients. There is so much talent in this city!

Fundraising is a team sport. I am thankful to celebrate this moment with some of my teammates.

My husband, Doug Jaggers, and in-laws, Bev and Doug Jaggers. Thank you for your love and support.

Library Foundation staff and board members. Thank you for your trust. You inspire me daily.

Bethany Warner, thank you for working with the staff, Drew Soshnick, and Steve Talley to nominate me.

Danny Dean, thank you for seeing my potential and pushing me to be my best.

Dwight Burlingame, thank you for helping me connect with the Library Foundation back in 2002 – and for all you continue to do for the mission.

Gregory Hill, your vision - to have a world-class library where all can learn, belong, and thrive – is an inspiration.

Indeed, working with Library colleagues is a highlight of my role. Since my nomination cited raising seed funds for the Center for Black Literature & Culture at Central Library, I must say how proud I am to share that accomplishment with Jackie Nytes. I could say so much more about the Library’s staff and their role in our fundraising success.

But, there’s one more team I want to acknowledge – and that’s everyone in this room. Together, we enrich quality of life in Central Indiana through philanthropy. And that’s a big job.

One part of our team deserves special recognition. Can you help me thank everyone who has responded to the disruption in SNAP benefits?

I am grateful to be part of our team and to be named this year’s Outstanding Professional Fundraiser. Thank you again for this honor.

Congratulations to Roberta and all other 2025 Indiana Philanthropy Award recipients!