Adelle M. Banks, Projects Editor and a National Reporter
An award-winning journalist, Banks joined RNS in 1995. She previously was the religion reporter at the Orlando Sentinel and a reporter at The Providence Journal and newspapers in the upstate New York communities of Syracuse and Binghamton.
She is the co-author of “Becoming a Future-Ready Church: 8 Shifts to Encourage and Empower the Next Generation of Leaders.”
Banks was honored in 2024 with Religion News Association’s William A. Reed Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2023 at The Unsung She-Roes Awards: Centering and Celebrating Black Women in Ministry for outstanding media coverage. She received the Washington Association of Black Journalists’ inaugural lifetime achievement award in 2022.
Askala Harris Calhoun, Director of Fundraising Training & Consulting
Askala is a life-long learner whose passion is applying new and innovative concepts to her wealth of expertise to help nonprofit organizations and donors thrive. With a career in philanthropy spanning over 13 years, She has lef with warmth, humor, vision, and strategy. As a leader in major donor development and nonprofit management, she has held the titles of Executive Director of Development, Senior Director of Major Gifts, and Director of Development in small and large organizations, including for the University of Texas at Austin and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation (USA). Askala has also planned and executed outstanding corporate social responsibility programs and philanthropy-related events for admired and prestigious companies. She deeply understand the multifaceted philanthropic landscape and excel in nonprofit consulting from her experiences: working directly with high-net-worth donors, building donor engagement and development, leading organizational strategic planning, and implementing effective leadership and board development initiatives. Having served in executive leadership positions, on boards of directors, and in volunteer roles with various organizations, she brings a unique and holistic perspective to philanthropy. She has used those experiences to help nonprofits enhance their financial sustainability and organizational infrastructure and bridge donors and nonprofits successfully.
Heidi Thompson, Digital Marketing
Heidi is a publishing executive with 25 years of experience helping nonprofits leverage the science of marketing to build audiences, cultivate donors, and earn revenue. She was the publisher and CEO of Religion News Service and served as the vice president for marketing and publisher of Sojourners magazine. A tech-inclined and data-driven marketer, she specializes in email, website and social media marketing, with a focus on building digital programs that draw users from being casual visitors to financial supporters. Heidi has a B.S. in Journalism from the E.W. Scripps School at Ohio University and an M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communication from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.