Ivy Buchan

Dr. Ivy R. Buchan fell in love with volunteerism and board governance in high school as the president of a community service club, and then while working at a domestic violence shelter in college she decided to focus her career in the nonprofit sector. Ivy is the President of Helix Strategies, LLC and for the last 19 years she has worked with nonprofits and community based organizations. She is also a Licensed Consultant, PANO Standards for Excellence. Helix helps organizations to raise funds and develop their leaders and programs for sustainable success. Ivy and her team specialize in fundraising/development strategies, board development, succession planning, capacity building, and program evaluation.

Ivy earned Ph.D. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Administration and Leadership Studies in the Nonprofit and Public Sectors. Her dissertation research focused on multidisciplinary team collaboration. Ivy co-founded two nonprofits and has edits three nonprofit textbooks. She also serves on the York College Alumni Board, West Shore Young Professional Advisory Board, Financial Institution Young Professional Advisory Board, Cumberland County Library System Future Task Force, and is the Vice President of the United Way Bridges Society Steering Committee.

Ivy was the 2020 winner of the YWCA's Tribute to Women of Excellence, 2018 finalist for the Conference for Women Lifetime Achievement Award, 2018 winner of the Central Penn Business Journal’s (CPBJ) Women of Influence Community Achievement Award, 2018 winner of Leadership Harrisburg Area’s The Extra Mile Award, 2017 winner of the CPBJ’s Forty Under 40, 2017 winner of City State PA’s 40 Under 40 Rising Stars, and a graduate of the Leadership Harrisburg Area Class of 2018.