About Us

Big Duck has been developing the voices of determined nonprofits for decades, so we’ve honed our process and structure to make communications projects manageable for our clients while delivering exceptional results.

We’re big enough to have deep expertise on our staff—but not so big that you’ll get lost in the fold or assigned a team that lacks experience. Our optimal size, skill sets, and processes ensure that we forge ahead on your projects reliably and efficiently no matter what.

Our team is actively helping nonprofits navigate the COVID-19 crisis through fundraising campaigns, materials development, and communications consulting.

Clients

Our clients change the world, and we love being a part of that. Since 1994, we’ve helped hundreds of nonprofits improve their branding, campaigns, and fundraising efforts. Here’s a list of some of our recent and current clients.

  • Apollo Theater
  • Brooklyn Botanic Garden
  • The Green-Wood Historic Fund
  • The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
  • Manhattan Theatre Club
  • Newark Museum of Art
  • Project for Public Spaces
  • The Public Theater
  • Queens Botanical Garden
  • Sundance Institute
  • CFLeads: Community Foundations Leading Change
  • Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
  • Coast Guard Foundation
  • Community Foundation of Collier County
  • Fair Labor Association
  • Ms. Foundation for Women
  • NeighborWorks America
  • The New York Women's Foundation
  • Robin Hood
  • Women Donors Network
  • Barnard College
  • Hannah Senesh Community Day School
  • Internationals Network for Public Schools
  • The Jewish Theological Seminary
  • The KIPP Foundation
  • Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School
  • Lycée Français de New York
  • MƒA (Math for America)
  • New York School of Interior Design
  • NYC FIRST
  • Parsons School for Design
  • Per Scholas
  • American Wind Energy Association
  • Bat Conservation International
  • Brooklyn Botanic Garden
  • Climate Central
  • Conservation International
  • GRID Alternatives
  • New York-New Jersey Trail Conference
  • Pasa Sustainable Agriculture
  • Prospect Park Alliance
  • WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society)
  • ADL
  • American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
  • Auburn Seminary
  • Covenant House
  • Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
  • Good Shepherd Services
  • Hillel International
  • Israel Policy Forum
  • The Jewish Board
  • Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan
  • Reconstructing Judaism
  • Atlanta Community Food Bank
  • Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC)
  • Commonpoint Queens (formerly Samuel Field Y and the Central Queens Y)
  • Community Service Society
  • FAMILYConnections
  • Change Machine (formerly The Financial Clinic)
  • Girls on the Run NYC
  • Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles
  • PGA REACH
  • NYC Department of Youth and Community Development
  • United Way for Greater Austin
  • Wayfinder Family Services
  • American Association for Thoracic Surgery
  • American Parkinson Disease Association
  • Breast Cancer Research Foundation
  • Burke Neurological Institute
  • CaringBridge
  • Fountain House
  • Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation
  • Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy
  • Pathfinder International
  • Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance
  • American Jewish World Service
  • Corporate Accountability
  • Friends of UNFPA
  • Global Ties U.S.
  • Health Equity International (formerly St. Boniface Haiti Foundation)
  • HIAS
  • Humanity & Inclusion-US
  • International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region
  • Masa Israel Journey
  • Women and Manual Trades
  • American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
  • American Immigration Council
  • Community Change
  • Center for Constitutional Rights
  • Center for Court Innovation
  • Institute for Women's Policy Research
  • John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity (formerly Prisoner Reentry Institute)
  • Keshet: For LGBTQ Equality in Jewish Life
  • National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice
  • New York Civil Liberties Union
  • Race Forward
  • Shriver Center on Poverty Law

Values

Big Duck’s values inform how we run our business, interact with our clients, and work together. These are the values that guide us.

  • Integrity

    We advocate for what’s best, not necessarily what’s best for us.

  • Improvement

    We encourage continuous inquiry, learning, and practice.

  • Pragmatism

    We embrace the realities of any situation to get things done.

  • Candor

    We communicate openly with our clients and each other.

  • Collaboration

    We flourish when we put our minds together.

  • Motivation

    We find inspiration in the people we work with and missions we support.

DEI Commitment

Big Duck proactively works to improve our diversity, equity, and inclusion knowledge and abilities because doing so is critical to the success of Big Duck and of our clients’ missions. As we continuously learn and grow, we apply these lenses to our work and to how we run our company. As part of this effort, all Big Duck employees participate in a daylong training on racial equity led by Race Forward. Our in-house equity committee (that all staff take part in) meets monthly to build our collective capacity and consciousness and leads projects that embed equity into our work. We also partner with other consultants who help us infuse equity more deeply into Big Duck’s culture and practices.

Team

Big Duck is a values-driven and certified woman-owned business (WBE). We celebrate equity, diversity, and inclusiveness on our team, with our clients, and among our partners.

Riddhi Cidambi

Account Manager

Ally Dommu

Director of Strategy

Sarah Durham

Founder and CEO

Laura Fisher

Senior Strategist

Olivia Freire

Operations Coordinator

Marissa Lea Gaston

Strategist

Ryan Gerhardt

Senior Copywriter

Wing-Sze Ho

Graphic Designer

Sarita Joseph

Senior Account Manager

Maya Ovrutsky

Senior Account Manager

Jennifer Petersen

Marketing Coordinator

Elizabeth Ricca

Partner, Chief Operating Officer

Claire Taylor Hansen

Creative Director

Hannah Thomas

Director of Learning and Innovation

Farra Trompeter

Partner, Chief Growth Officer

Lila Tublin

Senior Copywriter

Sandy Zimmerman

Design Director

Open House

Big Duck regularly holds open houses to connect with individuals and nonprofits who’d like to learn more about us. Each open house includes a brief overview of our work, a Q & A session with one or more of our staff members, and the opportunity to ask questions and network.

Jobs

In search of the satisfaction that comes from helping great nonprofits improve their communications? Know how to balance hard work with good fun? More than okay with occasional visits from one or two adorable office dogs? You might have what it takes to join our team.

Big Duck collaborates with talented writers and designers at all stages of their careers. Experience with and a passion for working with nonprofit organizations is a plus.

Copywriting:
We’re looking for writers with experience in naming, short-form, and long-form writing.

Design:
We’re looking for designers with experience in logo design, branding & identity systems, art direction, design production, front-end digital design, print layout, and illustration.

Sounds great. How do I apply?

Please follow the instructions and fill out the form on the next page. We will be in touch if we think you’re a good fit. No direct phone calls please. Thank you for your interest.

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