Rodney Wheeler is Vice President for Development and Community Relations at The Alliance for Education. He recently left the United Way of King County where he was Vice President for Resource Development during a period when the organization more than doubled its donations. He started with the United Way system in 1977 and served in North Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia and New York City, in addition to United Way of America. He teaches professional development courses and has led fundraising workshops for the National Academy of Voluntarism and for nonprofit organizations in Mexico, Brazil, Japan and China. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and a member of the Seattle Rotary Club and the Advisory Board for the UW's fundraising certificate. Rodney is president of the Northwest Development Officers Association and in 1998 was named Development Officer of the Year. He lists workplace giving programs, major gifts, corporate relations and giving, brand management, community relations and development planning as special areas of expertise.