Amy Brokl

When Amy Brokl left her hometown of Minneapolis to attend Johns Hopkins University, she probably didn’t expect to find a career and a calling. After graduating from JHU, she spent several years working with the Office of Admissions, working with prospective students and families, before joining the division of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) and shifting her focus to alumni and donors.  

Amy has worked with DAR for more than ten years. She is currently the Director of Development for the Regional Programs team. With this position, she is based in Seattle but crisscrosses the country to represent Johns Hopkins University and Medicine, building relationships with alumni and donors. Between managing her Baltimore-based team and managing a major gifts portfolio, Amy pushes herself to stay flexible, curious, and focused on finding how to match her donors’ philanthropic interests with opportunities at Johns Hopkins.  

What brought you to DAR?  

Curiosity and challenge! I worked as a dual appointment in Undergraduate Admissions and Alumni Relations for many years and I could not work alongside gift officers for long without wondering how the job works. After several eye-opening conversations with development colleagues, I heard enough to think beyond “the ask” and embrace advancement’s nuance and complexity.      

What accomplishment are you most proud of (work and/or personal)? 

Partnering with and supporting my teammates in their professional growth and development is one of the most consistently rewarding parts of my job.   

What do you like most about your job? 

In my role on Regional Programs, I serve the whole of Johns Hopkins University and Medicine. In doing so, I have the opportunity to meet the most fascinating, engaging, and committed alumni, patient donors, parents, and supporters across the country. I’m motivated and inspired by their deep and varied connections to us, their interest in our mission, and their investment in our work.   

What do you like to do when you are not working (hobbies, activities, etc.)?  

Travel is a significant part of my professional life and happily a personal priority of mine too. I read widely, dine out with enthusiasm, and spend a significant portion of my time exploring my new home city of Seattle.      

Please share something others may not know about you (a hidden talent, a unique accomplishment, etc.).  

Over the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as a mentor to a college student through an extraordinary organization co-founded by a childhood friend. Our time together and the organization that connected us have given me another rich perspective on the importance of philanthropy and relationship-building in my life, for which I’m enormously grateful.