Linda McLaughlin of Simsbury, Conn., is the newest addition to the team at Eastern States Exposition (ESE). She recently accepted the position of manager of the ESE Fund, the not-for-profit organization’s fundraising department that works to build donor support for ESE’s year-round programming which advances agriculture, education, entertainment and innovation across New England and beyond.

McLaughlin earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Mount Holyoke College and pursued graduate studies in biochemistry at Princeton University through the National Institute of Health Fellowship.

After her educational endeavors, McLaughlin gained business development experience while working in finance in New York City before transitioning to nonprofit fundraising, first as a parent volunteer with the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn.

McLaughlin has held many roles across her time in the workforce, including time as director of development at ECPAT-USA, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization with a mission to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children across tourism, legislation and other fields. She also served as the director of development at St. Joseph’s Parenting Center (SJPC) of Stamford, Conn., which works to end child abuse and neglect by providing parenting education and support.

Her previous roles reflect her philanthropic values and have given her skills in business development, relationship management and nonprofit fundraising. She attended high school and college in South Hadley, Mass., not far from ESE, and she reports that she is “excited to join the ESE team and add her nonprofit fundraising and business development experience to support and grow the ESE Fund.”