Annie Sawyer
Director of Philanthropy
Annie Sawyer is thrilled to join Lifeline Community Services as Director of Philanthropy, where she will lead strategy to increase the resources that fuel Lifeline’s impact among youth and families in San Diego County. With more than fifteen years’ experience in nonprofit fundraising and communications, Annie’s approach to philanthropy is relationship-driven and results-oriented, rooted in trust, transparency, and shared purpose.
Before joining Lifeline, Annie served as Director of Philanthropic Giving at SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services), one of the largest social service agencies in San Diego County. There, she built a comprehensive individual giving program designed to strengthen the organization’s long-term stability and growth and spearheaded a capital campaign that raised more than $3MM to support a new Center for Impact, which opened in October 2025.
Previously, Annie served as Senior Director of Development and External Relations at Outdoor Outreach, where she led fundraising and communications efforts that increased fundraising revenue by 75 percent in three years. She also held the role of Associate Director of Development at Francis Parker School, where she doubled alumni giving participation during her tenure and contributed to the successful $6.5MM Heart of Campus Project to fund a new Student Life Center.
Across roles, Annie is known for building collaborative, motivated teams and bringing clarity, heart, and mission alignment to every project — connecting people to purpose and turning bold ideas into community impact. She holds a BA in Strategic Communication from The Ohio State University and is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals San Diego.
