We’re Turning Fundraising Challenges Into Growth Opportunities
Practivated helps fundraising teams build the skills, confidence, and clarity they need – through guided simulations, actionable feedback, and team-level insights that spark real growth.
Our Mission.
To improve the lives of fundraisers and move more money toward what matters most.
We exist to close the gap between knowing what to do and feeling ready to do it—so fundraisers can show up to their most important conversations prepared, confident, and focused on building relationships that transform their missions.
Our Vision.
A world where every fundraiser has access to world-class coaching and practice on demand. Where the barrier to great fundraising isn’t talent or commitment, but simply the opportunity to develop skills in a safe, supportive environment. Where fundraisers love their work because they have the tools to do it well.
We’re building toward a future where preparation is personalized, practice is accessible, and every fundraiser—whether they’re brand new or have been in the field for decades—can continuously improve at the parts of fundraising that actually move relationships forward.
How we got here.
Mallory Erickson built Practivated because she lived the problem first.
As an “accidental fundraiser” suddenly responsible for major gifts and donor relationships, she experienced what thousands of fundraisers know too well: stomach-churning anxiety before big conversations, with almost no safe place to practice. The expectation was simple—learn on the job. Which meant learning on your donors.
Every awkward pause was real. Every fumbled ask had consequences. Every missed opportunity to deepen a relationship couldn’t be taken back.
Through coaching and behavior design training, Mallory transformed her own relationship with fundraising. But more importantly, she discovered the real gap: Fundraisers needed reps. Real practice. Private practice. Not role-playing in front of peers where judgment felt inevitable, and not trial-and-error with actual donors where mistakes mattered.
When she spoke with fundraisers across the sector—eventually reaching over 100,000 through her work—the same pattern emerged everywhere. Not a lack of skill or commitment, but a lack of safe space to build the muscle memory that turns nervousness into confidence.
When generative AI arrived, Mallory saw the moment clearly. As cofounder of Fundraising AI, she watched technologists build tools disconnected from fundraisers’ daily reality. The choice was obvious: build it right, or watch someone else build it wrong.
So she did. She brought on a CTO with security expertise and together they built Practivated: the first AI-powered conversation simulator designed specifically for fundraisers, grounded in relational fundraising principles and behavioral science.
A place where the learnable parts of fundraising (building rapport, framing impact, handling hesitation, making asks that land) could be practiced until they felt natural.
A place to build the skills that move donor relationships forward—before those relationships were on the line.
Co-Founder & CEO
Mallory is a nonprofit leader and fundraising coach with over a decade of experience helping mission-driven organizations grow. Her strategic and empathetic approach to fundraising shapes the foundation of Practivated. As a champion for ethical AI, she ensures technology enhances human connection and empowers fundraisers to scale their impact with integrity and confidence.
Co-Founder & CTO
Royi Haddad is a hands-on principal software architect with deep expertise in Al, having led the development of cutting-edge Al products for the past 8 years. As former Co-Founder and CTO of 21 Labs, he developed an Al-powered testing platform acquired by Perforce. Now as CTO of Practivated he drives the development of real-time, ethical Al coaching tools to support fundraisers and amplify social impact.
Managing Director
John Karlo started his career in the nonprofit space as a database administrator before moving into brand and marketing leadership. He brings an analytical mind, deep empathy for nonprofit teams, and a lifelong love of tech to his work at Practivated.
He’s passionate about helping mission-driven organizations embrace Al in a way that feels approachable and ethical. Based out of New Orleans, there is never a dull moment to engage with community and find new spots to walk his dog Rosé.
Head of Sales
Holly Wells has spent nearly three decades bringing new technologies to market, with the past ten years devoted to helping mission-driven organizations navigate digital transformation. From leading CRM, consulting, and data analytics initiatives at Blackbaud to reimagining Planned Giving for the digital era, and now advancing Al-assisted performance and process coaching at Practivated, Holly’s work has always centered on innovation that empowers people and purpose. Based in the South Carolina Lowcountry, she finds balance exploring coastal trails with her dogs or riding horses through the countryside.
Lead Engineer
José Luiz began his career as a full-stack developer and has spent the last decade building scalable software solutions across industries, from fintech to education to social impact. With a deep passion for software development and a strong foundation in both backend architecture and frontend design, he brings thoughtful engineering and systems thinking to his work at Practivated. Jose is driven by a desire to create elegant, user-centered technology that empowers mission-driven teams. Based in Brazil, he thrives in collaborative environments and is always exploring new ways to solve real-world problems with code.
Head of Marketing
Bryan has spent 15 years at the intersection of fundraising, community building, and nonprofit technology raising over $100M for human rights, mental health, and healthcare. He’s led global fundraising campaigns with organizations including Invisible Children, To Write Love On Her Arms, and Moffitt Cancer Center. And more recently served as VP of Marketing at Virtuous, helping to drive over $1B in net new generosity to nonprofits. Based in Maine, he recharges outdoors hiking, skiing, and surfing which helps fuel his creativity and leadership at Practivated.
We’re a small but mighty team driven by the belief that fundraising should feel good—for fundraisers and donors alike.
Everything we build starts with the question: “Does this actually help fundraisers?” Not “Is this technically impressive?” Our North Star is improving the lives of fundraisers—and that guides every decision we make.
Every feature in our platform came from watching how fundraisers actually work and listening to what they actually need. Our users aren’t just customers—they’re our design partners shaping what we build next.
We knew the ethical framework before we wrote a single line of code. Privacy, transparency, and protection of both fundraisers and donors aren’t add-ons—they’re the foundation. If we can’t build something the right way, we don’t build it at all.
Data and insights are worthless if they don’t lead to action. We’re not here to give fundraisers more information to manage—we’re here to help them do the hard things. Our job is to close the gap between knowing what to do and feeling ready to do it.
We believe in the power of reps. Real skills come from real practice, not from reading about best practices or sitting through presentations. We’re building for mastery, not just awareness.
We tell our clients the truth, even when it’s hard. We’re open about what we can and can’t do, what’s coming and what’s not. No overpromising. No hiding behind buzzwords. Just honest conversation about how we can help.
Every dollar raised through Practivated is a dollar going toward causes that change lives. That’s not a side effect—that’s why we exist. We’re here to move more money toward what matters most.
Practivated empowers fundraising teams to confidently engage with donors and create meaningful impact with the right training, practice, and results.
