The rambunctious Wounded Warrior Project embraces multichannel strategies to fund its mission to transition America’s youngest disabled vets back into civilian life.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

Melia, however, comes down on the other side of that debate.

“I don’t think you can be successful [as a fundraiser] unless you’re passionate about the cause,” he says. “But professionalizing the fundraising staff is important because, you know, people are looking. People care deeply, and they want to know that the dollars are going where you say they’re going. I think it’s important that people are trained. This is a profession, and [WWP has] always treated it that way.