Torrie A. Taj, CFRE, chief executive officer of Child Crisis Arizona, has been named the 2026 Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Global (AFP).
The Outstanding Fundraising Professional award is the highest honor that AFP bestows, recognizing effective, creative, and inspiring fundraising, as well as the practice and promotion of ethical standards and best practices within the industry. Taj will receive the award in San Diego on Sunday, April 26, at AFP ICON 2026, the largest conference of professional fundraisers in the world with over 3,000 members in attendance.
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“I am deeply honored to receive this global recognition award from AFP,” said Taj. “As I approach three decades of membership, I am reminded how profoundly my leadership journey has been shaped by volunteer service at the chapter level and by the learning, relationships, and inspiration found through our conferences. It has also been shaped by an extraordinary group of volunteers, donors, and colleagues whose optimism, integrity, and dedication truly make the world a better place.”
For more than three decades, Taj has been a driving force for impact across Arizona’s nonprofit landscape. During her 23‑year tenure at A New Leaf, she rose from direct service roles to deputy CEO, where she led major capital campaigns, secured low‑income housing tax credit funding, expanded shelter and housing capacity, and helped grow the organization’s annual budget from $1 million to more than $25 million. Her leadership consistently demonstrated her belief that nonprofits thrive when they have the courage to innovate and the capacity to invest in their missions.
Since 2015, as CEO of Child Crisis Arizona, Taj has overseen dramatic organizational growth and mission expansion. Under her leadership, the annual operating budget grew from $15 million to $43 million, and philanthropic revenue increased from $5.5 million to $22 million, enabling the organization to now serve 40,000+ individuals annually. Taj also successfully led the $25 million Fostering Bright Futures Campaign, culminating in the creation of the Center for Child & Family Wellness — a groundbreaking, net‑zero, sustainability‑focused campus bringing together more than 25 nonprofit partners to provide integrated, no‑cost services for children and families.
“Torrie Taj exemplifies the bold, innovative leadership our sector needs,” said Art Taylor, AFP president and CEO. “What makes Torrie truly stand out is her extraordinary commitment to reimagining what fundraising can and should be. She embraces innovation not as a luxury, but as a necessity. She challenges outdated narratives like the ‘overhead myth’ and instead champions investment in infrastructure, staff development, and long-term financial reserves. Her abundance mindset — her belief that nonprofits should be driven by vision rather than scarcity — has transformed organizations and lives. Torrie’s work is a model for the future of fundraising, and AFP is proud to honor her with this year’s Outstanding Fundraising Professional Award.”
Taj’s passion for professional development and sector leadership is evident throughout her career. A CFRE since 2007 and dedicated CFRE Ambassador, she has mentored dozens of emerging fundraising professionals. She has taught fundraising ethics, marketing, and nonprofit leadership at Arizona State University and the Sanford Institute of Philanthropy and continues to shape organizational culture and executive leadership through Torrie Taj Executive Coaching & Consulting.
Her commitment to professional growth is also reflected in her decades‑long involvement with the AFP Greater Arizona Chapter, where she has served as a board member, chapter chair, and an active mentor through the chapter’s mentorship program, helping ensure that the next generation of fundraisers is well‑prepared, ethical, and inspired.
