Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Names John Avondolio Vice President of Marketing and Communications

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the nation's largest donor-funded mentoring network, has named John Avondolio Vice President of Marketing and Communications.  Avondolio will oversee the 380-agency national organization's marketing and communications department, developing and implementing innovative campaigns and programs to enhance brand awareness and fund development.

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"We are extremely fortunate to have on our executive team a communications leader with John's diverse talent and extensive strategic integrated marketing experience," said Big Brothers Big Sisters of America President and Chief Executive Officer Karen J. Mathis.  "Our nation is looking for proven programs that provide support for schools, communities and families to help kids who face adversity succeed.  Our ability to serve more families and volunteers and enhance our programs depends on high-profile national communications campaigns that illustrate how our quality long-term mentoring is a part of the solution."

Avondolio comes to Big Brothers Big Sisters after serving nine years with Razorfish, an international digital marketing agency, where he was Group Vice President of Client Engagement.  Prior to that, he was Vice President of Account Services at Waypoint Interactive, an agency that pioneered e-commerce and digital marketing efforts for Fila Sports, Aeropostale, W.L. Gore and DuPont, among other brands.  Avondolio started his career in New York at Young & Rubicam in 1986.

"I am excited and humbled to be able to apply my communications skills in this amazing national role at Big Brothers Big Sisters, an organization for which I have been a donor and about which I am deeply passionate," Avondolio said.  "I am honored to be able to elevate the organization's image and play a direct role in supporting our network of agencies, funders, volunteers and families who work together to help children who face adverse circumstances in our country beat the odds."

Avondolio received a BA in English from the University of Delaware.  He is on the advisory panel for Delaware First Media, an independent non-profit news organization, and spends his free time coaching youth lacrosse in Wilmington.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters

For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. Most children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters are in single-parent and low-income families or households where a parent is incarcerated. As the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and children ("Littles").

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides a system of ongoing evaluation and support that is proven by independent studies to help families by improving the odds that "Littles" will perform better in school and avoid violence and illegal activities, and have stronger relationships with their parents and others. Headquartered in Philadelphia with a network of nearly 400 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves nearly 250,000 children. Learn how you can positively impact a child's life, donate, or volunteer at BigBrothersBigSisters.org.

SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters of America