Messellech Looby
Chief Operating Officer
Messellech “Selley” Looby serves as Chief Operating Officer of First Focus on Children. In this role, Ms. Looby is working to improve and expand donor relationships and strategic partnerships. Ms. Looby brings valuable experience building strong relationships with philanthropic foundations, corporations and individual donors and is working to strategically move First Focus forward in each of these areas.
Before joining First Focus Messellech served as the Director of Development at The Constitution Project and was responsible for creating and implementing a strategic development strategy where she led development efforts to meet an annual goal of $1.2 million. Prior to joining The Constitution Project, Messellech worked as a Fundraising Consultant at WealthEngine where she managed a portfolio of 80 clients ranging from higher education to healthcare to national nonprofit organizations. Messellech also served as Development Manager for the Cancer Support Community HQ where she worked to secure funding for critical programs that support cancer patients and their caregivers. While at the CSC, Messellech served as Chair for the National Development Committee where she worked closely with affiliate fundraising leaders from across the country to support their development efforts.
Messellech earned her BA in Political Science with a minor in Professional and Technical Writing from the University of Hartford and her MA in International Affairs from Georgetown University. She serves as the Board Chair for District Motherhued – a DC-based nonprofit that works to empower mothers of color. Messellech resides in Washington, DC with her husband and two children.
