Karen Kelly

With over 27 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, I am a seasoned and passionate professional who specializes in events and donor relations. My mission is to advance the vision and goals of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF), a leading organization dedicated to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and improving the lives of those affected by it. I bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the CFF team, as I have worked with various media outlets, sports networks, and athletic donors in the past.

I am responsible for planning, managing, and executing special events that raise funds and awareness for the CFF and its mission. I also manage volunteer and committee engagement, donor cultivation, grant and family foundation opportunities, individual gifts and corporate sponsorships. I collaborate with Foundation colleagues to exceed chapter goals and deliver impactful and memorable experiences for our donors. I am passionate about making a difference in the lives of people with cystic fibrosis and their families, and I am proud to be part of the CFF team.

Senior Director of Development

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Oct 1996 - Present 

• Responsible for the planning, management, and overall execution of special events with an individual annual fundraising goal of $850k (30% of overall chapter event budget). 
• Manage all aspects of volunteer and committee engagement. 
• Manage recruitment and donor cultivation.
• Identify grant and family foundation opportunities
• Solicit individual gifts and corporate sponsorships, solicitations in the range of $1k- $100k
• Create strategy, identify donors, and implement plans for chapter campaigns
• Collaborate with Foundation colleagues to exceed chapter goals. 
• Events include: 
o CFF Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner; 350 attendees. 
o Annual Kings Cup Battle of the Private Equity Firms; 16 firms, 400 attendees, live auction
o Annual Nantucket Slam; Three-day fishing tournament, 150 in attendance, live & silent auction.
o Annual CF Invitational; Golf Tournament, Sponsor Driven, 144 in attendance, silent auction. 
o Boston Bruins 50/50 Charity event – volunteer recruitment
Director of Development 2010 – 2013
Senior Director of Events 2007 – 2010
Event Director 1998 – 2007
Event Coordinator 1996 – 1998
• Events Included 
o 20th Annual Casino Royale; Dinner dance, 500 attendees, silent auction
o Improper Bostonian Magazine’s Halloween Fun Run, 5k Road Race, 500 attendees
o Phantom Gourmet/Eddie Adelman’s Hot Dog Safari; 6,000-15,000 attendees,200 volunteers
o Annual Bruins Holiday Auction; On-Line Holiday Auction 
o Community Golf Program, management of 5 grass-roots golf tournaments
o Great Strides Walk 
o PGA Constellation Senior Players Championship; Sponsor and volunteer recruitment• Responsible for the planning, management, and overall execution of special events with an individual annual fundraising goal of $850k (30% of overall chapter event budget). • Manage all aspects of volunteer and committee engagement. • Manage recruitment and donor cultivation. • Identify grant and family foundation opportunities • Solicit individual gifts and corporate sponsorships, solicitations in the range of $1k- $100k • Create strategy, identify donors, and implement plans for chapter campaigns • Collaborate with Foundation colleagues to exceed chapter goals. • Events include: o CFF Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner; 350 attendees. o Annual Kings Cup Battle of the Private Equity Firms; 16 firms, 400 attendees, live auction o Annual Nantucket Slam; Three-day fishing tournament, 150 in attendance, live & silent auction. o Annual CF Invitational; Golf Tournament, Sponsor Driven, 144 in attendance, silent auction. o Boston Bruins 50/50 Charity event – volunteer recruitment Director of Development 2010 – 2013 Senior Director of Events 2007 – 2010 Event Director 1998 – 2007 Event Coordinator 1996 – 1998 • Events Included o 20th Annual Casino Royale; Dinner dance, 500 attendees, silent auction o Improper Bostonian Magazine’s Halloween Fun Run, 5k Road Race, 500 attendees o Phantom Gourmet/Eddie Adelman’s Hot Dog Safari; 6,000-15,000 attendees,200 volunteers o Annual Bruins Holiday Auction; On-Line Holiday Auction o Community Golf Program, management of 5 grass-roots golf tournaments o Great Strides Walk o PGA Constellation Senior Players Championship; Sponsor and volunteer recruitment

University of Massachusetts Amherst 1990-1994

BA

Sports Management & Business