J.D. Beiting
Vice President
Author’s Note
Good leadership is easy to spot but hard to define. Popular idioms point to leadership as influence, or hope, or the ability to translate vision into reality. Some leaders are characterized by charisma, others by quiet acts of service. The leaders of the Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) are all of these things and more.
Benefactor Group is proud to work with leaders of all styles and backgrounds. Through this interview series, we have asked a number of our partners, past and present, to share their personal leadership philosophies, career journeys, and experiences working in partnership with Benefactor Group. We found each conversation illuminating—and have shared their varied accomplishments, trials, and lessons learned below.
About Chris Mundell
Chris Mundell leads CCAD’s efforts to build and sustain strategic partnerships that advance the college’s mission in the community and expand its network of supporters. As Vice President for Institutional Engagement, Mundell guides the teams responsible for alumni engagement, development, marketing & communications, corporate & community partnerships, and career services. He also leads the college’s government and community relations strategies and serves as chair of the Presidential Commission on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
With a higher education career spanning over 20 years, Mundell previously served as CCAD’s Vice President for Student Affairs and Title IX Coordinator. Prior to joining CCAD, he held various roles in student advising and learning support services at The Ohio State University.
Mundell earned his master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Miami University and bachelor’s degree in History from Heidelberg University. Professionally, Mundell has been actively involved with ACPA—College Student Educators International, where he served as the chair for the Next Gen Conference, and has held a variety of roles on the governing board of OCPA (Ohio College Personnel Association) including past president. Mundell is a 2012 graduate of the Leadership Columbus Program and was named to Columbus CEO’s “Future 50” class in 2021. Mundell volunteers as a youth soccer coach in Hilliard, where he lives with his family.
About J.D. Beiting
J.D. Beiting provides fundraising counsel for a wide variety of projects, drawing on his 20 years of experience in nonprofit development, operations, and management. His range of expertise brings versatility and strategy to capital campaigns, general development, feasibility studies, and ongoing fundraising counsel. He also has experience in working with corporate, foundation, and government funders on a national, state, and local scale. His experience extends to the Arts and Culture, Health and Human Services, and Higher Education sectors.
Prior to joining Benefactor Group, he held leadership roles at Action for Healthy Kids, a national group addressing childhood obesity, and at Children’s Hunger Alliance Ohio. He also served as the Interim Director at the Springfield Museum of Art in 2019.
With a major in Art History from the University of Pennsylvania, J.D. is passionate about the importance of arts and culture organizations. J.D. actively supports the Columbus arts community; he has served on the ROY G BIV Gallery Board of Directors since 2009, including a term as president from 2018-2022. J.D. is a member of the Leadership Columbus Class of 2021.
If you want to talk to J.D. about leadership, campaigns, or anything else, email him at [email protected].
