Kelly brings a passion for campaign planning and strategy – backed by deep experience with campaigns as fundraising leader and a consultant – to her work at Benefactor Group. Heading the firm’s Fundraising service line and Campaigns product line, Kelly advises clients on campaign and donor strategy, drives innovation and problem solving, and fosters collaborative, productive relationships within and between teams. 

Kelly’s background is in higher education fundraising. A skilled major and principal gift fundraiser, she led teams including principal and major giving, annual giving, planned giving, donor relations, and development operations at Eastern Michigan University Foundation. As Campaign Director, she led Eastern Michigan University’s largest and most successful fundraising campaign to date, Give Rise, surpassing its $100 million goal by nearly 20%. As Assistant Vice President of Alumni and Donor Engagement, Kelly led alumni engagement and advancement communications teams, focused on engaging the university’s extensive network of 180,000 alumni. As a fundraising consultant, Kelly has worked closely with clients from all sectors, leading feasibility studies and providing expert campaign counsel. 

Kelly holds degrees from Miami University (Ohio) and Eastern Michigan University. A repeat conference presenter; she’s presented for the American Council on Education (ACE), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). She was a founding member EMU’s Women in Philanthropy initiative, where she served on the board for more than a decade.  

Read more about Kelly and why she serves the common good here.