Experience

PEAK - Partnership to Educate and Advance Kids

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Executive Director

  • Apr 2018 - Jun 2022

  Greater Chicago Area PEAK provides opportunities for underserved Chicago youth to achieve academic and personal success by combining a four-year, values-based high-school education with guidance from caring and committed adult mentors. • Accomplishment Highlights: - Identified three key priorities for growth through strategic analysis of organizational potential: enhanced services for students, new solicitation mechanisms and avenues for diverse voices in leadership and a diversified base of… Show more PEAK provides opportunities for underserved Chicago youth to achieve academic and personal success by combining a four-year, values-based high-school education with guidance from caring and committed adult mentors. • Accomplishment Highlights: - Identified three key priorities for growth through strategic analysis of organizational potential: enhanced services for students, new solicitation mechanisms and avenues for diverse voices in leadership and a diversified base of financial support. - Grew fundraising dollars by more than 94% over three years (more than $600K in FY2021 vs. $326K in FY2018). - Raised $122,062 from FY 2020 annual campaign vs. $43,289 TOTAL over previous three years, increasing number of unique campaign donors from 19 in FY 2019 to 226 in FY 2020 (12-fold increase). - Cultivated donors who made $100K plus long-term commitments and expanded support into new business sectors to support strategic emphasis on revenue stability. Substantially increased number of participating donors using innovative fundraising avenues. - Established PEAK’s Associate Board with 25% mentor participation, doubled the ratio of people of color on the Governing Board and cultivated mentor and scholar alumni membership. - Addressed COVID-19-related fundraising challenges by creating one of Chicago’s first virtual fundraising events; attracted 500+ virtual attendees. - Increased the size of incoming freshman classes over three years (2018-2020) by more than twice the size of graduating senior classes. - Improved student retention and program completion by more than 95% during four years as Executive Director vs. 50% attrition rate in previous years. Established a new mental health assessment and counseling program that gained 60% scholar participation rate.. - Engaged high-profile community leaders to support PEAK’s mission and recruited City Colleges Chancellor Juan Salgado and Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart to speak at fundraisers. Show less



Katherine Rush & Associates

• United States
• Public Relations and Communications Services

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Oct 2011 - Mar 2018

  Evanston, Illinois • Accomplishment Highlights: -For the Israel Idonije Foundation (IIF): Researched, conducted interviews for situation analysis that outlined both internal preparedness for, and likely external influencers on, development and partnership options, and made recommendations for priority next steps for 2017. Planned and initiated introductions to stakeholders and civic leaders who would come together to establish the nonprofit-hub Impact House. - For Dez Clark, retired Chicago Bear:… Show more • Accomplishment Highlights: -For the Israel Idonije Foundation (IIF): Researched, conducted interviews for situation analysis that outlined both internal preparedness for, and likely external influencers on, development and partnership options, and made recommendations for priority next steps for 2017. Planned and initiated introductions to stakeholders and civic leaders who would come together to establish the nonprofit-hub Impact House. - For Dez Clark, retired Chicago Bear: Managed crisis communications including media appearances in response to local and national coverage of Dez Clark’s arrest in a civil rights dispute with local police and school officials. Wrote and booked speeches on the role of diversity in team success. - For the Juvenile Protective Association (JPA): Conducted a PR campaign around a donation in honor of long-time JPA supporter Ernie Banks that led to coverage in all major Chicago media (including Sun Times and Chicago Tribune stories and two segments on networks.) Co-lead coordination of annual benefit that raised $500,000 for the nonprofit. - For Ci3 (University of Chicago): Crafted social media strategy for Born Brave Chicago, an anti-bully campaign sponsored by Lady Gaga's foundation, Born This Way, in partnership with the City of Chicago, and financed by the MacArthur Foundation. Conducted situation analysis of social media landscape. Provided client with social media editorial calendar, traditional tools (posters, appeal letters, and contest details), campaign timeline, and social media training. In just three weeks increased social media campaign involvement by over 100 percent. - For the Becker Friedman Institute (University of Chicago): Produced three videos and wrote summaries of economics papers for the Becker Friedman Institute at the University of Chicago. - Designed (and conducted) a series of social media seminars for an prominent association of Chicago's most influential financial executives. Show less



Metropolitan Group

• United States
• Strategic Management Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Counsel

  • 2008 - 2011

  Responsibilities: On individual contracts, collaborate with teams providing communication and organizational change services to non-profit and government clients.

• Senior Communications Director

  • 2007 - 2008

  Responsibilities: Direct, manage, and contribute to teams providing communication and organization management services to non-profit and government clients. Accomplishment Highlights: • Wrote speeches and other complex materials on finance for Calvert Investments. • Oversaw a strategic planning initiative and conducted an organizational analysis for Voices for Illinois Children. • Managed new brand development and conducted relevant analysis for First… Show more Responsibilities: Direct, manage, and contribute to teams providing communication and organization management services to non-profit and government clients. Accomplishment Highlights: • Wrote speeches and other complex materials on finance for Calvert Investments. • Oversaw a strategic planning initiative and conducted an organizational analysis for Voices for Illinois Children. • Managed new brand development and conducted relevant analysis for First Nonprofit Insurance Company. • Co-designed and implemented, as well as managed, all public affairs outreach for the "Say it out loud" campaign to promote mental health awareness (sponsored by the State of Illinois and the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership). • Produced radio spots broadcast across the State of Illinois and created all outreach toolkit materials available online for the “Say it out loud” campaign. • Conducted an analysis of the Little City Foundation as part of a comprehensive strategic planning process. • Acquired major new clients including the Little City Foundation.



Illinois Housing Development Authority

• United States
• Real Estate
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Communications Director

  • 2006 - 2007

  Responsibilities: Supervise staff and manage media relations, special program implementation, and agency marketing. Create protocols for department procedures. Oversee the department budget. Write speeches. Create brochures for programs and speech templates for groundbreakings and other events. Write weekly agency reports to the Governor’s Office. Spearhead production of and contribute to the annual report. Plan and organize the annual Affordable Housing… Show more Responsibilities: Supervise staff and manage media relations, special program implementation, and agency marketing. Create protocols for department procedures. Oversee the department budget. Write speeches. Create brochures for programs and speech templates for groundbreakings and other events. Write weekly agency reports to the Governor’s Office. Spearhead production of and contribute to the annual report. Plan and organize the annual Affordable Housing Conference. Accomplishment Highlights: Established a foundation for a more proactive public affairs department. Wrote Annual Report highlighting the importance of breaking down silos and establishing collaboration across agencies and foundations in successfully addressing social challenges, highlighting examples from the housing sector. Show less



State of Illinois

• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Policy Advisor (Veterans Affairs)/Speech Writer (Office of the Governor)

  • 2002 - 2006

  Responsibilities: Oversee creation and funding of new programs for veterans. Write speeches for the Governor and other senior officials. Accomplishment Highlights: • Initiated a study of Federal VA benefits for Illinois veterans that highlighted a half-billion dollar annual shortfall. • Developed and implemented a strategy that raised millions of dollars for the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) and significantly expanded State of Illinois outreach… Show more Responsibilities: Oversee creation and funding of new programs for veterans. Write speeches for the Governor and other senior officials. Accomplishment Highlights: • Initiated a study of Federal VA benefits for Illinois veterans that highlighted a half-billion dollar annual shortfall. • Developed and implemented a strategy that raised millions of dollars for the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) and significantly expanded State of Illinois outreach to veterans. • Increased the budget for front-line staff (Veteran Service Officers) by 50%. • Created major new programs serving Illinois veterans (including the Prince Home, a pilot initiative that received substantial media coverage and national policy attention as the first affordable housing program for PTSD disabled veterans funded by a State VA). • Generated front-page press and other media coverage of shortfalls in the allocation of benefits to Illinois veterans. • Established a new non-profit organization to benefit PTSD veterans. • Wrote speeches for the agency director and other senior government officials as needed. Show less



Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

• United States
• Banking
• 700 & Above Employee

• Speech Writer

  • 1998 - 2001

  Responsibilities: Coordinate economic research to feed into remarks for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s President in support of the Federal Open Market Committee process. Write speeches for the Bank President -- delivered at national and local venues -- on various topics including monetary policy and banking. Accomplishment Highlights: • Produced speeches and talking points for the Bank President, many of which were covered by the national press; designed… Show more Responsibilities: Coordinate economic research to feed into remarks for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s President in support of the Federal Open Market Committee process. Write speeches for the Bank President -- delivered at national and local venues -- on various topics including monetary policy and banking. Accomplishment Highlights: • Produced speeches and talking points for the Bank President, many of which were covered by the national press; designed processes for speech development and dissemination. • Provided personal speech coaching to the Bank President and senior staff; coordinated external consultants as needed. • Wrote speeches featured in Vital Speeches and Executive Speaker. • Wrote a speech quoted at length in The New Yorker; co-founded HERO, the Higher Education Resource Organization of the Bank (1999). Show less



BBC, NPR, Business Week, Reuters, Bloomberg, The Prague Post

• Europe-based Freelance Reporter and Producer

  • 1991 - 1996

  London/Prague Accomplishment Highlights: • Wrote articles for Business Week on the European film industry, the Channel Tunnel, budget airlines operating in Europe, the booming high-end property market in Cape Town, South Africa, and sections of a cover story on the glass ceiling encountered by women in Europe. • Wrote radio scripts for features/interviews on shows included BBC Radio Five Live’s UP ALL NIGHT, BBC Radio Four’s WORLD TONIGHT, and the BBC World Service’s NEWSHOUR. •… Show more Accomplishment Highlights: • Wrote articles for Business Week on the European film industry, the Channel Tunnel, budget airlines operating in Europe, the booming high-end property market in Cape Town, South Africa, and sections of a cover story on the glass ceiling encountered by women in Europe. • Wrote radio scripts for features/interviews on shows included BBC Radio Five Live’s UP ALL NIGHT, BBC Radio Four’s WORLD TONIGHT, and the BBC World Service’s NEWSHOUR. • Produced segments for Reuters Financial Television. • Wrote economics and finance articles for The Prague Post. Show less



FINCA International

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• Director of Development

  • 1989 - 1991

  Accomplishment Highlights: • Orchestrated fundraising efforts for non-profit FINCA’s micro-enterprise programs. • Wrote dozens of grant proposals and project reports for major sponsors (foundation and corporate). • Produced, edited, and co-authored agency brochures and annual reports. • Designed donor prospect systems. • Maintained donor communications.