Kathleen Casanova Email & Phone Number

Denver, Co

Denver, Co

Conducting end-to-end, nation-wide executive and director level searches and providing program development services to nonprofits, institutions of higher education and for-profit companies. Key responsibilities and accomplishments include:- Executing searches for critical executive and director level positions including an Executive Director to reinvigorate a nonprofit, a Director for a highly-specialized new program and a Senior Director to oversee a growing department and execute a new vision.- Auditing the learning and development program and creating a holistic strategy to strengthen training of mid-level managers for a major university.- Advising on diversity and inclusion strategies for a healthcare clinic, financial services company, hospitality organization and fast growing consumer product brand.

Greater Denver Area

In this role I served as a volunteer board member to provide strategic and tactical insight into diversity and inclusion opportunities for all chapter initiatives, activities and events. Major accomplishments include:- Chartering and beginning to execute the chapter’s first comprehensive strategic and tactical plan to set, achieve, measure and report on chapter diversity and inclusion goals. - Actively building and maintaining relationships in diverse communities and organizations across Colorado on behalf of AFP to expand network, increase diversity of membership and programming and identify partners to help achieve diversity goals.- Chairing the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of more than 15 AFP members (the chapter’s largest committee) and coordinate all committee activities.

Denver, Colorado

Spearheading full-cycle searches (average requisition load of ~20), sourcing and building diverse talent pipelines and advising on employment branding and value propositions for high-growth, VC-backed consumer goods and technology companies. Key responsibilities and accomplishments include:- Working directly with a CEO to scope and hire a sales team to lead growth in a new market. - Partnering with a VP of Marketing to develop and execute a hiring strategy to capture new verticals.- Shape and hire roles for the first ever innovation and insights team at a growing tech company.- Additional roles filled in the following areas: Sales, Marketing, Social Media, Innovation, Accounting, Customer Service, Analytics/Insight, Operations, Logistics and several niche, specialized roles.- Given a promotion to assist with business development efforts through researching and identifying new client opportunities and nurturing and growing prospective client relationships.

Austin, Texas

Work with senior leadership in the Office of Development to create and implement the strategic plan for the very first talent development program for a 400 person team. Key responsibilities and accomplishments included:- Immediately helping fill and close over 55 brand new positions across all departments and levels.- Collaborating with hiring managers and stakeholders to understand needs, streamline and improve the hiring process and implement results-based hiring practices.- Implementing and tracking analytics to monitor and evolve progress towards recruiting goals.- Leading development and implementation of multi-pronged employer brand and value campaign.- Overhauling the pre-boarding and onboarding process for new hires to include a streamlined process that allows for operational efficiencies and early employee engagement.- Creating and launching a comprehensive training program, including in-person and online trainings.- Planning and facilitating the department’s first diversity and inclusion committee and training curriculum and serving on the President’s University Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan committee.

Broomfield, Colorado

Served as a member of the Vice President of Advancement’s Leadership Team to identify, implement and refine best practices for talent acquisition and management, performance management and diversity for 250 person system-wide team. Key responsibilities and accomplishments include:- Formalizing a strong and successful sourcing system which resulted in meeting and tracking more than 500 pre-screened, qualified candidates. Upon my departure, direct sourcing had resulted in more than 30 hires. - Partnering and collaborating with campus partners and stakeholders to overhaul the hiring process to reduce time-to-hire from 90+ days to an average of 35 days.- Establishing an engagement strategy resulting in the Gallup’s Q12 Survey score increasing from 58th to the 86th percentile in first year of implementation.- Devising and delivering customized performance management and metrics-setting process and toolkit to improve retention. - Developing and implementing a two-day, centralized orientation and training program.- Chartering and executing the first comprehensive strategic and tactical D&I plan for the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Colorado Board of Directors as a two-term Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion.

Aurora, Colorado

When the Vice President of Advancement at Texas Tech left to oversee fundraising at the University of Colorado she recruited me into this position. In this role, I oversaw the development and implementation of strategic fundraising plans for the Division of Infectious Diseases, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Orthopedics and the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center. At CU Anschutz, I worked with faculty, board members and staff to identify and solicit major and planned gift prospects to support programmatic priorities and created and executed donor cultivation and stewardship plans for a variety of individuals (including alumni and grateful patients) as well as foundations and corporations. Major accomplishments include:- Establishing the first formal grateful patient program for the Office of Rheumatology resulting in one of the first cultivated major gifts ($100,000) from a patient who had previously only given $250.- Raising more than $1 million total and adding more than $5 million to the gift pipeline in tenure at the University of Colorado.

Lubbock Texas

At Texas Tech, I oversaw the development and implementation of strategic fundraising plans for the College of Visual and Performing Arts and was then promoted to the Rawls College of Business. In both colleges I worked with faculty and staff to identify and solicit major and planned gift prospects to support programmatic priorities and created and executed donor cultivation and stewardship plans for a variety of individuals (including alumni and grateful patients) as well as foundations and corporations. Major accomplishments include:- Raising more than $1.5 million total.- Adding more than $3 million to the gift pipeline in tenure and receiving the monthly “Top Fundraiser” award in April 2013 at Texas Tech for closing one of the largest gifts ($330,000) that month at the institution.

Brooklyn, Ny

Hired as the first full-time fundraising professional on staff, in this role I was responsible for creating a robust fundraising program, including overseeing and securing all philanthropic revenue including board, corporate and individual giving, foundation and government grants and special event income; researching prospective funding opportunities and maintaining a rigorous proposal and letter of inquiry submissions schedule; serving as lead writer on all fundraising communications including grant proposals, reports, appeal letters and donor correspondence; creating and executing donor cultivation, stewardship and reporting plans for individuals, foundations, corporations and government; plan and manage fundraising events; customizing and maintaining the organization’s CRM database (Salesforce); creating and implementing integrated communication strategies including newsletter, e-blasts, website and social media; responding to press requests and inquiries; and overseeing Development and Communications interns.

New York City, Ny

Upon graduating, I was chosen as one of 17 NYC Urban Fellows (link below). As a fellow I was selected to work in the SBS Commissioner's Executive Office for my nine month placement and was extended an offer to stay and serve as the Commissioner's Senior Policy Advisor. In this role I worked closely with the Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of staff to create content for briefings and presentations to prepare the commissioner for all internal and external meetings and public affairs events; draft remarks and correspondence from the commissioner; prepare proposals and collaborate with corporate partners to secure funding for special projects; and work with the Communication Department to create content for and edit all external marketing collateral and documents.

Chapel Hill, Nc

Chapel Hill, Nc

Prepared first draft of now published article “Where Can They Play? Outdoor spaces and physical activity among adolescents in U.S. urbanized areas. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 51.3-4 (Sept. – Oct. 2010): 295-298.”

Cuernavaca, Mx

Bachelor Of Arts In Public Policy And Latin American Studies, Minor In Geography, Highest Honors

Coursework For Master Of Arts In Communications With A Focus On Organizational Communications

Education record

Postpartum Doula Training