Melissa Kaiser Email & Phone Number

Las Vegas, Nevada

Leads a $5.5 million museum enterprise and oversees an executive leadership team that includes a Director of Finance, Director of Development, Director of Marketing and Communications, Director of Facilities and Exhibits, Director of Learning Experiences, Director of Information Technology, and Human Resources Consultant. Responsible for developing and carrying out long-term planning initiatives including strategic planning, local and state advocacy, investment strategies, exhibit master planning, budgeting, annual goal setting, capital and endowment growth. Serves as an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees, responsible for organizational reporting, research, strategy recommendations and the implementation of all Board-approved policies. Provides leadership support to the Executive, Governance, Finance, Development and Education Committees of the Board. Grew the museum’s total operating revenue by 18% between 2018 and 2021 through earned and contributed revenue sources. Established the museum’s first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council in 2020.

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Business development, mergers & acquisitions, and relationship management of projects providing distributed energy products and services to customers in North America.

* Managed and grew a department of twelve and development program of over $5 million annually (approximately 40% of annual operating budget). Leads internal work teams of museum and school program directors, curators, and finance and marketing staff members in support of development goals for the institution. * Served as Chief Development Officer responsible for annual major gifts pipeline of $2 million, planned giving, and capital campaign pipeline of $25 million ($20.5 million raised to date).* Provided leadership for the Development, Capital Campaign and Corporate Relations Committees and serves on Senior Staff, Nominating and Marketing Committees. Responsible for departmental budget planning and annual goal setting.* Served as a the senior staff liaison to the organization’s most recent strategic planning process and helped facilitate its Middle States Accreditation and Curriculum Redesign processes. * Contributed to the achievement of seven consecutive balanced budgets (FY11-FY17) and doubling of contributed income for the organization through department restructuring and operations efficiencies.

* Member of the Senior Management Team and Leadership Team. Responsible for departmental and organizational budget planning ($21 million overall), goal setting and strategic planning. * Managed a staff of five and annual giving program of $2 million, foundation program of $2.5+ million, and special events program of $1 million+. Oversees Development Committee.* Established major gifts program ($10,000+) in 2005 which grew to 43+ members.* Launched the organization's first endowment campaign in December 2007, served as the primary major gifts and planned giving officer, and raised $7.75 million toward the campaign's $12.1 million goal in 20 months.

* Supervised three staff and three volunteers responsible for raising $5 million annually. Oversaw all facets of departmental operations including government relations, annual giving, data management, and events (Gala, Auction, as well as all cultivation and stewardship events).* Assisted Executive Director, Director of Development, and fundraising consultants with execution of $10 million capital campaign. Responsibilities included identifying and researching prospects, devising cultivation strategies, maintaining pipeline, writing proposals, and reports.* Member of the Senior Staff. Developed annual contributed income budget and long-range plan. Monitored progress toward fundraising goals. Served as main contact for finance and marketing departments.* Point person for trustee sub-committees (including campaign, planned giving, corporate and Cornerstone Society committees). Worked directly with trustees to identify, cultivate and solicit new donors.

* Wrote proposals to solicit foundation, government and corporate donors for general operating, special programs, and campaign support; also responsible for submitting required reports and maintaining grants calendar.* Devised stewardship and renewal strategies for current and lapsed foundation and government donors. Researched, identified and cultivated new foundation prospects.* Projected and analyzed contributed income and determined strategies to meet year-end goals of approximately $2.2 million (approximately 50% of department budget). All reports generated in Raisers' Edge and Microsoft Excel. * In addition to primary responsibilities: wrote newsletter articles, ad copy, direct mail and annual fund appeals; assisted with feasibility study and prospect research for Capital Campaign.

* Devised and implemented solicitation, renewal and retention strategies for membership and annual giving programs. Responsible for raising $500,000 annually. Wrote and developed first out-sourced annual direct mail solicitation campaign and increased membership by 47% in one year. * Managed Associate Director of Membership and Annual Giving and development database software system. Provided all departmental financial and statistical reporting. * Led cultivation events for upper level members and large-scale membership receptions. Initiated highly successful Young Friends program, and staffed Young Friends and Collectors' Circle committees.

* Managed year-round operations for the USArtists Exposition and Preview Gala at the 33rd Street Armory benefiting the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Profits doubled from 1994-1995.

Bachelor Of Arts, Double; Art History And French

Activities and Societies: Freshman of the Year, 1991; Pi Beta Phi; Omicron Delta Kappa, Resident AdvisorMagna Cum Laude

French And Art History

All coursework conducted in French. Internship with Le Musee Georges Labit, Museum Archives Department.