Kirsten L. Powers

Kirsten L. Powers has a diverse and extensive work experience in various organizations. Kirsten L. currently holds the position of Senior Director, Institutional Giving & Events at Brookfield Zoo since 2023. Prior to this, they worked at Skills for Chicagoland's Future as the Senior Vice President, Development from 2018 to 2023, where they significantly increased the organization's annual budget and raised funds for a national expansion campaign.

Kirsten L. also served as the Corporate Major Gifts Officer at The Field Museum from 2017 to 2018, managing and cultivating corporate partnerships. Before that, they worked at CJ Logistics America as the Director, Strategic Partnerships and Enterprise-Wide Customer Support from 2012 to 2016. Kirsten L. received recognition for their customer-centric leadership and played a crucial role in engaging with customers and supporting the Sales team.

From 2006 to 2011, Kirsten was the Director of Development at the Metropolitan Planning Council, where they raised over $20 million in revenue and oversaw various fundraising activities. Kirsten L. also held the position of Director of Development at Openlands from 2000 to 2005, raising over $18 million in revenue and launching the organization's first endowment campaign. Additionally, they worked as the Development Director at the Chicago Association of Neighborhood Development Organizations from 1997 to 2000, overseeing development activities focused on community and economic development.

Kirsten began their career as a Senior Consultant at Arthur Andersen from 1994 to 1997, where they worked on client engagements in the oil and petrochemical industries. Kirsten L.'sresponsibilities included financial modeling, regression analysis, and client interaction.

Kirsten L. Powers pursued their education by first attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from 1988 to 1992, where they earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Kirsten L. then proceeded to the University of Chicago, where they completed their Master of Arts in Public Policy from 1992 to 1994.