Dara Burke

As Vice President for Individual Giving & Events, Dara heads up Concern’s Individual Giving team in New York, which includes major gifts, special events, employee giving, and monthly giving, collectively raising over $4.6 million annually. Dara’s primary focuses are building strong and lasting philanthropic relationships with key stakeholders, as well as growing individual giving revenue more broadly.

Along with more than 10 years of experience in public service, Dara brings a lifelong commitment to preserving and protecting basic human rights and dignity, stemming from her experience growing up in Nairobi, Kenya.

Starting her career at ActionAid International, Dara joined Concern Worldwide in 2006. Her first responsibilities included Office Manager and assisting the Executive Director. A year later, she traveled to N’Djamena, Chad, as Concern’s Liaison Officer, hiring personnel and setting up in-country operations. She then transitioned to fundraising, rising to Development Manager overseeing the strategy and execution of six major annual fundraising events, major gift solicitation, and direct mail. Dara has helped guide and develop strategies to increase donor retention, exceed fundraising revenue goals, and triple event income. Her experience at Concern also includes time as Concern’s Foundation Relationship Manager, where she was responsible for a portfolio of foundation and corporate partners, raising $4 million annually. In early 2016, she was appointed Director of Individual Giving.

Dara holds a bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology with a minor in French from the University of Vermont, and a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University. Born in Geneva, Switzerland with dual Irish and American citizenship, Dara currently lives with her husband on the Upper West Side.