Dr. Kenneth St. Charles currently serves as the Vice President for Philanthropy of the Greater New Orleans Foundation. An accomplished fundraiser primarily in the nonprofit, higher education, and secondary education arenas, he has personally raised more than $140 million over his 28-year fundraising career.
He most recently served as President/CEO of St. Augustine High School in New Orleans from 2016 – 2021. During his tenure, Dr. St. Charles is credited with leading many improvements and accomplishments at the historic school, namely in the areas of development and fundraising, academics, board and alumni relations, student enrollment, financial management, public relations, and in teacher and staff recruitment and retention.
Under his leadership, the school raised an impressive $11 million dollars, created 15 new permanently endowed funds and 72 annual donor-named funds. The school experienced significant student enrollment increases for three consecutive years and continued to ensure that 100% of all graduating seniors received acceptance offers to the nation’s colleges and universities. The popular one-day online giving event “Give Purple Day” saw total contributions increase from $38,000 in 2016 to $500,000 in 2020.
He previously served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA from October 2015 to November 2016 where he led an 18-member team that raised $4.5 million during his tenure. Prior to this position, he worked at Xavier University of Louisiana, where he served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement for Xavier’s legendary president Dr. Norman C. Francis. From July 2005 to July 2015, Dr. St. Charles was a critical part of the senior leadership team that helped the University to recover and rebuild after sustaining major setbacks as a result of Hurricane Katrina. His major accomplishments included construction of the St. Katharine Drexel Chapel, which was designed by famed architect Cesar Pelli as well as the funding and construction of the Qatar Pharmacy Pavilion and the Xavier Convocation Center. He also coordinated the historic 2010 visit of President Barack Obama to the Xavier University campus. He is credited with raising $92 million during his Xavier University tenure.
His career also includes service as the New Orleans Area Development Director for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) from October 1997 – July 2005 and as Senior Development Officer for Loyola University New Orleans from December 1995 – October 1997. Prior to his non-profit career, he worked for seven years at Entergy Corporation, formerly Middle South Utilities, as a Finance Analyst, Treasury Analyst, and Human Resources Specialist.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Loyola University New Orleans, as well as a M.B.A. degree and a Ph.D. degree in educational administration both from the University of New Orleans. He was commissioned in the United States Army through the R.O.T.C. program and served in various positions to include a one-year overseas assignment in Kuwait as Inspector General during Operation Desert Shield. He retired in 2013 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel from the United States Army Reserve with thirty years of service.
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