Kara Smith Cfre

Kara Smith, CFRE, has over 20 years of experience in various roles in fundraising, donor engagement, and stewardship. Currently, they serve as the Senior Director of Donor Engagement at PBS SoCal | KCET since August 2022. Prior to this, they worked as a Major Gifts Officer at the same organization from March 2020 to August 2022.

From 2012 to 2019, Kara served as the Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations at Fuller Theological Seminary. Before that, they were the Donor Development Director at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society from 2007 to 2012.

Kara gained experience in PR and marketing as a PR and Marketing Manager at Peninsula Habitat for Humanity from 2006 to 2007. Kara also worked in the public relations field at Euro RSCG Magnet, starting as a Public Relations Intern in 2000 and 2001 and progressing to an Account Coordinator - Account Executive from 2003 to 2005.

Throughout their career, Kara has showcased their expertise in building and maintaining relationships with donors, securing major gifts, and implementing effective stewardship strategies. Their diverse experience in both nonprofit and PR sectors has provided their with valuable skills in communication, marketing, and fundraising.

Kara Smith, CFRE, holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Speech Communication from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, which they completed from 1998 to 2002. In addition, they pursued further education at Fuller Theological Seminary, where they obtained an ALND degree between 2012 and 2014. Kara Smith has also attained additional certifications, including a Certificate in Philanthropic Psychology from the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy in September 2022 and a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification from CFRE International in December 2021.