Kate joined SLI on May 1, 2007 after working in the not-for-profit community for over twenty years. As SLI’s Vice President of Advancement, Kate oversees our develop and communications efforts and works with the management team to strategically move SLI’s mission forward.

Kate joins us after working as the Executive Vice President of the Chicago Crime Commission for fifteen years.  Highlights of her career at the CCC include the development and implementation of the Community Youth Program.  Working with Chicago Public Schools and many other partners, this program was designed to redirect first time juvenile offenders at a point of early intervention.  Kate also authored two publications, The Gang Book and Friend and Foe.  The Gang Book is used by the Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Police Department and others as a guide and training tool.  It was the catalyst for the start of a new street gang committee of the Illinois State legislature.  Friend and Foe provides a glimpse into crime and crime fighting over the past 100 years through newspaper clippings, photos, cartoons and other documents.  Both are available at Chicago book stores or through the Crime Commission. She was also responsible for building the organization’s membership of civic leaders and ensuring the financial growth of the organization.

Kate has won the American Graphic Design award from Graphic Design USA magazine four times for her writing and design of annual reports and The Gang Book, and the Publicity Club of Chicago’s Silver Trumpet Award for annual report design.  She holds a BFA from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Campaign.

Previous to her work at the Chicago Crime Commission, she was the Development Director at Glenkirk, an art director at two printing companies and worked in direct care to support people with developmental disabilities.  She combines her strong interest in helping children with her experience in communications, program development and fund raising in her work here.