Kathryn Giaimo

About Kathryn Giaimo

I\'ve been working in the nonprofit sector since 1986. I strongly believe in giving back to my community, and making the most of my talents to make New York City a better place to live and work. I believe everyone deserves to play on a level field. I am passionate about the arts and social justice. I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In Minneapolis I briefly studied improvisation at Dudley Riggs Brave New Workshop and began performing stand-up comedy in 1982. In 1984 I moved to New York City, where I collaborated as a writer on two off-off-Broadway political revues in 1989 and 1990 and studied improvisational acting at the National Improvisational Theatre. I became involved with Mayor David Dinkins’ Increase the Peace Volunteer Corps, which led me to Theater for a Greater Peace, a component of Flying Bridge Community Arts, with whom I performed for three years. I joined the staff of Thalia Spanish Theatre in 1989 just as the theatre entered into a three-year Advancement Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and significantly diversified and increased the theatre’s funding base over the next two decades. In June 2014 I joined the development team in the Office for College Advancement at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, where I am working to develop a roster of foundation and corporate supporters for KCC\'s wonderful array of programs, and to empower our beautifully diverse student body with a variety of services to help them stay in school and succeed in life. My specialties are: Grant writing; research & cultivation of funding sources; arts advocacy and public speaking; press and public relations; government relations; community outreach; managing a small business; improvisational comedy (a little rusty on that score); herding cats. My experiences have taught me to think on my feet, juggle multiple tasks, and accept challenges with humor and alacrity.

Experience

1. Manager, Corporate and Foundation Relations

   Kingsborough Community College

   Jun 2014 — Present · Brooklyn, NY, US

   At Kingsborough Community College, I work as part of a larger team in a stimulating academic environment, collaborating with faculty and staff to develop proposals for projects including our campus Community Farm and Garden, food pantry, Child Development Center, Access-Ability and financial literacy programs, and funding for faculty research. I solicit sponsors for our annual Seaside Splash gala (also in collaboration with our foundation board of directors),#KCCSpirit Day (part of Giving Tuesday), and Homecoming events. I also reach out to our local business community to build relationships that help support the academic and career dreams of our diverse, low-income student population.

Education

• New York University

  Master of Arts, Cinema Studies

  1986 — 1989

• University of Minnesota

  Bachelor of Arts, Theatre

  1979 — 1983