Kelee Riesbeck

About Kelee Riesbeck

Expert communicator, storyteller and leader in major gift solicitation and stewardship;…

Experience

1. Development Director

   Stuart\'s Opera House

   Jan 2023 — Present · Nelsonville, OH, US

   Develop and oversee the creation of a professional development department at the Opera House which produces the Nelsonville Music Festival, its annual fundraiser. Oversee the enterprise’s growing annual, major, corporate, foundation, grant and planned giving programs-Team lead on securing more than $1.3M of mission-enabling funding since January 2023 start date-Rekindled relationships with two major funding foundations which has resulted in gifts and pledges of $1.4+ million in funding over 10 years-Maintaining relationships with current foundation and fund partners resulting in major gifts-Developing relationships with new charities and foundations resulting in major and annual gifts-Developed a major gift stewardship and solicitation encounter called Stuart’s Salons that gather current and lapsed major donors for an intimate sharing of information and ideas about the Opera House’s mission in collaboration with the organization’s key founders and leaders. Stuart’s Salons take place on the Opera House’s historic stage and, more recently, at homes of its advocates and donors in the Columbus, OH market-Produce and publish the first Stuart’s Opera House e-newsletter, shared with members and the public to evangelize how Stuart’s Opera House and the Nelsonville Music Festival serve the region in and through access to practicing and receiving the arts-Work with and mentor Master of Arts Administration students working in Stuart’s Opera House Development department. Report to the executive director.

Education

• Ohio University

  BSJ '91

  1987 — 1991

• Ohio University

  Certificate in Women's Studies

  1987 — 1991