Katie Aune

Director of Alumni Engagement , Law School

Chicago, United States

Fundraising professional with a background in law, event planning, writing and social media. Russian-speaking with volunteer experience in Russia, Armenia & Tajikistan.

Contact Katie Aune
Area of Expertise:
  • Communications, Media, Knowledge Management, Editor
  • Fundraising, Business Development, Grants Writer
Professional Experience:

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, IL
Director of Alumni Engagement, January 2013-present
• Plan local and out-of-town alumni events, including a dinner celebrating the school’s 125th anniversary attended by more than 600 alumni and friends.
• Identify and cultivate alumni volunteers and manage the Law School Alumni Board of Directors, the Young Alumni Council and the Law Review Alumni Board.
• Manage the annual giving program, including phonathon, direct mail and email appeals.
• Coordinate alumni relations and development communications, including the website, email communications, social media and the alumni magazine.
• Organize the College of Law commencement ceremony, attended by more than 2,000 guests.
• Supervise one assistant director and one student worker.

DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, IL
Associate Director of Development, July 2010-August 2011
• Managed a portfolio of 70 major gift prospects.
• Identified and developed relationships with potential donors and stewarded relationships with current donors.
• Organized an annual trip to Washington, D.C. for top donors with the Dean of the College of Law and the President of DePaul University.

Director of Alumni Relations, March 2007-July 2010
• Developed the first comprehensive alumni relations program in the law school’s history.
• Planned annual reunion event attended by over 250 alumni and friends each year and increased the number of reunion volunteers by 200% in four years.
• Organized annual alumni awards program, managing the transition of the event from a luncheon to fundraising a dinner. Oversaw the award nomination and selection process. Solicited individual and corporate sponsorships up to $10,000. Increased revenue and attendance by 26% in the second year of the event.
• Assisted student organizations with fundraising and alumni networking events.
• Coordinated and publicized 7-10 Continuing Legal Education seminars each year.
• Created and edited monthly alumni e-mail newsletter, increasing readership by 44% in 3 years.

OTHER EXPERIENCE

International Education and Volunteer Experience, Worldwide
August 2011-September 2012
• Expanded cultural views and intercultural communication skills while volunteering and traveling over thirteen months in 20 countries, including Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, the Baltics, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
• Studied Russian language in Russia and Ukraine.
• Volunteered with the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia.
• Taught English in Russia and Tajikistan.
• Created, launched and maintained a travel website, averaging more than 5,000 unique visitors and 12,000 page views each month.
• Contributed travel articles to leading travel websites and blogs.

Education:

University of Iowa: BA, Political Science & Economics, Certificate in International Business

University of Minnesota Law School, JD

Northwestern University School of Law, LLM Taxation

Available for:

  • Consulting assignments
  • Job opportunities
  • Being headhunted – make me an offer

Years of Experience:

10-15 years

Highest Qualification:

Doctorate

Languages:

English, Russian

Nationality:

United States

LinkedIn Profile:

www.linkedin.com/in/katieaune