Carolyn Nopar, CFRE, MBA
With over 25 years of nonprofit and corporate experience, Carolyn Nopar served as Chief Development Officer for the YWCA Metro Chicago and as Director of Development & Communications for Family Focus, where she was responsible for raising millions, managing small teams. She has extensive experience in corporate & foundation relations, annual fund, special events, donor communications, and major gifts. Her specialty is working with smaller nonprofits to build sustainable development programs.
Ms. Nopar also served as Executive Director for the Enterprising Kitchen, where she was successful with incorporating new earned revenue opportunities into that role. She understands the enormous demands on an ED’s time and is interested in helping smaller nonprofits better understand the many ways revenue can be raised, identify the best strategies and tactics for their particular organization, and how to operationalize development activities within their already busy schedules.
Before entering the nonprofit field fifteen years ago, Ms. Nopar worked as a commercial sales manager and senior sales representative for several corporations after earning her MBA from Northwestern’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. She is a certified fund-raising executive (CFRE) and has completed the Association of Fundraising Professional's (AFP) Faculty Training Academy, certifying her as an AFP Master Trainer.