Full Name
Karen Cochran
Job Title
Founder
Organization
Philanthropy Innovators
Speaker Bio
Karen S. Cochran, CFRE, is a transformational leader in fundraising and advancement, with over three decades of experience mentoring teams that have collectively raised more than $7.5 billion. As the founder of Philanthropy Innovators and creator of The MOST™ Philanthropy Model, Karen partners with organizations to reimagine possibilities in fundraising and build lasting impact through strategic innovation and leadership development.
An expert in higher education, healthcare, and nonprofit fundraising, Karen serves as a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council and the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy’s Fundraising Board. She is widely recognized for her organizational acumen, forward-thinking vision, and commitment to mentorship and inclusion. Leveraging her leadership experience at several of the nation’s most prominent research universities, Karen guides teams to transform their operations and significantly increase results.
Karen’s career includes leadership roles at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where she developed programming that included the international alumni retreats and the Coach K Leadership Conference. At the Duke Cancer Institute, she secured the organization’s largest-ever single-family donation—a $34.5-million philanthropic investment. As Interim Vice President for Advancement and CEO for the University of Central Florida’s Foundation, Karen led the university to its two most successful fundraising years and created a challenge leveraging philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s $40-million gift.
A certified Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coach and graduate of The Johns Hopkins Fellows in Change Management, Karen has inspired fundraising teams, advisory boards, and executives nationwide. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from West Virginia University and a Master of Liberal Arts from McDaniel College.
A proud West Virginia native now based in Central Florida, Karen is an avid mindfulness practitioner who treasures her roles as a mom, wife, and rescue dog mom. She continues to champion leadership and philanthropy as a path to positive, lasting change.
An expert in higher education, healthcare, and nonprofit fundraising, Karen serves as a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council and the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy’s Fundraising Board. She is widely recognized for her organizational acumen, forward-thinking vision, and commitment to mentorship and inclusion. Leveraging her leadership experience at several of the nation’s most prominent research universities, Karen guides teams to transform their operations and significantly increase results.
Karen’s career includes leadership roles at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where she developed programming that included the international alumni retreats and the Coach K Leadership Conference. At the Duke Cancer Institute, she secured the organization’s largest-ever single-family donation—a $34.5-million philanthropic investment. As Interim Vice President for Advancement and CEO for the University of Central Florida’s Foundation, Karen led the university to its two most successful fundraising years and created a challenge leveraging philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s $40-million gift.
A certified Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coach and graduate of The Johns Hopkins Fellows in Change Management, Karen has inspired fundraising teams, advisory boards, and executives nationwide. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from West Virginia University and a Master of Liberal Arts from McDaniel College.
A proud West Virginia native now based in Central Florida, Karen is an avid mindfulness practitioner who treasures her roles as a mom, wife, and rescue dog mom. She continues to champion leadership and philanthropy as a path to positive, lasting change.
Speaking At
