People in Fundraising ep. 163: Kate Ellison, from HBS to Goldman Sachs to Russell Reynolds

Описание: Kate Ellison is one of many Harvard Business School Team A fundraisers who I've been glad to welcome on "People in Fundraising." She joins Courtney Desmarais, Nida Januskis, Kyle Garvey, Evan Gallivan, and Kate Osterman (upcoming) as guests. Created about two decades ago, Team A engaged pre-alums through alumni up to their 15th MBA reunion.

Kate joined this fundraising cohort after working at the Harvard College Fund, and while earning a Master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. At the time, she thought, "I'll earn this degree and rise in time to become a VP of advancement." Yet Kate realized some fundraising dynamics were not as challenging as she needed for her career.

Kate describes how "my whole career plan sort of" evolved, twice. This led her to "switch careers, switch industries, and switch locations, multiple times," as she first worked at Goldman Sachs (going from a fundraising office that was 80% female to one at Goldman that was 90% male) before a mentor, Gabby Lajoie, nudged Kate to consider executive search as a profession.

This has opened a great new chapter in her life and career over the last 15 years. "I'm still working with similar segments of professionals from fundraising to executive search, but with greater intellectual stimulation, innovation, and flexibility. I'm still focused on under-
standing people, and while I'm no longer asking for money, I am offering them exciting career possibilities. And then, like a good fundraiser, I let them talk. Human beings ADORE being asked about themselves!"

Thank you, Kate, for a wonderful and fun conversation! Our audience will learn about how to recognize internal and external signs pointing to career pivots, resiliency, and tapping into their own transferrable skills as their careers continue, like yours. I really appreciate you sharing your experience with "People in Fundraising!"