Leigh A. Greenfelder

Leigh Greenfelder serves as interim vice president for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, providing senior leadership for the university's fundraising, alumni engagement and advancement operations while guiding the division's efforts to strengthen philanthropic support and alumni relationships in service of Kent State's mission. She is a member of the President’s Cabinet and participates in the Board of Trustees’ External Relations and Philanthropy Committee as well as the Kent State University Foundation Board. 

Previously, Leigh served as senior associate vice president and chief operating officer, where she provided strategic leadership for the division's Communications, Annual Giving, Events, Data and Technology, Budget and Human Resources functions. As chief operating officer, she represented the vice president when needed and served as the primary advisor on philanthropy and alumni engagement strategy, presidential initiatives, divisional operations and comprehensive campaign planning. 

Leigh and her teams have led the planning and implementation of communications, events and outreach efforts for alumni and donors across the university, earning a multitude of awards for their innovative work from Case Grand Gold to ADDY Awards to Educational Advertising Awards. During the first two years of Kent State's Forever Brighter comprehensive fundraising campaign, the division earned more than 20 national and international awards recognizing excellence in design, marketing, communications and events. 

During her tenure at Kent State, Leigh has helped lead numerous strategic initiatives, including a nationally recognized Giving Tuesday campaign that raised $7.7 million; coordination of alumni and donor outreach across the university's colleges, campuses and divisions; development of an alumni engagement score; creation of a Leadership Annual Giving program that exceeded national benchmarks; and co-development of the division's first three-year strategic plan in partnership with the Kent State University Foundation and Kent State Alumni Association. 

Before joining Kent State in January 2017, Leigh held leadership positions at communications and advertising agencies throughout Northeast Ohio, where she directed integrated marketing, public relations, branding and strategic communications programs for corporate, nonprofit, higher ed, political and municipal clients. Her work earned numerous industry honors, including ADDY, MarCom and Hermes Creative Awards. 

Leigh earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Communications and Psychology from Ashland University, where she graduated magna cum laude and competed as a member of the university's intercollegiate volleyball team. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Akron Zoo and chairs its Marketing Advisory Committee.