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THE ORANGE CATHOLIC FOUNDATION NAMES KIMBERLY JETTON NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

By Staff     10/8/2020

The Orange Catholic Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce that after an extensive and exhaustive national search, including personal interviews with a number of potential candidates, Kimberly Jetton has accepted the position of Executive Director for the Foundation. She will be assuming her responsibilities on October 7.  Kimberly is a national award-winning leader in fund development and gift planning. She has a proven ability to develop outstanding relationships with donors, committees, board members, and volunteers. Kimberly excels in developing and executing strategic plans that have exceeded fundraising goals every year at each agency on which she has served. 

Since 2015, Kimberly has served as the Director of Major and Planned Gifts for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Prior to Kimberly’s time in Los Angeles, she worked in development in the Archdiocese of Denver from 2008 until 2015. 

Kimberly’s personal mission and ministry is to advance the Mission of the Church in the proclamation of the Gospel through her work in development. Her work history is replete with examples of working with donors to find joy in sharing all the ways they can support the Church and its ministries. 

During Kimberly’s time at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, she designed and implemented a flagship program for Estate Planning Seminars which greatly benefited the parishes and schools.  Since 2015, this program has helped raise over $100 million for these ministries. 

Kimberly’s extensive executive leadership includes successful board development, strategy enhancement and effective team building. She understands the need for collaboration and the unique challenges of working in the multifaceted operations of the Catholic Church, with its individual parish and school priorities and needs. Her extensive fiscal expertise, budgeting, marketing and community outreach will be highly valued here in the Diocese of Orange. 

“Kimberly steps into this important role as the Orange Catholic Foundation and the Diocese of Orange work to deliver on the promises outlined in the diocese’s strategic plan. I look forward to working with her as she leads the Foundation’s efforts in planned giving and philanthropy within our diocese,” says Bishop Kevin W. Vann. 

Most recently Kimberly received the National eMarketer of the Year award from Crescendo Interactive. As a leader in Church development, Kimberly is a sought-after speaker at national fundraising conventions, including the Practical Planned Giving Conference, the International Catholic Stewardship Counsel Conference, the National Catholic Planned Giving Conference and the National Catholic Development Conference. Kimberly also provides consultations and workshops on proven fund development strategies for dozens of dioceses and Catholic foundations nationwide. 

Kimberly recognizes that even though our Catholic communities are currently hampered by outside forces beyond their control, it is her firm belief that our best days are yet to come. Our faithful parishioners remain as committed as ever to their parishes, schools and ministries. 

Under Kimberly’s leadership we are convinced the Orange Catholic Foundation can move into innovative ways of encouraging philanthropic engagement and collaboration to benefit our Church.  

Kimberly holds a CFRE certification, a Masters in Nonprofit Management from Regis University and a BA in Political Science from the University of Arizona. Kimberly has also served in the Colorado Army National Guard. She currently is an adjunct faculty member at Loyola Marymount University providing instruction on the basics of parish planned giving. Kimberly resides in Cerritos with her husband and son.