Kat Walsh

 Executive Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, University of Michigan

As part of the University of Michigan’s five year initiative for creating a more vibrant campus, Ms. Walsh heads department-wide efforts toward implementing policies aimed at diversifying and creating more equitable opportunities for OUD staff, donors, and volunteers. Ms. Walsh also leads student philanthropy initiatives on the University of Michigan campus. This involves developing a culture of giving among Michigan students  through outreach, education, and fundraising initiatives. As director of student engagement, Ms. Walsh designed and oversees the award-winning program designer for the Development Summer Internship Program (D-SIP) aimed at creating a pipeline of young, diverse talent into the fundraising profession. D-SIP introduces college students to fundraising as a career path through work placement in a fundraising office across the U-M campus, coursework for credit, and a rigorous professional development component. This program won the 2010 Detroit Crain’s Nonprofit Employer of the Year award for the state of Michigan and CASE’s 2008 Grand Gold and Gold Circle of Excellence awards for fundraising and collaborative programs respectively.