Kathy Hansen

Kathy joined the College of Saint Benedict in 2015 and is responsible for all institutional fundraising and alumnae engagement around the world. She led the successful Illuminating Lives campaign, the largest in the college’s history, raising $113 million toward a $100 million goal. The campaign focused on growing the college’s endowment—which doubled over the course of the campaign—and increased resources for financial aid for students. During her tenure, the college received its first-ever eight-figure gifts, significantly growing the number and size of major gifts supporting Saint Ben’s mission.

Kathy’s career spans over three decades, largely in higher education. She served for 17 years at Luther Seminary, rising to the position of Vice President of Seminary Relations and Executive Director of the Foundation. In that role, she oversaw the completion of three capital campaigns that raised over $220 million for the seminary. At the time, they were the largest campaigns ever completed in theological education. She has led advancement divisions at both Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota and Midland University in Nebraska. Kathy has also served as a consultant with the national fundraising consulting firm of BWF, serving liberal arts colleges across the United States.

Kathy has served on the national board of the Association of Lutheran Development Executives (ALDE), the nation’s largest professional organization for Christian fundraisers. She has chaired the curriculum committee for their international conference and served on a host of committees and task forces. She is a frequent speaker at their meetings and has also presented workshops for the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Minnesota Planned Giving Council. In 2007, she received the Virgil Anderson Award from ALDE in recognition of her extraordinary achievement in the development profession.