Karla Baldelli

Karla Baldelli, JDRF International, Associate Vice President, Donor Experience & Stewardship As a member of the senior management team Karla leads the organization with strong and strategic leadership in all… Read More

Karla Baldelli, JDRF International, Associate Vice President, Donor Experience & Stewardship

As a member of the senior management team Karla leads the organization with strong and strategic leadership in all matters related to constituent experience and stewardship. Karla leads the collaborative development of thoughtful, year-round donor experience strategies and behaviors across all campaigns, including Peer to Peer, Signature Events, Individual Giving and Workplace Giving; while ensuring continued collaboration with Corporate Development and Leadership Giving. Designing, testing and implementing a creative, comprehensive and integrated program that results in a more thoughtful donor experience, better retention rates and higher lifetime value for our constituencies.

She has helped shape the donor-centered culture that is now foundational to JDRF’s work, by delivering The Power of the Donor Experience training to staff across the country, as well as developing tools and resources in partnership with Development Operations to help track and drive strategy discussion around donor retention/loyalty. As a result of this work, the organization experienced an increase in donor loyalty in FY17; the first increase in the past 5 years.

Karla has served in leadership roles for the Coast Guard Foundation where she focused on building a robust major gift program and at the American Heart Association, National Center (AHA), with her last role as National Director, Philanthropic Giving Society. While at AHA, she grew the Heart Ball Open Your Heart unrestricted individual campaign from $2 million to more than $20 million; developed the national stewardship program; directed and grew the flagship stewardship event Honored Guest Day for major/mega donors; strengthened retention of major gift performance; designed campaign architecture for the $100 million Mission Lifeline Campaign; and designed and created AHA’s National Giving Society, Cor Vitae.

Karla’s career in the non-profit world also includes The Salvation Army, DFW Area Command, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the Arthritis Foundation to name a few. She is also an accomplished trainer and coordinator of the collective efforts of boards and committees and has held a wide variety of non-profit volunteer leadership roles. Karla is from Dallas, TX where she lives with her husband Dale and their two sons.