Kathy DeLaura

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Kathy is the managing director at Partners in Change LLC, and has over thirty years of experience in education, fund raising, public relations, marketing and not-for-profit management. She previously served as the first Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the National Speaking of Women’s Health Foundation. Kathy has also served as the Executive Director of the Cincinnati Foundation for Biomedical Research and Education at the VA Medical Center.

Her credentials include serving as Executive Director of the Cincinnati Ballet where her accomplishments included conducting fund raising campaigns to build the Cincinnati Ballet Center and create new productions. She created staff and board development programs, provided leadership during labor negotiations and managed a total of 65 artists and staff.

Prior to moving to Cincinnati, Kathy developed national fund raising programs for the March of Dimes and the American Cancer Society. She also directed community service and educational programs for both organizations.

Her career experience also includes work in advertising and radio sales. She has produced many successful marketing programs for a variety of clients.

Kathy began her professional career as a junior high school teacher after graduating from Western Illinois University.

She is very active in the Cincinnati community, and received the Leading Women of Cincinnati Award in 2000 for her efforts in healthcare education. Kathy currently serves as a volunteer for the ArtsWave Business on Board and Arts 101 programs and as a Chair of the Leadership Council for The Women’s Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Kathy serves on the Boards of the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati and Arlington Memorial Gardens. She is a graduate of Leadership Cincinnati Class XXXII and a member of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals.

Her clients include the Family Nurturing Center, Lighthouse Youth Services, Cincinnati Better Business Bureau, Jewish Family Service, Ronald McDonald House, Hoxworth Blood Center, Freestore Foodbank and Easter Seals Tri State.

Kathy also served as Project Director for Pulse: A Study on the Status of Women and Girls in Greater Cincinnati. In 2004, she served as Project Director for Art & Soul, a citywide showcase of visual and performing arts to celebrate the opening of the new National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Over 50 organizations produced 100 plus events as part of the marketing collaboration. In 2003, she directed a similar project, Festival of the New, during the opening of the new Contemporary Arts Center. The success of these two projects led, in part, to the formation of the Regional Tourism Network. Kathy also facilitated a strategic planning process for the Northern Kentucky School-Based Health Center Collaborative and was the project facilitator and business plan writer Growing Well Cincinnati a school health collaborative for the Cincinnati Public Schools Community Learning Centers. Since 2007, she has been the project facilitator for Agenda 360, a regional planning effort, sponsored by the Cincinnati USA Chamber of Commerce.

“Kathy masterfully executes her charge to help clients achieve meaningful results. From strategic planning to board engagement retreats to consulting with the leadership team, she has helped us maintain our focus, think through issues, and formulate new and creative strategies. The result is that we have been able to exceed our goals in every instance, and have become stronger, bolder and more effective as an organization. I’d call that a real win!”

– Jocile Ehrlich, President and CEO
Cincinnati Better Business Bureau