April 24, 2019

Elizabeth Kennedy (Chair)

Elizabeth Kennedy has been in the non-profit arts and education world for almost 40 years, beginning with the Kansas City Arts Council in 1979 to her present position as Special Advisor to the President for Philanthropy at Occidental College, a position she has held since April 2015. She was Senior Vice President for Advancement at the Music Center of Los Angeles County from 2012 – 2015, overseeing the fundraising program for the Music Center with a focus on the Music Center’s 50th Anniversary campaign and celebration.  Prior to that she held a similar position for four years at the Autry National Center. Much of her professional life otherwise was at the Los Angeles Opera, with positions in development and administration from 1983 to 2006, including 6 years as Managing Director (2001-2007) with oversight for fundraising, finance, marketing and human resources. Specific areas of focus throughout has been on board development and governance, fundraising, public interaction and strategic planning. She stepped away from the nonprofit world for a number of years in the 1990s to work for City National Bank developing their philanthropic and community programs, and with the Broad Foundation, working with the Foundation and LAUSD to structure and open the LAUSD High School for the Arts (Cortines High School). Her current position entails working with the President of the College and the Board of Trustees to secure and steward major philanthropic commitments.

She has lived in the South Bay for more than 35 years, and has three children and three grandchildren.  She received her BA from State University of New York – Purchase and her Masters in Public Administration from the University of Missouri.