Kathleen Bonte

Executive Director of Development
Institutional Advancement Division

As the Executive Director of Development at Otterbein University, Kathleen Bonte leads the principal/major giving, and planned giving programs, as well as, the Office of Grants and Sponsored Programs.  Working closely with the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, she advises on strategy and coordination for key initiatives and campaigns, including Where We Stand Matters, the first comprehensive and largest campaign in Otterbein’s history. Bonte came to Otterbein in October 2014 yet began working in higher education more than 20 years ago.  During that time, she has directed development efforts, alumni programs, donor relations and stewardship offices, as well as managed frontline gift officers and development professionals.  She has assisted donors in creating transformational gifts to endow academic programs and scholarships at Carnegie Mellon University, The Ohio State University and Ohio University.

While at Ohio University, she re-structured the Women in Philanthropy initiative and board leading to its first endowment.  At Carnegie Mellon University, Bonte grew the Andrew Carnegie Society (ACS) donor recognition programs and volunteer board and oversaw a team of gift officers that focused on leadership annual giving, including parent constituencies.  She was recognized for onboarding gift officers and other staff who were promoted through the ranks and raised millions of dollars for the institution. Bonte earned her undergraduate degree from the Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University and an MBA from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. She is the wife of alumnus Troy A. Bonte, ’01, Executive Director, Facilities Management & Planning and the mother of two teenagers, Frankie and Seamus.