Invest in opportunities for an exceptional education.
Every gift, no matter the size, helps Colorado Academy achieve its mission. The CA experience is made possible by the generosity of our many donors, and we are grateful for the alumni, parents, grandparents, parents of alumni, faculty, staff, and friends who support the school. Thank you for investing in the lives of CA students.
Please explore these ways to support CA and join us in a culture of giving:
Leadership giving demonstrates a high level of commitment to our students, programs, and mission. We are grateful to our leadership donors whose annual cumulative support is $2,500 or more during CA’s July 1 to June 30 fiscal year.
Kate McDonnell joined Colorado Academy in spring 2023 as Director of Advancement and brought a dynamic fundraising career of over 15 years’ experience to our school. McDonnell has been a major and planned gifts officer and director at many different nonprofits, among them art museums, The Smithsonian, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and National Jewish Health. She came most recently from Rocky Mountain Public Media, where she was Vice President of Philanthropy. She is an accomplished fundraiser, having successfully completed capital campaigns and launched new strategies for attracting grants, mid-level gifts, major gifts, and planned giving.
McDonnell holds a BA in Art and Art History from Colgate University and an MA in Art History from American University and is also a graduate of a select professional advancement program in Philanthropy at the University of Denver. She takes advantage of the great Colorado outdoors by hiking, cycling, and cross-country skiing, and she also likes photography and experimenting in the kitchen.
Gravely Wilson joined CA as a Major Gifts Officer after more than a decade at the Denver Art Museum, where she played a leadership role in the museum’s Development Department, working with board members, donors, and corporate and community leaders to advance the museum’s mission. As Associate Director of Development-Events, Wilson oversaw the opening events for the Frederic C. Hamilton Building and the museum’s annual fundraising and patron events. DAM is one of the largest art museums between the West Coast and Chicago, and is home to a collection of more than 70,000 works of art. In addition to her work at the museum, Wilson worked in marketing and events for the Fort Worth Public Library Foundation, and has worked in advertising agencies in Fort Worth, Texas.
Pennsylvania State University - BA Carnegie Mellon University - MA At CA Since: 2023
Alena Howe is Director of The CA Fund, the school’s annual fundraising effort. She came to CA’s Advancement team in fall 2023, after working at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello as the manager of their development database and analytics initiatives. She has also been an associate director at an art gallery and has extensive experience in fundraising and membership support at museums such as the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Alena holds a BA in Art History and French & Francophone Studies from Penn State and a Master of Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University. She enjoys using her French language skills and finds her creative outlet in wheel-thrown pottery.
Emma was most recently Director of E-commerce for Grand Basket, a Denver-based manufacturer of hand-woven wicker furniture, cushions, and accessories, where she oversaw the company’s rapid growth and success in e-commerce. Previously, Emma was Director of Strategic Marketing and E-commerce for Acme Manufacturing Co, managing marketing and promotions across seven different business divisions. She has also held various positions at Craftsy.com, an online company specializing in providing services, classes, and materials to crafters. Emma holds a BA in Psychology from Colby College and is an avid skier, sailor, golfer, and Pelotoner.
Stetson University - BA Western Kentucky University - MS At CA Since: 2023
Nevare Zimmerman joined CA’s Advancement team in 2023 in the role of Events Manager. Most recently she worked at Fountain Valley School as Director of Athletics, and she has been Assistant Director of Alumnae Relations and Campus Events, as well as Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Reunion Planning at Emma Willard School in New York. She has also served as Associate Director of Athletics at Montverde Academy in Florida and as Manager of Business Operations for the Windy City Bulls in Chicago. This varied background has provided her with experience in event planning and management, vendor relations, food and beverage catering, and coordinating hospitality, activities, and keynote speakers. Zimmerman holds a BA in Social Science from Stetson University and an MS in Recreation and Sports Administration from Western Kentucky University.
Chris Barnard, Development Operations Manager, joined CA in May 2007, right before the Centennial Gala, and has found CA to be continually amazing and impressive. Her work at CA includes processing and reporting on all donations, producing the school directory, managing the school databases, and assisting in many of the events that CA sponsors.