Kennari Consulting welcomes our newest team member, Jesse Wolff – joining our team as a Senior Strategist.
After living in Denver, Colorado for 25 years, the Wolff family moved to Michigan in 2016. Yes, it was on purpose!
Jesse has diverse nonprofit sector experience from CEO positions to launching new programs and community initiatives, including recently for the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation and Habitat for Humanity in Traverse City. His areas of expertise include organizational leadership, fundraising, impact investing, finance, advising business startups, affordable housing, land conservation, human services, and community health. He has served as a director on numerous community boards and advisory committees, including Governor and Mayoral appointments. An invited speaker for impact investing and nonprofit sector events, Jesse also taught a Social Entrepreneurship class for the University of Colorado’s MBA program.
Jesse has a BA in International Business from Eckerd College and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. He is also a Livingston Fellow with the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation in Denver.
Jesse will be joining Kennari as a Senior Strategist – we’re happy to have him here!
More about Jesse:
How did you get started in fundraising?
After purposely pivoting into nonprofit sector work from an early career in corporate finance and investment management, my first position was as CEO of Community Shares of Colorado. Very similar to United Way, we had over 100 member nonprofits from around the state and raised money for them through workplace charitable giving campaigns in both public and private sectors. It was a terrific opportunity to learn about the nonprofit ecosystem as our member agencies were of all sizes and causes.
How do you unwind after a day of work?
Often, it is taking our two dogs Finn and LuLu for a walk on a Lake Michigan beach. I kayak or go for a trail bike ride on many summer evenings.
What are you most excited about joining the Kennari team?
First, Kennari has a diverse group of clients at different stages of development with a wide range of missions ranging from aviation to community health to economic development. This offers a unique opportunity to help support the sustainability and community impact of not only vital individual organizations but at the ecosystem level of the regional nonprofit sector. Also, the collective experience of the Kennari team is terrific! I get to work with (and learn from) highly respected, true experts partnering with terrific clients to implement proven, successful nonprofit fundraising models.
Where is your favorite place to go?
We have a small cabin on Arbutus Lake near Traverse City.
What is something you’re passionate about?
Mountain biking. I rode and raced on over 2,000 miles of trail last year in some of the beautiful natural landscapes of Michigan. The riding community is close knit and I enjoy the comradery of group rides (and post-ride refreshments).
Any other fun facts about you?
I have the smallest High School graduating class size (11) of almost anyone I know.
My main hobby these days is building sculptures from Petoskey stones.