Get to know Karen

A seasoned strategist and fundraising executive with a passion for innovation in philanthropy.

Meet Karen S. Cochran, CFRE

After a 30-year career in fundraising and executive development roles, Karen launched Philanthropy Innovators to transform the ways we think about and practice raising money for missions, connecting with donors and our communities, and nurturing the next generation of fundraising professionals.

Work With Karen

WHY WORK WITH KAREN

Our Chief Philanthropic Innovator

Certified Coach

Karen is a certified Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coach, supporting her clients to bring courage, humility and discipline to the process.

Mentor & Team Builder

Karen has developed programs for attracting and nurturing homegrown, diverse talent to become fundraisers.

The MOST™ Model

Karen's MOST™ Philanthropy Model offers teams a way to innovate across key philanthropic pillars and practices.

Fundraising Strategist

Karen spent 30 years in health care, higher ed, and nonprofit fundraising, raising more than $7.5 billion.

Mindfulness Practitioner

Committed to well-being, Karen has a daily meditation practice and brings more than two decades of learnings to her work.

Women & Girls Champion

Karen has a passion for supporting and developing women and girls on their leadership journeys.

Why Philanthropy Innovators

Today, Karen and Philanthropy Innovators offer a continuum of strategic services to meet organizations where they are and partner with them throughout their transformation journey. Karen combines her deep knowledge of fundraising with a proprietary innovation model, a virtual service approach that pulls from her network of resources and talents as needed, and one of the world’s foremost leadership coaching methodologies: Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching.

No matter the size of your organization or your challenges, Karen is committed to helping each client reimagine what's possible.

Work With Karen

Karen has a knack for empowering teams, sparking innovative thinking, and helping organizations expand their vision and impact. She truly embraces the maxim 'big swings lead to big hits.' This motto underpins her belief that yesterday's conventional tactics can't solve today's fundraising challenges.

A black and white photo of a man with a blue background

Martin Smith

Cancer Survivor & Founder of Martin's Ride

See the Case Study

“We don't talk enough about the ways we can change in philanthropy, how we can have a greater impact by trying something new. Innovation comes from growth and change."

MORE WISE WORDS

Karen's Personal Philosophy

If you ask Karen which quote best sums up her philosophy to life and her career, it comes from the Dalai Lama: "Once a year, go someplace you have never been before." Since her college days as a student caller at her university's advancement shop, Karen has always looked for new opportunities to expand her horizons and appreciate the differences all around us—whether that's at work or traveling the world.