Kirsten Powers is the Senior Director for Development at the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, where she leads the organization’s fundraising strategy and initiatives. She brings more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and strategic planning across a range of Chicago-area organizations focused on social impact and regional advancement.

Kirsten previously served as Senior Director of Institutional Giving at the Brookfield Zoo, Senior Vice President of Development at Skills for Chicago, Corporate Major Gifts Officer at the Field Museum, Director of Development at the Metropolitan Planning Council, Director of Development at Openlands, and Director of Development at the Chicago Association of Neighborhood Development Organizations. She has also worked in the 3PL space as Director, Strategic Partnerships and Director, Enterprise- Wide Customer Support at CJ Logistics, and in financial consulting as a Senior Consultant with Arthur Andersen.

Kirsten earned an MA in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and has a BA with honors in English from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She sits on the board of the Illinois Conservation Foundation.