Kara Nacarato
Director, Development & Operations
Location: Livonia, MI (Eastern Time Zone)
Credentials:
Kara has a passion for helping organizations identify innovative ways to collaborate with corporate partners and individual donors. With more than 20 years of leadership experience in the nonprofit and association sectors, Kara has built a reputation for her expertise in event management, alongside management, operations, sales, and marketing. She has successfully planned and executed a wide range of events, from large-scale conferences and annual meetings to intimate donor gatherings, ensuring that each event meets her clients' objectives and exceeds expectations.
Her extensive event management background includes everything from conceptualizing event themes to managing logistics, vendor relations, attendee engagement strategies, and post-event analysis. Kara is skilled in creating seamless, impactful experiences that enhance networking opportunities, foster learning, and drive attendee satisfaction. Whether overseeing corporate sponsorship integration or ensuring accessibility and inclusion at events, she has a keen eye for detail and a strategic approach that maximizes event impact.
Kara’s expertise in working closely with board members, corporate partners, and donor audiences, combined with her consultative selling approach, allows her to uncover client needs and craft tailored solutions that align with organizational goals. She has a diverse background in marketing, sales, sponsorship management, and fund development, along with a knack for building lasting relationships.
Kara holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Detroit Mercy, with a focus on Public Relations, Marketing, and Organizational Development. She has also received specialized training in sponsorship development/management from IEG, a leader in partnership strategy, development, and fulfillment.
In her free time, Kara and her husband Steve stay busy with their three daughters, Emily, Jenna, and Avery. When not juggling car pools and sports activities, they enjoy relaxing at the pool or spending time at the lake with friends and family during Michigan's few warm months.
