Kaitlyn Van Buskirk, 28 / Development Officer, Roanoke Higher Education Center Foundation
Lynchburg native Kaitlyn Van Buskirk earned her degree in Business Economics and Administration, cum laude, from Sweet Briar College in 2015. She has spent more than half a decade in Planned Giving and Development leadership roles, with management of large nonprofit programs in Washington, DC and Maryland; after moving to Roanoke in 2017, she worked in development and grants for the RVSPCA and Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia (her management of Roanoke Valley Gives day in March 2021 hit an all-time high total and grossed over $1.1 million), before taking on her new role as Current Development Officer at the RHEC Foundation in 2021. She is a volunteer for the Blue Ridge Marathon and Habitat for Humanity and was elected Chair of Relay for Life, later receiving an Outstanding Leadership Certificate from SBC Business Department. “I have dedicated the past seven years to my true passion: helping others. Knowing that my work has the ability to directly support the people in this community and ensure that they go on to live a more successful and prosperous life is truly the greatest reward.”
- Earned degree in Business Economics and Administration, Cum Laude, Sweet Briar College, 2015
- Published in Valley Business Front Magazine, 2019-2020 (12 issues of the “Good Works” article)
- Previous Roanoke Valley SPCA volunteer
- Blue Ridge Marathon volunteer
- Habitat for Humanity volunteer
- United Way, Baltimore volunteer
- Active member of Roanoke Country Club
- Elected Chair of Relay For Life – later awarded an Outstanding Leadership Certificate from SBC Business Department
- Previous Grants Associate with the Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia – 2019-2021
- Previous Planned Giving Relationship Manager, PNC Bank – 2015-2017
- Previous member of the Chesapeake Planned Giving Council – 2015-2017
- Previous Director of Development at Roanoke Valley SPCA – 2017-2019
From the Nomination: “Kaitlyn H. Van Buskirk … strives to connect local citizens and businesses with essential, life-changing causes for the betterment of the community as a whole. Kaitlyn was recently appointed as the new Development Officer at the Roanoke Higher Education Center Foundation. Her new role will focus on fundraising for a new Career Center, Scholarship Funds, and the Innovation Fund, which will support future educational needs at the Center. … In June of 2019, she decided to make another change, and started a new role as the Grants Associate with the Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia. Her crowning achievement from her time in that role was the successful management of Roanoke Valley Gives day. Under her supervision and advisement, the 24-hour fundraising event hit an all-time high total and grossed over 1.1 million in March of 2021. … Van Buskirk is an extremely hard worker. She is very talented and loves to give back to the local community. She supports many local nonprofit organizations through volunteerism and gives generously on an annual basis. She is the kind of person who takes the time to invest in others and wants everyone to flourish. She enjoys meeting new people and has strong connections with the community. Her presence is very calming and welcoming, which makes her an ideal person for development and fundraising initiatives. She truly cares for others and is a great addition to our staff.”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Van Buskirk: “I love being surrounded by the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains and living in a community where the citizens care about and invest in their region. I have lived in larger cities, and I love that Roanoke provides many of the opportunities and luxuries that you would find in extremely urban cities but maintains a safe, small-town feel.”
How does your passion impact our community?
Van Buskirk: “I have dedicated the past seven years to my true passion: helping others. Knowing that my work has the ability to directly support the people in this community and ensure that they go on to live a more successful and prosperous life is truly the greatest reward.”
