Kendra Waddington is Senior Director of Development and has responsibility for major gifts and planned giving. She leads a team focused on individual fundraising, stewardship, analysis and reporting, prospect research, and development services.
Prior to joining WBEZ, Kendra consulted with several nonprofits on a variety of projects ranging from new business planning to marketing and communications to systems conversions. She spent the majority of her career at IES Abroad, a global higher education nonprofit headquartered in Chicago. There she held multiple roles leading fundraising and alumni relations, developing new lines of business, conducting institutional research and strategic planning, and managing domestic and international meetings and conferences.
Originally from Michigan, Kendra moved to Chicago more than 20 years ago and has called it home ever since. She earned her MA in Cultural & Educational Policy Studies and BA in Communications and International Studies from Loyola University Chicago. She studied abroad in Bilboa, Spain during undergrad, and has traveled to more than 15 countries for work and leisure.
Kendra Waddington
Former Senior Director of Development
