Kiah Earl is a philanthropic strategist and community builder with experience in fundraising, marketing, and community engagement. She currently serves as Senior Strategy Officer on the Danforth and University Initiatives Philanthropic Strategy team at Washington University in St. Louis, where she collaborates with academic leaders and University Advancement partners to align philanthropic initiatives with institutional priorities.  

Prior to joining WashU, Kiah led fundraising efforts in the community development and youth empowerment spaces, supporting initiatives that invested in families and strengthened communities across the St. Louis region and Southern Illinois. She holds a Master of Public Administration and dual bachelor’s degrees in mass communication and English from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where she remains engaged through the Meridian Society.

Kiah’s approach to philanthropy is grounded in a belief that our greatest impact comes from how we show up for others, a perspective shaped by her grandmother’s example.
 
Outside of her professional work, Kiah carries this commitment forward through volunteerism and entrepreneurial efforts that bring people together around shared interests and meaningful causes. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, thrifting, crafting, and planning for her next trip.

What does philanthropy mean to you?

Philanthropy is more than giving money. It’s about service, relationships, and recognizing that everyone has something to contribute. I not only want to support the meaningful work happening in our community, but also bring people together around it.

Mission: St. Louis is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing social and economic mobility by empowering individuals and families to break the cycle of poverty through relationship, opportunity, and community. Since 2007, Mission: St. Louis has worked alongside people as they pursue pathways to self-sufficiency, addressing systemic barriers to education, employment, housing stability, and community safety.

What does philanthropy mean to you?

For me, philanthropy is about believing in people and investing in their potential, or simply put, putting your money where your mouth is.

If you want things to change, if you hope for a stronger community, better opportunities, or a brighter future, then you have to be willing to invest in making that happen. Philanthropy is more than writing a check. It's making a commitment to the causes and values you believe in and taking action to support them.

I believe true philanthropy is using whatever resources you have, whether that's your time, talent, influence, relationships, or financial support, to create opportunities for others. It's recognizing that we all have a role to play in building the kind of community we want to live in.

Theresa L. Fleck, EdD, CFRE, CAE, CNP, serves as Chief Development Officer of Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas, which she joined in November 2025. A nonprofit professional since 2001, she has extensive experience developing fundraising strategies, building donor relationships and growing philanthropic support for universities, independent schools, social service agencies, international NGOs and the arts.

Dr. Fleck’s expertise includes major gifts, planned giving, capital campaigns, annual giving, corporate partnerships, special events and donor stewardship. She has led comprehensive fundraising initiatives and partnered with staff, boards and volunteers to identify prospects, cultivate relationships and secure gifts that advance organizational missions. Her approach emphasizes sustainable revenue growth, long-term donor engagement and connecting donors’ interests with meaningful opportunities for impact.

Previously, Dr. Fleck served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement & Admissions at Logan University, overseeing development and six additional departments. Her work included advancing a capital campaign, expanding planned giving and securing building naming gifts.

Dr. Fleck also advances the fundraising profession through mentoring, education and service. She is a former president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) St. Louis Chapter, a former board member of AFP Rhode Island, and serves on the AFP Global Ethics Committee and Global Member Code of Conduct Committee. She has presented regionally and nationally for AFP, the National Association of Independent Schools and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Dr. Fleck holds a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Washington University in St. Louis. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive, Certified Association Executive and Certified Nonprofit Professional, and a member of the St. Louis Council of Charitable Gift Planners.

What does philanthropy mean to you?

Philanthropy is a deeply personal expression of love and care for others. It is a way of saying, “Your life matters, and I want to help.” Whether we give our time, resources, or talents, generosity connects us to one another and reminds us that we share responsibility for the well-being of our communities.

At its heart, philanthropy nurtures belonging. It invites us to look beyond our own experiences, recognize another person’s hopes and challenges, and respond with compassion. In doing so, we honor our shared humanity and create opportunities for people to feel seen, supported, and less alone.