Ophelia Bennett has led development programs with budgets ranging from $2 million to $3 billion while leading teams of 1-11 people for nearly 30 years for small-global rural and urban educational institutions and traditional nonprofits. Bennett has an award-winning track record of raising over $660.4 million dollars in funding with core competencies in fundraising, nonprofit management, leadership, operations and infrastructure development, comprehensive campaigns, major and planned gifts, private, public, state, and federal grants, strategic visioning and (IPOD) organizational development while driving qualitative and quantitative success across major organizational systems.
Most recently she serves as Chief Development Officer for Arrow Child and Family Ministries and prior worked as Chief Development Officer at Texas A&M University in College Station and Organizational Leadership professor at Texas A&M, served as EVP at Tarrant County College, VP of Development at Help Heal Veterans, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director at Trinity Valley Community College, Vice President for Advancement at St. Catharine College, Director of Development at Eastern Kentucky University, Director of Development/Grant Writer at Habitat for Humanity and Major/Planned Gifts Officer at Christian Appalachian Project.
Bennett, is a first generation graduate, earned her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Eastern Kentucky University, earned a Master’s in Business Administration at Midway University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication and Information Studies from the University of Kentucky. Bennett is a 13 yr CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive), who holds her certification in fundraising management (CFRM) and nonprofit leadership (CNLE) through the Indiana University-Lily School of Philanthropy (IUPUI).
Bennett most recently won the CASE 2020 Educational Fundraising award for all colleges and universities across the country, is a Lifetime Achievement CASE Laureate, served as Chair of the 2019 CASE Community College Advancement Conference in San Diego, CA, Former Vice President President/President Elect of the Texas Association of Community College Foundations and Board Member, Team Captain of the CASE Federal Funding Task Force (FFTF) and the CASE District IV Treasurer.
Bennett has spoken at numerous CASE conferences such as CASE-IRF, CASE CCCA, CASE District IV Conference and CASE Grants Conference. In late 2019, she began the process of starting her own pro-bono consulting firm called Dr. O’s Consulting and is currently writing a book about her journey from generational poverty to breaking the cycles of adversity and reaching the personal and professional success she feels humbled to achieve today.
Bennett has a deep-rooted passion to help individuals and philanthropists achieve their dreams and does so by bringing them together to make a positive impact for generations.