Horizons Atlanta (HA) today announced that Kelly Criss has joined its regional team as Director of Development. Criss will lead the organization’s regional fund development program and support its 11 program sites in their individual fundraising efforts.
“We’re excited to have Kelly join our Horizons Atlanta team as she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will help us continue to grow and ensure more Atlanta-area scholars are able to participate in out of school programming that supports their academic and personal well-being,” said LaVasia Bullard, Interim Executive Director at Horizons Atlanta.
Prior to joining Horizons Atlanta, Criss was the Director of Individual Giving at the Atlanta Ballet, the nation’s oldest established ballet company and the state of Georgia’s largest self-supported arts organization. In this role, she directed the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of current and prospective major donors and was able to increase the total donor portfolio by over 50%. During her tenure, she achieved new organizational records exceeding the Ballet’s annual fund goal two years in a row.
Before her time at the Atlanta Ballet, she served as Director of Corporate & Individual Giving at Aurora Theatre and stewarded the Lawrenceville Arts Center capital campaign. Other experience includes serving as the Manager of Special Projects at the High Museum of Art and the Artistic & Education Manager at Horizon Theatre, where she mentored the apprentice company and was the primary coordinator for the annual Young Playwrights Festival.
Criss also teaches beginning acting courses for teens at the Alliance Theatre and has been a member of the Atlanta Shakespeare acting company since 2006, after completing their pre-professional apprentice training program. Additionally, she is a founding member and former producer with the Weird Sisters Theatre Project, where she currently serves on the Board of Directors.
Criss earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from Furman University.