Kara Pappas serves as the Chief Advancement Officer for MFAN, where she leads the organization’s advancement efforts through a dynamic blend of philanthropic development, strategic communications, and stakeholder engagement. Her work focuses on expanding MFAN’s visibility, building cross-sector relationships, and securing the support needed to improve the lives of military families.
Kara’s dedication to this mission is both personal and professional. Her husband is medically retired after an 18-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps and Colorado Army National Guard, and together, they’ve experienced the unique joys and challenges of military life. This lived experience, combined with Kara’s long-standing work with military- and veteran-serving nonprofits, fuels her passion for making sure the families who serve on our behalf are seen, heard, and supported.
Over the past 20 years, Kara has held senior leadership positions in the nonprofits she has served, operating as a Chief Development Officer and Executive Director. She has led multi-million-dollar comprehensive campaigns, launched major gifts programs and communications strategies, and built high-performing teams that drive growth across mission-driven organizations.
Kara holds a Doctor of Management in Nonprofit Leadership and a Master of Nonprofit Management. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and teaches nonprofit courses for The Graduate School at Colorado State University. Kara has also been honored among Northern Colorado’s 40 Under Forty and Notable Women in Nonprofits.
A native of northern Colorado, Kara loves life with her husband and their three rescue pups. When not working or teaching, you can find her Rollerblading on a local trail or enjoying a fruited sour from one of Colorado’s award-winning microbreweries.
