As part of the CCD team, Keely Ellis brings a wealth of experience and demonstrated success in building relationships in community college philanthropy work, local and state government, and funding partners. In addition to consulting with CCD, she currently serves as the Chief Advancement Officer for Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC), providing strategic leadership and vision for the Foundation and Advancement Department. She also serves as lead fundraiser, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors while developing and executing strategies to obtain grants from foundations and government sources. Prior to CNCC, Keely served as the Western Rural Opportunity Representative with the Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT) - Rural Opportunity Office, where she was responsible for leading Manufacturer’s Edge program initiatives in rural communities, managing metrics and performance targets, overseeing programming with CDLE for Just Transition and coal-impacted communities, as well as developing rural-focused resources and connecting businesses to SBDC, MBO, and EOO services, among other things.