ken jones
cAREER
Co-Founder & Chief Visionary Officer
Above Goal provides technology, media, fundraising strategy, and ongoing coaching to power the “cause” sector. Our flagship product, Above Goal, is the only commercial fundraising software designed specifically for capital campaigns.
From Lothrop Street
Team Leader
From Lothrop Street is a Black business startup ecosystem designed to help Black folks and poor folks thrive in America and all around the world. From Lothrop Street is a sole proprietorship.
Campaign Advisor
Led day-to-day campaign operations for the final leg of Make-A-Wish America’s first major gifts campaign.
Consultant
Conducted a quantitative and qualitative major gifts fundraising strategy assessment.
Associate Director of Network Fundraising Services
Network Fundraising Services is a program that provides Feeding America network members with the capacities, skills, guidance and information needed to significantly grow and sustain local fundraising.
On-site Campaign Director
Led the Faith in our Future campaign. Raised $2.5M.
On-site Campaign Director
Led 18 parish campaigns throughout the Panhandle region of Texas. Raised $15M.
Associate
Managed fundraising strategy for the Western Region. Trained in fundraising by Nick Fellers at For Impact – The Suddes Group.
Chief Program Officer
campusCATALYST is a student driven consulting corps for nonprofits. I managed the day-to-day operations at the University of Chicago and Northwestern program sites. This included Community Analyst and MBA mentor recruitment, nonprofit client recruitment, and overseeing 10 simultaneous consulting projects each quarter.
Built the campusCATALYST consulting curriculum which teaches students how to critically think and problem solve while exploring the intersection of business and nonprofit management.
Teamroom Strategy Analyst
Worked on the inaugural 6-person Aon Inpoint consulting engagement. Aon Inpoint is now a global team of 200+ employees dedicated to making insurers and/or reinsurers more competitive through providing data, analytics, engagement and consulting.
Consultant
Worked in the client-facing Enterprise Risk Management practice. Led practice training efforts for the Resolver Ballot & Sharpe Decision risk voting technology
Enterprise Risk Management provides a framework to understand and respond to business uncertainties and opportunities with relevant risk insight delivered through common, integrated risk identification, analysis and management disciplines.
Industries Served Include:
Agribusiness
Robotics Manufacturing
Pharmaceutical
Natural Gas
Teamroom Strategy Analyst
Worked for an internal global management consulting firm led by former McKinsey consultants.
Summer Risk Analyst
Analyzed Property Claims Services data, presented information in 35 minute presentation to risk analysts, managers, and president of the Catastrophic Modeling Division. Formed internal access database with detailed information on all U.S winter storms 1950-present.
COMMUNITY
Create Now
Board Chair
Create Now empowers youth and young adults from Pre-K to age 24 through a variety of arts programs that help them to heal and thrive. trafficking, on probation, incarcerated or experiencing other severe challenges.
Mercy Home
Friends First Mentor
Far too many children face limited opportunities for growth and experience repeated disappointment from adults. In response to this need in the community, the Friends First Mentoring Program was created. The program matches a child one-on-one with a well-trained volunteer mentor.
Friends First outings range from a visit to an art museum to a stroll on a college campus to simply playing Frisbee in a park. Through connection with a trusted adult and exposure to activities, a child can develop a better vision for his or her future beyond the limited horizons that hold back far too many children.
Breakthrough Collaborative
7th grade Math Teacher
7th grade Math Teacher. Also taught an elective course, “Welcome to Nellyville”. Nellyville introduced students to racism in the media. Students explored examples of race depicted in movies, music, and the internet and discussed the often negative stereotype of Blacks in the current media.
Organization of Black Students
President
Blue Gargoyle Program
Math Tutor
The Blue Gargoyle serves as a hub for community services in order to provide positive opportunities for youth and families on the Southside of Chicago. Through partnerships and programs in arts, education, and workforce development, they provide youth and families the opportunity to become self-sustaining in a rapidly changing world.
Neighborhood Schools Program
Math Tutor
The Neighborhood Schools Program (NSP) is one of the University of Chicago’s longest-standing community outreach programs. Founded in 1976 as an effort to create pathways of engagement between the University and the local schools, our program has grown over the years to partner with 50 sites on Chicago’s South Side and involves over 350 student employees and volunteers engaging with 4,000 local students each year. Our 50 sites include local schools, after school centers, government offices, and a women’s shelter. Collaboratively, we place students in such roles as tutors, teaching assistants, administrative interns, pre-school specialists, and technology coordinators.
education & training
University of Chicago
Concentration in Economics, 2006
UCLA
Math for Finance
Principles of Accounting
Business Applications of Calculus
Business Statistics
Annenberg Foundation
Alchemy Fundamentals is Alchemy’s signature course and the first phase of Alchemy’s leadership training. Alchemy’s focus is on the working relationship between the Executive Director and the Board Chair. Alchemy Fundamentals consists of three full-day sessions. Critical issues covered are board governance and effectiveness, fundraising, and financial sustainability.
Northwestern High School
Valedictorian
fun
Golden Ticket Management
Songwriter and advisor
Wrote songs as member of production team. Provided informal business advising.
Second City
Student
Beginning Improv
travels
Places I've called home
Detroit, MI
Chicago, IL
Los Angeles, CA
Southern Arizona
On the road
Chicago, IL – 22 months
Phoenix, AZ – 10 months
Amarillo, TX – 8 months
Dallas, TX – 5 months
Fort Wayne, IN – 4 months
St. Louis, MO – 4 months
Cape Town, ZA – 3 months
Atlanta, GA – 3 months