Clark State College has appointed Kerry Pedraza as the new executive director of the Clark State College Foundation. In this role, she will lead the college’s external funding strategy, overseeing grant development, fundraising, donor engagement and advancement initiatives that support student success and institutional growth.
Pedraza brings more than a decade of nonprofit leadership experience to Clark State. Since 2013, she has served as executive director of United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties, where she led efforts that generated more than $14 million to support community programs and services.
Her background also includes leadership roles with Job and Family Services of Clark County, where she served as acting director, assistant director and director of human resources. Earlier in her career, she coordinated on-campus programming at Wittenberg University, further displaying her commitment to education and student support.
While this is a new role for Pedraza, her connections to Clark State run deep: she attended Clark State as a student and has served on the Clark State College Foundation Board of Directors for seven years.
“Kerry Pedraza has a proven track record of impactful leadership and deep community engagement,” said Jo Alice Blondin, Ph.D., Clark State president. “Her success at United Way demonstrates not only her fundraising and relationship-building expertise, but also her unwavering commitment to address the very challenges many of our students face.
“Her strong regional ties, extensive nonprofit experience and clear dedication to education make her uniquely positioned to expand the Foundation’s reach,” added Blondin. “Her leadership will help us forge new partnerships and deepen existing ones, ensuring that Clark State continues to meet the evolving needs of our students and community. She will be a powerful advocate for our mission and a catalyst for advancing student success.”
Pedraza will officially begin her role on August 18.