Kate O'Donnell

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Areas of Expertise:

• Proven success with major campaigns and promotional projects
• Member services and relationships
• Budget allocation and management

Kate O'Donnell joined The Coulter Companies in January 2008 and directs the marketing and creative efforts for clients of Coulter Nonprofit Management, Coulter Events and Coulter Strategy & Innovation. She also serves as copy editor for Making Waves, the award-winning magazine of Alliance for Women in Media (formerly AWRT).

Prior to joining The Coulter Companies, O'Donnell spent six years in Los Angeles with the ABC Television daytime drama, "General Hospital," where she held a number of positions in the writing, production and casting departments. O'Donnell wrote both on-air and audition scenes under the show's Emmy-award winning head writer, as well as assisting with script continuity. In addition to her routine duties, she was tapped during broadcast sweeps to act as production continuity coordinator; ensuring rigorous specifications were met within the writing, production, wardrobe, hair/make-up, and publicity departments. "General Hospital" earned three Emmy® Awards for Outstanding Daytime Drama during O'Donnell's six year tenure.

O'Donnell's previous experience includes serving as public relations manager for Santa Rosa Medical Center in northern Florida, where she initiated and implemented a successful marketing campaign for the labor and delivery unit and operated as the creative director for television advertising. In addition, O'Donnell was the editor of Healthy Connections, a county-wide publication with a reader circulation of more than 35,000.

O'Donnell began her career in the nonprofit sector, first as assistant editor of one of the world's oldest and largest women's volunteer organizations, the General Federation of Women's Clubs, then serving as communications specialist for the Women's College Coalition (WCC) in Washington, D.C. At the WCC, she helped successfully re-launch a national public service campaign targeting girls' involvement in math and science disciplines, entitled "Expect The Best From A Girl. That's What You'll Get."

O'Donnell earned an undergraduate degree in communications from American University in Washington, D.C., and currently holds memberships in the Directors Guild of America, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Delta Gamma Fraternity of Women.

O'Donnell, her husband, Brendan, and their two daughters reside in Falls Church, Virginia.

Now, here's the backstory on Kate:

• Hometown:  Pasadena, California
• Parents:  Mom lives a "green" life in very cold New Hampshire; Dad is enjoying semi-retirement in Washington State.
• Favorite TV shows as a kid: Happy Days—I was so obsessed with this show that I almost went to a college in Boston because Henry Winkler ("The Fonz") was an alum and I got to meet him at a prospective student reception.
• Spent my days as a youth: Reading, and riding my bike with my best friend who was also named Kate—it got a little confusing when our moms were calling us.
• Thing I hate to admit, even to myself: That thing about sounding like your mother when you get older—it's true.
• Hobbies:  I still love to read, although with a young child at home I don't get read novels much anymore, just "Green Eggs and Ham".
• First "paycheck" job:  Babysitting the three-month old next door all day, five days a week during the summer I was 14. As a mother now, I question my neighbor's judgment at the time, but that three-month old is now a senior in college and has babysat for my daughter!
• First car: A 1984 Toyota Corolla that had its radio stolen from it the first night I had the car (yes, I locked the doors!).
• First job after college:  Editorial assistant at an association of women's volunteers. I had the coolest boss in the entire world—she loved to take me shopping during our lunch hour.
• Thing you would most likely learn about me in the first five minutes of conversation: I miss the sleep I used to get before having my daughter.
• Myers-Briggs Type: ESFJ
• Personal quote: Never be afraid to admit you made a mistake.
• Perfect happiness is:  Sleeping in on a Saturday morning and waking up to the smell of my husband cooking pancakes with my daughter.
• If I had to do it all over again:  I would've been a foreign exchange student in college...all of that culture at the same price as a regular semester? What was I thinking?!