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Principal | KDN Philanthropy Consulting
Panelist | Opening Conversation
Kelly Davenport Nowlin is a fifth generation Andrus family member who has been actively engaged in her family’s philanthropy for over 20 years. She served for 12 years on the board of the Surdna Foundation, a family-led social justice foundation started by her great, great grandfather, John Emory Andrus over 100 years ago. Kelly chaired the Thriving Cultures Committee and the Andrus Family Philanthropy Program, which is responsible for outreach to, and engagement of, nearly 500 Andrus family members, and worked closely with staff to guide program, investment, governance, and communications strategies.
Prior to Surdna, Kelly was a founding board member of the Andrus Family Fund (AFF), a program launched by Surdna in 2000 as a grantmaking fund for fifth generation family members. She, along with 8 cousins, developed program areas, governance policies, bylaws, mission, strategic vision, and committees of this $4MM fund. Kelly served as Vice Chair, then Co-Chair for four of her seven-year term.
Currently, Kelly is Principal of KDN Philanthropy Consulting, developing strategies for family foundations and nonprofits around the country. She speaks regularly in the sector on topics in philanthropy including next generation engagement, social justice and racial equity, power and privilege, culture, and governance. She is an outspoken leader on the need for philanthropy to be accountable to power dynamics and racial equity, and co-developed the Racial Justice Learning and Action Cohort at the National Center for Family Philanthropy for family foundation trustees to build knowledge, skills and action plans that advance racial justice practices. Kelly has served on the boards of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations and the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP), including two years as NCFP’s board chair. Currently, she is active on the Boston Public Schools Arts Advisory Board, the Democracy and Power Innovation Fund, and the board of The Jar.
Kelly is married with two adult children and currently lives in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
