Fundraising Expert Will Bolster Philanthropic Effort for St. Catherine’s Center for Children

Michele Puleo O’Hare to head independent Foundation supporting St. Catherine’s after a

successful candidate search.

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) Michele Puleo O’Hare was named the Executive Director of the Foundation of St. Catherine’s in January. With more than 30 years of fundraising and business development experience, Puleo O’Hare will lead the effort to raise funds to support St. Catherine's Center for Children's comprehensive array of child, homeless, and community-based services that reach children, families, and adults throughout the Capital Region.

“Michele will be a tremendous asset to The Foundation of St. Catherine’s and she seems ready for the task. She brings a wealth of experience to her new role, and is well established in the community,” said Christopher Farrell, President of St. Catherine’s Foundation Board of Trustees.

Before coming to St. Catherine’s, Puleo O’Hare held a number of leadership positions in both non-for-profit and educational settings. Most recently, she served as Director of Communications, Outreach and Development with the Northeastern Association of the Blind

(NABA) in Albany, where she substantially increased funding and fostered collaborations with more than 300 businesses in sixteen counties. Puleo O’Hare has served on more than 20 local non-profit boards – winning numerous awards and receiving countless accolades after decades in human services and education.

“We are delighted to have such a dedicated leader as Michele to join our team and lend her strategic fundraising vision to the Foundation,” said Frank Pindiak, Executive Director of St. Catherine’s Center for Children.

Puleo O’Hare’s hire comes as the culmination of an internal process, aligning advancement and philanthropic enterprise under a separate and independent Foundation. This transition will strengthen St. Catherine’s Center for Children’s financial position and further operational goals after a period of substantial growth allowing for more outreach, wrap-around services, and enhanced opportunities to clients the Capital District.

"I am thrilled to undertake such an important mission, humbled to have been selected, and fully prepared to lead the Foundation!” said Puleo O’Hare.

About St. Catherine’s Center for Children

St. Catherine’s Center for Children was founded by the Daughters of Charity in Albany in 1886 as a home for sick orphans. Today, the Agency is a haven for hope, offering a comprehensive range of human services to children, families, and adults who have experienced abuse, neglect, and trauma. St. Catherine’s provides residential care and special needs education for children ages 5 to 13, offers therapeutic foster and kinship care programs, and community-based prevention services, among others. St. Catherine’s Center for Children is one of the oldest and most comprehensive human services provider in the Capital District. For more information, visit www.st-cath.org.

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