01:10
Kassie Davis Highlight
I’ve tried to look at every new position as a new learning experience and think about what I can take from past jobs and put into this new job and really see how I can round out my experience and expertise.
About Kassie
- When I was young, I knew I wanted to go to school and make a career for myself, but career paths for women felt very limited to fields such as teaching, nursing, and retail merchandising.
- While working for the small business my dad owned during my high school summers, I became motivated to learn more about business.
- In college, I merged my experience in business with my interest in fashion and majored in retail merchandising.
- I earned my bachelor’s degree from Stephens College and started my career at a local department store—while working, I went to graduate school at night for my master’s degree.
- After receiving my MBA in marketing, I worked at the Chicago Tribune as a retail marketing manager, then at Marshall Field’s as the vice president of marketing research and planning.
- When Target bought Marshall Field’s, I took on the job as the director of public affairs and started the corporate philanthropy program—this is how I made the transition from retail to philanthropy.
- During my career, I’ve been out of work and had to look for new jobs a few times, but I’ve loved working in the world of Chicago philanthropy because of how fulfilling it is.
- I now work as the executive director for a private charitable foundation that’s focused on education for low-income students.
