New chief advancement officer for Archdiocese of Baltimore sees role as support for ministry

Kim Montgomery feels a strong sense of responsibility in her new role as chief advancement officer for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation.

More than 105 ministries throughout the archdiocese rely on critical support from the Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries, Montgomery said, and a big part of her job is to raise funds to help them. 

“We want to make sure these ministries remain viable,” said Montgomery, who stepped into the archdiocesan leadership position in July after serving approximately six months in an interim role. 

“The dollars raised are supporting so many worthwhile causes –  evangelization, deaf ministry, Hispanic ministry, Black Catholic ministry, Catholic Charities and so much more,” Montgomery said. “We feel a real sense of commitment to these ministries.”

Montgomery, who succeeds Bernadette Maldonado, said she is dedicated to supporting pastors and parish leaders in helping them with the resources they need for ministry. With nine years experience working in the advancement department, Montgomery previously held positions including senior regional director, senior director of school fundraising and senior director of philanthropy.

She has already established many relationships throughout the archdiocese, she said, and she intends to continue to work personally with pastors. 

“Even in my new position, I’m keeping a portion of my former job as regional advancement director so that I’m constantly on the ground, seeing what’s going on,” she said. “I’m at the parishes. I’m meeting with pastors and working with parish business managers. I really want to have a finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the parish communities.”

In addition to the Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries, the archdiocesan advancement department supports parish stewardship programs and the Partners in Excellence (PIE) scholarship program that provides scholarship money to help children from low-income families attend Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. 

A 1992 graduate of The Seton Keough High School in Baltimore and a convert to the Catholic faith, Montgomery began her career at Youth Outreach Foundation, a Catholic organization that provided educational opportunities to underserved youths in Baltimore. She said the Partners in Excellence program has a similar mission.

“Once a student enters a (PIE) school, we want to be sure that we have enough funds to provide to them so they can complete their years at that school,” said Montgomery, who worships at St. John in Westminster and St. Joseph in Sykesville.

As executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation, Montgomery will also work to help individuals, families and organizations establish endowments and donor-advised funds to continue the work of parishes, schools, outreach programs and other Catholic ministries.

In addition to Montgomery’s appointment in the advancement department, several other personnel changes were announced over the summer for the archdiocesan communications department. 

Yvonne Wenger, who has served as director of community affairs since 2021, now serves as director of public relations. She will work closely with Christian Kendzierski, executive director of communications.

Geri Royale Byrd was promoted to serve in an expanded role as director of community and external affairs. She will continue to lead the Seek the City to Come pastoral planning initiative.

Monica Anderson will continue to serve as project administrative assistant for Seek the City, but is now doing so within the communications department.

Email George Matysek at gmatysek@CatholicReview.org

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