Having spent more than three decades as an advancement professional, John Kudless brings deep experience in all aspects of nonprofit management and consultation. His special expertise includes major, planned and principal gifts program building and prospect strategies, campaign planning, leadership development with presidents and trustees, and staff training.

Today, in addition to his work for the firm, he is the associate vice president for principal gifts at The George Washington University. Before joining GG+A in 1999, John spent 14 years in development at The Johns Hopkins Institutions, culminating in his appointment as the executive director for principal gifts. At Hopkins, he managed gift commitments of over $1 million as part of the successful $1.5 billion campaign. Under his guidance, gifts valued $1 million and above generated 65 percent of the campaign total.

Earlier, John served as vice president for alumni and university relations at Georgetown University, where he oversaw a staff of 150 and an $11 million budget for the development, public affairs, and alumni relations programs. John also served as vice president for advancement at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where he led the University through its first capital campaign, which exceeded its goal by 20 percent and finished a year ahead of schedule. During his tenure, VCU nearly doubled its endowment and established new alumni programs in a newly merged multi-campus environment.

Early in his career, John also worked as director of development for the National Symphony Orchestra, where he initiated the Orchestra’s first endowment program, and expanded volunteer leadership, direct mail and planned giving activities.

John earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Northeastern University and a master’s degree in political science from The American University.

Selected GG+A client work includes:

– The LDS Philanthropies (Brigham Young University), work with the organization and its various BYU components to enhance a higher education fundraising enterprise that generates over a $100 million annually across three campuses

– Duke Medicine, assistance with its internal review of campaign preparedness, analytics, and campaign feasibility for a comprehensive campaign

– The Pennsylvania State University, counsel to the university and its medical campus on a range of volunteer leadership and staff training in fundraising, in and out of campaign