Beth Kramer is vice president of development and alumni relations at the Culinary Institute of America, where she oversees the college’s fundraising and alumni-engagement strategies and activities, deepening relationships with its expansive community of distinguished alumni, friends, and supporters.
Kramer is an entrepreneurial-minded fundraising executive with a proven track record of positioning institutions and teams for transformative growth. In her nearly four decades of experience, she has held leadership roles at institutions including Harvard, Northeastern, and Brandeis universities. Most recently, she was vice president for advancement and the chief development officer for Simmons University in Boston.
A creative strategist with deep expertise in innovative donor discovery and visionary gift planning, Kramer has secured nearly $500 million in philanthropic support over the course of her career. Her international work has leveraged seven‑ and eight‑figure gifts to advance research in sustainability, health and aging, and economic development across Asia. She has also led major fundraising initiatives supporting student access and global learning experiences—areas that align closely with CIA’s mission and future priorities.
A native of Youngstown, OH, Kramer holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Ohio Northern University.
An avid home cook, she also served as a core team leader for a volunteer‑run kitchen that prepared 700 meals each month for nonprofit organizations in her community.