CHRISTOPHER D. CULLEY
St. Louis,MO
Summary
Visionary nonprofit leader with 15 years of experience in philanthropic strategy, cross-sector partnerships, and organizational transformation. Expertise in building community capacity, leading change management initiatives, and developing innovative programs that yield impactful outcomes. Committed to enhancing the lives of children and families while fostering collaboration and driving strategic results.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Steering Committee Leader
Coalition of the Willing
01.2023 - Current
- Led board-level governance activities, preparing meetings and reporting to stakeholders while facilitating high-stakes organizational decisions.
- Championed shared philanthropic vision among multiple nonprofit organizations, facilitating governance discussions to achieve strategic alignment across partners.
- Develop and implement SOPs and performance tracking systems that bring accountability and cohesion to coalition-wide transformation initiatives.
- Served as spokesperson and strategic advocate for collaborative community mapping efforts, enhancing cross-organization networks and partnerships.
- Managed tasks and communications effectively in a remote work environment.
Director of Operations
New Covenant Missions
01.2021 - Current
- Lead multi-year strategic direction for global philanthropic programs, coordinating mission-aligned impact across 31+ countries and diverse nonprofit partners directly analogous to translating enterprise strategy across a federated model.
- Managed relationships with international field partners, fostering trust and ensuring mission alignment through transparent communication and accountability systems.
- Oversee budget planning, financial forecasting, and compliance reporting to ensure sound fiscal stewardship of organizational resources.
- Collaborate with senior leadership to align philanthropic priorities with organizational goals, supporting both mission expansion and revenue growth.
- Designed and implemented program evaluation frameworks with standardized KPIs, facilitating data-driven decisions and enhancing stakeholder engagement to impact nearly 1 million people.
- Developed training programs to enhance capacity of field partners in effective reporting, program delivery, and results-based leadership.
- Remote / Global (31 Countries)
Area Coordinator & Church Engagement Lead
Safe Families for Children
St. Louis Metro East, IL
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Spearheaded volunteer recruitment, training, and engagement programs equipping associates to serve with purpose and measurable impact.
- Built and sustained relationships with local nonprofit partners and community leaders, enhancing outreach and support for family care initiatives.
- Developed reporting mechanisms that connected local partners with organizational leadership, facilitating accountability and streamlining communication.
Manager
Arrow Box
St. Louis, MO
01.2016 - 01.2021
- Directed 20 staff, empowering individuals while promoting accountability and growth.
- Established open-door leadership culture that encouraged employee voice and supported performance development, leading to high-quality customer outcomes.
- Supervised daily operations to ensure efficiency and productivity across all departments.
- Developed training programs to enhance team skills and knowledge in best practices.
- Implemented process improvements to optimize workflow and reduce operational costs.
Executive Director
International Student Ministry
St. Louis, MO
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Led philanthropic and programmatic operations for 500+ international students, overseeing staff, budgets, and community partnerships to enhance service delivery.
- Led strategic planning initiatives for community outreach programs.
- Coordinated partnerships with local organizations to enhance service delivery.
- Managed budget allocations to ensure operational efficiency and sustainability.
- Implemented program assessments to evaluate engagement and retention, leveraging findings to refine strategies and effectively communicate impact to stakeholders.
Executive Director
Comfort Foundation
01.2009 - 01.2011
- Directed international philanthropic programs serving 300+ orphan and underserved children, overseeing all aspects of foundation governance, grantmaking, and community partnership.
- Led board governance activities, financial stewardship, and strategic planning to ensure organizational sustainability and mission alignment.
- Cultivated cross-cultural community partnerships, expanding the Foundation's influence and reach demonstrating the ability to engage diverse communities in shared mission.
- Designed monitoring and evaluation systems to track educational and well-being outcomes, providing measurable impact to donors and board members.
- Russia & St. Louis, MO
Education
Master of Arts - Theological Studies
Covenant Theological Seminary
St. Louis, MOBachelor of Arts - Religious Education
Southwest Baptist University
Bolivar, MOSkills
- Strategic Planning and Execution
- Organizational Transformation & Change Management
- Nonprofit Operations Management
- Cross-Sector Partnership Development
- Innovation & Program Design
- Systems Thinking
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Governance Strategy Development
- Budget Forecasting & Fiscal Stewardship
- Stakeholder & Executive Communications
- Team Development and Talent Management
- Community Engagement
LEADERSHIP & VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
- Board Advisor & Governance Coach for nonprofit coalitions, guiding strategy, accountability, and board effectiveness across multiple organizations.
- Volunteer Associate Pastor, Shrewsbury, MO, new church plant, community leadership and program development.
- Global Missions Leadership, Local Community Missions Pastor across Taiwan, Ukraine, Russia, and Guatemala, overseeing cross-cultural partnerships and program delivery.
Timeline
Steering Committee Leader
Coalition of the Willing
01.2023 - Current
Director of Operations
New Covenant Missions
01.2021 - Current
Area Coordinator & Church Engagement Lead
Safe Families for Children
01.2020 - 01.2021
Manager
Arrow Box
01.2016 - 01.2021
Executive Director
International Student Ministry
01.2012 - 01.2013
Executive Director
Comfort Foundation
01.2009 - 01.2011
Master of Arts - Theological Studies
Covenant Theological Seminary
Bachelor of Arts - Religious Education
Southwest Baptist University