ZUHIRAH KHALDUN-DIARRA
Hudson
Summary
Accomplished philanthropy, brand, and integrated marketing professional with over 20 years of experience across the US, Europe, and Africa, specializing in non-profits and mission-driven organizations. Proven leadership in integrated and multichannel direct marketing has consistently driven increased revenue, optimized supporter engagement, and organizational growth.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President, Philanthropy Communications and Marketing
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
04.2024 - Current
- Direct a 47-member philanthropy communications and marketing team in crafting and executing comprehensive strategies to drive fundraising for Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund with consistent year-over-year revenue growth, expanded donor base, and improved peer-to-peer fundraising engagement.
- Develop digitally led multichannel marketing strategies to identify and optimize engagement, conversion, and stewardship of target audiences.
- Rebranding “Jimmy Fund for Dana-Farber” community fundraising events to more clearly connect with Dana-Farber mission and impact.
- Launched new philanthropy website optimized for user experience, SEO, GEO, and fundraising.
- Direct media relations strategy for all philanthropy events, initiatives, and gift announcements.
- Publish quarterly award-winning donor stewardship magazine increasing inquiries and donations.
- Oversee budget development and resource allocation in alignment with division and organization goals and priorities.
- Spearheaded department restructuring and reorganization to streamline operations and breakdown silos.
- Present marketing performance, trend, and strategy updates to executive leadership and the Board of Trustees.
- Build sustainable and equitable team values and practices that strengthen connection, inclusion, and belonging.
Vice President, Marketing, Communications & Brand
Jumpstart for Young Children
Boston, MA
05.2022 - 03.2024
- Led 11-member marketing, communications, and brand team to drive programmatic impact and optimize engagement and support for Jumpstart’s national work in Early Childhood Development. Worked in partnership with the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Development and Marketing Officer, and VP of Development to set and develop strategy to achieve revenue goals operationalizing a multi-year development and engagement plan.
- Developing strategy to grow Jumpstart brand awareness and increase supporter engagement through digital marketing, thought leadership, and integrated campaigns.
- Leading corporate communications and media relations, identifying media and thought leadership opportunities, and managing media agency.
- Leading and managing Digital and Content teams’ functional leads to increase supporter engagement in small donor fundraising and Impact Initiatives (Jumpstart’s Read for the Record program), broadening Jumpstart brand awareness, revenue, and optimizing the digital supporter and donor journey.
- Managing, coaching, and supporting Impact Initiatives, Digital Marketing and Content Strategy functional team leads, and supporting leaders to develop and retain their teams.
Senior Director, Integrated Brand Marketing
UNICEF USA
New York, NY
01.2018 - 05.2022
- Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, led development of integrated brand and cause marketing communications campaigns to engage and raise support for UNICEF's global sustainable development work in the United States. Responsibilities included development of data and research driven integrated strategy for campaigns and cross-functional activations to drive awareness, engagement, and revenue that included media relations, social media, digital marketing, CTV, OOH, events, sponsorships, influencers, and advocacy, leveraging major donors, corporate sponsors, and foundation partners.
- Development of new brand positioning and engagement campaign for UNICEF USA, managing cross-functional teams and creative content and media agencies, generating a 20 point increase in brand equity with target audiences in first year.
- Spearheading the development and execution of integrated multi-channel campaigns including, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, the Campaign to End the Pandemic, and UNICEF's We Won't Stop campaign.
- Re-imagining legacy Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF program to digitize the “little orange box” and introduce the program to a new generation of supporters.
- Participated in global communications conferences for UNICEF national committees and country offices, leading a workshop on integrated marketing campaign development.
- Promoted from Director to Senior Director in August 2021.
Marketing and Communications
Consultant
Zanzibar, Tanzania
04.2016 - 12.2017
- Strategic brand planning, communications, partnership development, strategic program development, social media strategy, advertising campaign and content creation, copy writing, and media relations for NPOs, arts, and private sector organizations in U.S.A. and Africa.
- Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (ZNCCIA): Increased social media reach by 1200% and raised the profile of ZNCCIA increasing membership and inquiries with new quarterly eNewsletter, social media, radio PSAs, media relations, content, and strategy.
- Milele Zanzibar Foundation: Working in partnership with The Government of Zanzibar, community partners, arts, and private sector organizations, I led multilateral initiatives to expand reach, deepen impact, and strengthen communications and marketing capacities for MZF sustainable education, health, and workforce development programs.
- Zanzibar International Film Festival: Led strategic partnerships and marketing, facilitating partnerships with Ethiopian Airlines, UNFPA, Park Hyatt Zanzibar, Doubletree Hilton and others, securing feature on CNN Inside Africa and developing partnerships for music programming.
- National Urban League: Copywriting and editing for the 2017 National Urban League Conference, developing title and theme as well as copy for all conference events for inclusion on Conference App, website, and marketing materials.
Senior Marketing Director
NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE
New York, NY
04.2009 - 03.2016
- Reporting to the Chief marketing Officer, led and provided strategic management and execution of the organization’s integrated brand marketing and communications initiatives and multi-city events.
- Managed national (6 city) marketing and communications strategy for “Put Our Children 1st “education advocacy campaign and program with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, developing content and facilitating digital, radio, and print partnerships.
- Published digital State of Black America Report and Equality Index, producing accompanying website, digital content, animation, and web-series with NBC Universal.
- Managed the League’s marketing of the first ever Red Nose Day in the United States in which the National Urban League social media campaign garnered 3.4 million impressions and feature on Today.com.
- Negotiated and managed media partnerships (TIME, Fortune, Bloomberg BusinessWeek).
- Directed collateral design and development, social media marketing, web development, PR, and advertising.
- Multichannel marketing for multi-city events including the annual National Urban League Conference (2008-2013), attracting a record 15,000 attendees in 2013 and 8.7 billion media impressions.
- Marketing strategy for the 2012 “Occupy the Vote” voter education and registration initiative, resulting in over 1 billion media impressions and complimentary ads in Time Magazine, Ebony, Jet, and Savoy magazines.
- Introduction, launch and management of the League’s interactive and social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, text, and streaming) in 2009.
- Promoted from Director to Senior Director in January 2014.
Special Advisor
NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE
New York, NY
04.2008 - 04.2009
- Developed and assisted in implementation of all marketing, promotions, and advertising efforts for the National Urban League. Accepted management position and continued to work with League until 2016.
Brand Consultant
CONVERSE INC.
10.2004 - 10.2005
- Advised on music, culture, and film trends and market opportunities.
- Conducted market research to inform recommendations.
- Advised on contracts with talent and vendors.
Brand Infusion Lead
CONVERSE INC.
New York, NY
10.2002 - 10.2004
- Developed and executed strategy extending reach and market penetration leading to merger with NIKE (an investor return of 2400% in 29 months).
- Led strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and programs that infused the brand with influencers and core consumers supporting lifestyle events including Sundance, The Grammy’s, SXSW, and Coachella.
- Secured product placement in music and film including partnering with Twentieth Century Fox and Will Smith on "iRobot" and Warner Bros. for "A Cinderella Story" with the pink All Star as the new "glass slipper."
- Facilitated music partnerships with The Strokes, Snoop, Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) and Eminem.
Principal
ZKPR MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS INC.
New York, NY
08.2001 - 10.2003
- Full-service marketing and public relations firm.
- The Bronx Museum of the Arts: Developed and implemented national media campaign for Fall 2001/Spring 2002 exhibition, writing all media materials and garnering press in the New York Times, Art Form, NY1, and Rolling Stone.
- Testify Books: Developed and implemented media campaign for “Where’d You Get Those?: New York City’s Sneaker Culture 1960 -1987” by Bobbito Garcia, garnering press in Vogue, Vibe, and Vanity Fair.
Entertainment and Brand Communications Consultant
10.2001 - 10.2002
- Developed media relations strategy and public relations campaign, spearheaded launch events in New York and Philadelphia, and placed product on TV and in print with Jay-Z, Carson Daly, Ludacris, and Avril Lavigne.
Director, Media and Artist Relations
ISLAND DEF JAM MUSIC GROUP
New York, NY
03.2000 - 06.2001
- Developed and implemented all media campaigns, wrote press releases and pitches, oversaw imaging, set and monitored publicity budgets, and organized media events for Def Jam artists with placements in and on USA Today, Rolling Stone, People, LA Times, New York Times, Elle, Details, and Jay-Z’s first New Yorker feature and Saturday Night Live appearance in 2001.
Education
M.A. - Cultural Analysis
University of Amsterdam
Amsterdam, NLInternational Communications Management Course
The Hague University of Applied Sciences
The Hague, NLIntercultural Communications Workshop
The Universidad Francisco De Vitoria
Madrid, SpainB.A. - Economics (concentration: Political Economy)
Barnard College, Columbia University
New York, NYSkills
- Team leadership
- Multichannel and integrated campaign management
- Strategic planning
- Budgeting
- Supporter engagement
- Research and testing
- Data and ROI analysis
- Coaching and mentoring
Affiliations
- Ocean First Institute (Board Member) 2020 – Present
- Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (Board Chair) – 2022 - 2024
- National Association of Women Artists, Allies in Art (Host Committee) 2019
- New York Horticultural Society Riker’s Island Greenhouse Program (Fundraising Committee, Vice Chair) 2005 - 2016
- NYU Hip Hop Education Center (Advisory Board Member) 2011 – 2013
Timeline
Vice President, Philanthropy Communications and Marketing
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
04.2024 - Current
Vice President, Marketing, Communications & Brand
Jumpstart for Young Children
05.2022 - 03.2024
Senior Director, Integrated Brand Marketing
UNICEF USA
01.2018 - 05.2022
Marketing and Communications
Consultant
04.2016 - 12.2017
Senior Marketing Director
NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE
04.2009 - 03.2016
Special Advisor
NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE
04.2008 - 04.2009
Brand Consultant
CONVERSE INC.
10.2004 - 10.2005
Brand Infusion Lead
CONVERSE INC.
10.2002 - 10.2004
Entertainment and Brand Communications Consultant
10.2001 - 10.2002
Principal
ZKPR MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS INC.
08.2001 - 10.2003
Director, Media and Artist Relations
ISLAND DEF JAM MUSIC GROUP
03.2000 - 06.2001
International Communications Management Course
The Hague University of Applied Sciences
Intercultural Communications Workshop
The Universidad Francisco De Vitoria
B.A. - Economics (concentration: Political Economy)
Barnard College, Columbia University
M.A. - Cultural Analysis
University of Amsterdam
Recognition & Honors
Telly Awards, Gold Award (Dana-Farber Campaign Celebration Video) – 2025 winner
Led the production of the Dana-Farber Campaign Celebration video highlighting the impact of the historic campaign that raised $2.5 billion - the largest ever campaign supporting cancer research and care.
UNICEF Global Inspire Award, Best Integrated Campaign (Children on the Move) – 2019 winner
Developed the “Children on the Move” campaign mobilizing engagement and support for the global migration crisis, motivating U.S. audiences to both donate and advocate for the "Keep Families Together Act," surpassing fundraising, engagement, and awareness goals. The campaign included TV and radio PSAs; social media, influencer engagement, and a Gigi Hadid field visit to a refugee camp; partnerships, employee engagement, and events with GUCCI, AfroPunk, Salesforce, and NY Fashion Week.
Engage for Good, Halo Award (Women & Water) - 2018 finalist
Conceived and managed UNICEF USA’s partnership and activation with Westfield World Trade Center Oculus for the "Women & Water Pop-Up" which was named a Halo Award finalist for excellence in cause marketing and social impact.
Telly Awards, Communicator Awards' Outstanding Online Video Content (Empowering Health) – 2012 award of distinction
Produced "Empowering Health" film short, documenting the success of community-based diabetes prevention programs in partnership with National Urban League and McKesson Foundation in Ohio and South Carolina, receiving the award of distinction.