WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2018 – The American Bar Association announced today that Karen Lewis Alexander, former executive vice president and chief revenue officer of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, joined the ABA as its chief marketing officer, effective immediately.
In her new role, Alexander will serve as the ABA’s top marketing and brand strategist. Based at the organization’s Chicago headquarters, she will work collaboratively with the association’s membership department to acquire new members and retain the ABA’s more than 400,000 existing ones.
“We are excited to welcome such a talented and experienced professional to our senior leadership team,” ABA Executive Director Jack Rives said. “Karen Alexander brings tremendous marketing expertise to the ABA. We’re confident she will have great success communicating the value of ABA membership.”
Alexander joins the ABA with more than 25 years of experience in providing executive leadership. She has extensive fundraising, marketing and governance experience in the not-for-profit arenas of higher education, arts and culture, health care and membership associations.
“I am very excited to have joined the dynamic and visionary executive leadership of the American Bar Association,” Alexander said. “As chief marketing officer, I look forward to contributing to increasing membership through the strategic development of services and programing that engages the entire spectrum of legal professionals, across different ages, backgrounds and sectors of the profession.”
In her most recent position at MDA, Alexander oversaw all revenue-generation activities, securing more than $115 million annually, and leading a nationwide team of more than 300 development and marketing professionals responsible for all business development, corporate, foundation and major gift opportunities.
Prior to her tenure at MDA, Alexander was vice president for development at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (2012-17), where she directed the planning, management and implementation of the association’s comprehensive fundraising and donor membership programs. She also was senior vice president for development and external affairs at Loyola University Health System (2008-11). Additionally, Alexander worked for the University of Chicago (2001-08) and Interart Distribution (1998-2001) in executive roles.
Alexander graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., with a bachelor of arts degree. She is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the League of American Orchestras.
With more than 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law. View our privacy statement online. Follow the latest ABA news at www.americanbar.org/news and on Twitter @ABANews.