Keely Henderson

As the Senior Associate Dean of Advancement at Columbia Engineering Keely leads the Development and Alumni Relations team for Dean Mary C. Boyce. She is responsible for engaging and strengthening the engineering community of alumni, parents and friends and all fundraising efforts. Keely has 20+ years of strategic development expertise and returned to this role in 2017. She got her start in fundraising at Yale transitioning to Columbia in 2003 to build Global Initiatives and lead the 250th anniversary celebrations globally reinvigorating Columbia’s clubs in Asia and France and establishing the London club. Keely worked outside of Columbia from 2007-2017 serving as Vice President for Development at the Environmental Defense Fund and as Managing Director of Development at the Rocky Mountain Institute and Carbon War Room. During her time at EDF she ran their $500M Partners for the Planet campaign, led donor trips, directed Individual Giving and worked closely with some of the most generous national and international foundations and individuals helping to build a global presence for EDF while raising millions of dollars each year. At RMI Keely built a top team of fundraisers and led engagement and strategy development with the Institute’s philanthropic backers and helped shape the overall messages and broader alignments to inspire bolder funding partnerships. Her entrepreneurial approach to fundraising has taken her on many adventures around the world as she developed an expertise advising philanthropists and working with experienced volunteers and trustees. Keely is passionate about the power of art to shape society, a watercolorist and an aspiring vegan cook. As an avid cyclist and hiker, she may be most happy logging miles of trail and road off the beaten path.