Sara Cunningham
About Sara Cunningham
Sara Cunningham serves as the Director of Professional Development at CCS Fundraising, where she has worked since 2022. With a background in education and event management, she has also held positions at various organizations, including OppFi and Artsmarketing Services Inc.
Work at CCS Fundraising
Sara Cunningham has served as the Director of Professional Development at CCS Fundraising since 2022. In this role, she has achieved a 46% conversion rate of interns to full-time hires. She expanded the internship program to include 13 interns across six departments and increased hiring from three additional schools. Her responsibilities also include managing reporting and analytics for over 450 employees using the HRIS system.
Previous Experience
Prior to her current position, Sara Cunningham worked at OppFi as the Learning & Development Lead from 2017 to 2022. She also held the position of Development Assistant at North Shore Country Day School from 2015 to 2017. Earlier in her career, she served as a Campaign Manager at Artsmarketing Services Inc. for 11 months in 2014-2015 and as an 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher with Teach For America from 2013 to 2014.
Education and Expertise
Sara Cunningham earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Northwestern University, where she majored in Theatre and Art History with a minor in French. Her educational background provides a strong foundation for her roles in professional development and campaign management.
Fitness Instructor Role
In addition to her professional development work, Sara Cunningham has been a Fitness Instructor at Pure Barre since 2015. This role complements her professional career and showcases her commitment to health and wellness.
Event Management Skills
While at OppFi, Sara Cunningham planned and managed weekly company events with a budget exceeding $400,000. She optimized these events for maximum engagement based on attendance data and feedback, demonstrating her skills in event management and strategic planning.