Mirna Holton, AM, brings over 20 years of experience in the health and human services industry to the OPEN MINDS team. Her expertise includes community outreach programs planning, capital fundraising, and comprehensive campaign management, strategic planning, grant and proposal writing, business development and management, and marketing/communications.

Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Holton served as the Chief Development Officer for the McGaw YMCA in Evanston, Illinois. In this role, she analyzed the donor population and market opportunities to develop and implement a tactical relationship management plan resulting in a 116% individual revenue increase and an additional $1.25M in the new program and capital revenue.

Previously, Ms. Holton served as the Managing Director of Regional Development in Chicago for Marquette University. In this role, Ms. Holton facilitated change management in the regional development office of Marquette and developed an impressive donor portfolio and closed four major gifts ($25,000+) in a six-month cultivation period.

Before joining Marquette, Ms. Holton was the Associate Vice President of Development & Annual Giving at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois. At Roosevelt, she led a revenue-producing team that was responsible for development activities for the university and for generating and stewarding a $46M fundraising campaign. During her tenure, Ms. Holton was recognized as a thought leader among the faculty and invited to serve on four interdisciplinary committees.

Ms. Holton has also served as Director of Development for the Eleanor Foundation (Chicago, IL); Associate Director of the Institute for Latino Progress (Chicago, IL); and as Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations for the Greater Chicago Food Depository (Chicago, IL).

In addition to her professional positions, Ms. Holton is also active in serving her community on various committees and councils. Most recently, she served eight years as the Immediate Past Chairman of the Institute for Latino Progress. She has been a part of the Latino Community Advisory Council to the Chancellor at the University of Illinois, a fellow with Leadership Greater Chicago, a member of the Nordstrom Scholarship Committee, and a member of various university research advisory committees.

Ms. Holton received her Master’s degree (AM) from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, and her Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Campaign.