Marlena Reimer serves as Director of Philanthropy at Chalkbeat. She brings 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including senior fundraising roles in media, journalism, public interest technology, the arts, climate, and education. Most recently, she was Director of Development at Creative Commons, where she led revenue and organizational strategy. At Creative Commons, she helped raise $30M+ and launched a new membership program to expand recurring, general operating support. In two years, she shifted the organization from roughly 25% to 78% unrestricted funding. She also led development at The Story of Stuff Project, where she drove revenue for documentary film production and global campaigns, and, while there, doubled individual contributions. She has consulted, both paid and pro bono, on fundraising, communications, and strategic planning for a range of mission-driven organizations and initiatives. Earlier in her career, she worked in higher education, managing community-based programs and events at UC Berkeley’s Public Service Center, Northwestern University, and CEA CAPA Education Abroad. Originally from California, Marlena is now based in Chicago. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and a BA in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Outside of work, she enjoys singing, dancing, biking along Lake Michigan, and large-scale DIY projects.