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Non-profit organization StoryCorps has appointed Mary Beth Smith Chief Marketing Officer and promoted Lisa Kennedy (formerly managing director, development and principal gifts) to Chief Development Officer.
StoryCorps Founder & President Dave Isay says, “Lisa is an accomplished professional and she has distinguished herself at StoryCorps with her skilled stewardship of our development efforts. Mary Beth’s proven track record in building audiences, heightening brand awareness, and driving revenue makes her a great addition to our team. I have no doubt that Lisa and Mary Beth’s collective leadership and extensive experience will help propel StoryCorps forward as we expand our important work in the years ahead."
As chief marketing officer, Smith will lead StoryCorps’ marketing and branding strategy, overseeing the organization’s audience expansion, content distribution, revenue growth, and customer service initiatives, with an emphasis on growing national awareness of StoryCorps’ work and content. She will work to further position StoryCorps as an enduring national institution, fostering a culture of listening across the nation and emphasizing that every life and every story matter equally. Leading the marketing and communications department’s team of eight, Smith will be responsible for: StoryCorps’ overall messaging across all of its external communications; driving participation in StoryCorps programs; supporting institutional efforts to grow earned and contributed revenue; growing engagement and reach on StoryCorps’ digital platforms; and envisioning, and brokering, high-visibility content partnerships for Storycorps.
Prior to joining StoryCorps, Smith served as chief marketing and audience engagement officer at Oakland Museum of California and as director of marketing, communications, and audience engagement at San Francisco Ballet. Mary Beth has also held executive-level marketing positions at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Smith holds an M.B.A. from University of San Francisco and a B.A. from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.
As chief development officer, Kennedy will provide strategy and oversight for all fundraising efforts, leading a team of experienced fundraisers. Under Kennedy’s guidance, the development department, with a staff of nine, will raise funds across public and private sectors and generate support from national foundations, government sources, and individual contributors toward StoryCorps’ $13 million operating budget. With 20 years’ experience in development and law, Kennedy began her career at a litigation firm in Minneapolis before transitioning to fundraising in New York City. Prior to joining StoryCorps in 2018, Kennedy’s fundraising experience included work at Mount Sinai Medical Center, where she contributed toward a successful $1 billion campaign. Kennedy is a graduate of St. Thomas University, where she also earned her law degree.