About Krista Berry Ortega (she/her)

Krista Berry Ortega, Programs Manager-West, is part of Candid's Social Sector Outreach (SSO) Programs team. She delivers in-person and online trainings, including free and fee-based workshops and customized trainings in the western region of the US, a territory of 13 states. She also contributes to the curriculum design process of our programs, contributes to the team’s impact evaluation efforts, and serves as a subject matter expert for her region.

Before joining Candid, Krista was the Director of the Sanford Institute of Philanthropy (SIP) at National University System where she led the expansion of the donor-funded professional development program. Additionally, she oversaw SIP’s curriculum development and training initiatives including bringing the 2nd edition of Cause Selling the Sanford Way: A Guide to Relationship-Driven Fundraising textbook to market and launching a mobile training team and train the trainer program.
She is recognized as an innovative leader and has over 17 years of diverse nonprofit experience from organizations in San Diego and New York City. Her specific areas of expertise are nonprofit management, philanthropy and community development with professional achievements in scaling organizational impact, developing successful teams, directing fundraising operations and business development, designing successful programs and special events, and leading culture change and transitions. Krista earned an MS in Urban Affairs with a concentration in nonprofit management and public policy from Hunter College in 2006, and a BA in Theatre with a minor in education from Marymount Manhattan College in 2001.