The CAF America Board of Directors announced that Jessie Krafft has been appointed CAF America’s President and CEO, effective September 1. Krafft has served as Interim CEO since January 2024. Krafft first joined CAF America in 2011 and has played a critical role in the organization’s success over the past 13 years, supporting growth in annual charitable contributions from $25 million annually to over $900 million.
“The Board of Directors is pleased to formally welcome Jessie Krafft as President and CEO of CAF America. Jessie has played a pivotal role in CAF America’s extraordinary growth over the past decade, both in growing philanthropic contributions for charitable causes around the world and in creating and managing the infrastructure necessary to serve those constituencies,” said Char Mollison, Chair of the CAF America Board of Directors. “As CEO, Jessie will bring to bear her expertise in cross-border philanthropy, her role in donor education and cultivation of partnerships, and her collaborative and inclusive leadership style as she continues to grow and shape the organization.”
Last year, CAF America distributed charitable grants to over 4,800 organizations in 110 countries. Their industry-leading due diligence protocols and commitment to regulatory compliance facilitates efficient, impactful international grantmaking, allowing donors to give anywhere safely.
“I am truly humbled and honored by the opportunity to lead CAF America through its next stage of evolution,” said Krafft. “My 13-year tenure at CAF America has been fueled by the incredible, passionate team that I have the privilege of working with every day. Each year, we have the privilege of seeing the thousands of stories of charitable impact, large and small, that our work enables around the world. I am endlessly inspired by that global impact and am eager to continue and build upon our work with both donors and charity partners.”
CAF America is part of Charities Aid Foundation, a group of charitable organizations in the U.K. and North America that work with corporate and individual donors to ensure their giving is impactful and provide strategic support to help charities.
“I am delighted to welcome Jessie as CEO of CAF America,” said Neil Heslop OBE, Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation. “Since joining in 2011, Jessie has played a leading role in CAF America’s growth and excelled in many roles. Jessie is absolutely committed to supporting donors and charities around the world that our organization exists to serve, and we are excited for her to lead CAF America’s next phase of development.”
More About Jessie Krafft
Prior to this appointment, Krafft held key leadership roles at CAF America throughout her 13 years with the organization, progressing from roles in Grants and Donor Services through to Senior Vice President of External Affairs. As a leader, Krafft brings a collaborative and inclusive approach to the table, fostering an organizational culture that values diverse perspectives, innovative problem solving, and a commitment to transparency and accountability.
In her role as SVP of External Affairs, Krafft was instrumental in designing and implementing grantmaking strategies that addressed pressing issues in cross-border giving, and also led the development of major partnerships that enabled the expansion of donors’ global grantmaking footprint. Her expertise in international philanthropy has earned her recognition within the philanthropic community. Additionally, Krafft played a fundamental role in the founding of CAF Canada by developing its operational model and internal compliance protocols for working with donors to support CAF Canada’s projects around the world. She has managed CAF Canada’s programs since their inception.
Krafft’s career in the philanthropic sector began at the nonprofit Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, an organization focused on providing care for orphaned children in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. As the program coordinator and child caretaker, she coordinated the surgical services brigade and volunteers for the orphanage, while caring for children in the evenings and weekends. This experience deeply impacted Krafft and served as her inspiration to pursue international philanthropy and global charitable causes.
Krafft attended Virginia Commonwealth University, earning a B.S. in Anthropology and B.A in Spanish with Honors, along with a Certificate of Spanish Translation and Interpretation. She holds a Master’s in International Development from American University and has pursued continuing education throughout her time at CAF America (Harvard Business School Leadership Development Certificate, Georgetown University Certificate in Nonprofit Management, Certificate of ESG Leadership with Competent Boards).
About CAF America
Charities Aid Foundation America (CAF America) works with donors looking to support charitable organizations around the world by providing the infrastructure necessary for high-quality, regulatory-compliant grantmaking and maintaining a worldwide network of high-quality, fully vetted charity partners. For over 30 years, our core mission has been to streamline charitable giving through donor-advised giving, driven by our industry-leading organizational vetting and due diligence protocols. We enable our donors to make strategic, cost-effective and tax-advantaged grants while reducing the risk, reputational exposure, and administrative burden associated with regulatory-compliant grantmaking. CAF America’s worldwide reach translates into more than $4.6 billion in donor funds and over 1.8 million eligible organizations in 135 countries.
Media Contact
Meg Roberts
meg@cafamerica.org
202-793-CAFA (2232)