Katie Pearson is inspired by the belief that to truly solve the world’s most pressing problems, we must come together as a community. She dreams of a world where nonprofits are no longer necessary because everyone’s basic needs are met.

Katie is the Donor Relations Officer at the Santa Barbara Foundation. In her role, she provides personalized guidance and support to help donors achieve their philanthropic goals. By building strong relationships and fostering meaningful giving, she helps connect donors with the causes they care about most, amplifying their impact in the community.

Katie has been working in the nonprofit sector in Santa Barbara County since 2013. She was raised in the Santa Ynez Valley and holds a degree in Art History from the University of Colorado. Throughout her career, she has worked with a diverse range of organizations—from small grassroots nonprofits to large institutions—spanning both the arts and cultural sectors as well as social impact initiatives. Most recently, she served as a consultant, guiding nonprofits through periods of transition and growth. Katie’s love of art has taken her around the world to museums, historical sites, and sometimes alleys (in search of Banksy). She has been known to get in spirited discussions defending the brilliance of abstract expressionism and validity of Jackson Pollock’s work.