Our Team
Kim Karris
Chief Growth Officer
Kim leads Elemental’s organizational growth strategy and nonprofit fundraising program, mobilizing public and private capital that powers the organization’s platform and enables entrepreneurs to deploy critical technologies in communities.
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As Chief Growth Officer, Kim drives the execution of Elemental’s ambitious annual revenue goals. She has built a dynamic donor cultivation and fundraising program that has secured over $130m in diversified philanthropic and government funding since the launch of Elemental’s first 5 Year Strategy in 2021.
Based in Atlanta, Kim leads a development team that stewards over 40 foundation and family offices, as well as corporate and government partners. As a member of the leadership team, she collaborates across portfolio, partnerships, communications, and finance functions to create a unified, data-driven fundraising approach that captures the stories and the impact that inspires donors to support Elemental’s mission.
Prior to Elemental
Kim has spent two decades in nonprofit development, building high impact growth strategies for mission-driven environmental organizations, raising and deploying hundreds of millions in grant funding with major foundations, private family offices, and high net worth donors. Prior to Elemental, Kim served as the Interim CEO at Food System 6 Accelerator and Executive Director of Food Well Alliance, both entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs), driving catalytic capital into scalable food and farming enterprises. She brings deep expertise in managing teams, operationalizing strategy and scaling organizations.
Kim holds a BA in Women’s Studies from Agnes Scott College and a MA in Environment and Development from the United Nations mandated University for Peace – and in 2024, received a Financing and Deploying Clean Energy certificate from Yale University.
Outside of the office
Kim lives in Atlanta with her wife and their beloved Great Pyrenees. Outside of the office, you can find Kim at her local farmers market, searching for wild flowers to arrange and the freshest ingredients to use in seasonal, vegetable-forward dishes that she loves to create at home. Kim is also slowly working up to run her first marathon – ask her how it’s going!