Panhandle Alliance for Education is very excited to introduce Kari Saccomanno as the new Resource Development Director. She brings more than 20 years of passionate leadership, development, and community experiences to PAFE. In her role as Resource Development Director, Kari will coordinate the planning and administration of donor development and fundraising activities.
PAFE’s commitment to education drew Kari to PAFE. As a Sandpoint High School graduate herself, she believes education is incredibly important. She feels her education and experiences here in Sandpoint were integral to her successes over the years and wants to ensure the same success for other Lake Pend Oreille District graduates.
Kari has a long background of volunteering for the Panhandle Alliance for Education. She has both co-chaired and chaired the Summer Sunset Gala’s Art Auction, a major fundraiser for PAFE. As well, Kari has donated a piece of her artwork to the auction ever since the Gala’s inception in 2005.
Kari will continue to run an educational consulting firm in Sandpoint called Ramp UP! for college. The company focuses on guiding college-bound students and athletes and their families through the complicated college search and admissions process. She also is involved in Sandpoint High School’s inaugural First Generation College program helping current SHS seniors succeed to the next level of education.
Prior to Ramp UP!, Kari was the Senior Director at the Coldwater Creek, Inc. photo studio where she was one of the driving forces in creating and sustaining a successful in-house photo studio. Prior to that, for 15 years she produced national, award-winning television commercials across the country.
Kari graduated from Montana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Film and Television Production. She later earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Idaho plus many certificates in individual and team development. In addition, Kari is the founder of Women in Networking, Growth, and Success (WINGS) and a member of Women Honoring Women.
Her favorite thing is her family, which includes husband Clay, her daughter Kendall, who now attends Pacific University in Oregon, and her youngest daughter Sage, a fifth- grader at Washington Elementary. Kari, Clay and Kendall are all Sandpoint High School graduates; Sage won’t graduate until 2020. Kari also loves friends, camping, winter, photography, hiking, kayaking, soccer, and always taking time to laugh.
