Christy Cates is currently the executive director of advancement services for Development and Institute Relations at the California Institute of Technology. She is responsible for establishing and refining comprehensive programs that integrate into all facets of the organization. Her areas of focus include prospect research, prospect management, reporting, prospect analytics, talent acquisition, professional development, staff engagement, and performance management.

Prior to joining Caltech, Cates served as the senior executive director of advancement of human resources at UC Irvine. She has also held human resources positions with In-N-Out Burger and Pick Up Stix, Inc., multisite corporations employing 800-4,000 employees.