As the executive director of development at Otterbein University, Kathleen Bonte leads the corporate/foundation giving area, the grants and sponsored gifts office for Otterbein, while also managing an individual donor portfolio. Working closely with the vice president for institutional advancement, she advises on strategy and coordination for the "Where We Stand Matters Campaign," the first comprehensive and largest campaign in Otterbein's 170-year history.

Bonte began working in higher education more than 20 years ago. During that time, she has directed development efforts, alumni programs, donor relations, and stewardship offices, as well as managed frontline gift officers and development professionals. She has assisted donors in creating seven-figure gifts to endow academic programs and scholarships at Carnegie Mellon University, The Ohio State University, and Ohio University. While at Ohio University, she restructured the Women in Philanthropy initiative and board leading to its first endowment. At Carnegie Mellon University, Bonte grew the Andrew Carnegie Society (ACS) donor recognition programs and volunteer board and oversaw a team of gift officers that focused on leadership annual giving, including parent constituencies. She was recognized for onboarding gift officers and other staff who were promoted through the ranks and raised significant funding for the institution.

She earned her undergraduate degree from the Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University and her master's degree in business administration from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University.