CSB announces appointment of Kimberly Ferlaak Motes as vice president of Institutional Advancement

Kimberly Ferlaak Motes, '89, has been named the vice president of Institutional Advancement at CSB.

She will begin her new position Jan. 6, and will be responsible for all aspects of fundraising for the college as well as overseeing Alumnae Relations, Fine Arts Programming and the Literary Arts Institute. Motes replaces Stuart Lang who stepped down as vice president in August and will retire in February.

Motes brings an extensive and impressive background to the position. For the past two years, she has served as managing director of Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis. From 2002-08, she was executive director for the Minnesota Shubert Performing Arts and Education Center (now named the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts), where she raised $34.5 million, including securing a $12 million grant from the State of Minnesota, and initiated and directed an award-winning, Internet-based arts education program.

Motes served as the director of development at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., from 1997 to 2002. She also managed the adult arts education program at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from 1992-97. She initiated a national study of adult arts participation which resulted in the publication, Learning Audiences. She also created a national ballet training program with legendary ballerina Suzanne Farrell. Prior to her work at the Kennedy Center, she served as the assistant to the general director of the Washington Ballet.

Motes currently serves on the board of the Zenon Dance Company in Minneapolis. She was also a member of the CSB Board of Trustees until her resignation to assume the role of vice president. 

"To say that I am thrilled that Kim has agreed to lead the fundraising efforts of Saint Ben's would be an understatement," CSB President MaryAnn Baenninger said. "Kim has an incredibly rich background and she is very connected to both the Twin Cities and Washington, D.C., philanthropic communities. Kim's perspective as an alumna who has remained steadfastly committed to the college will only serve to complement her expertise."

"I have been amazed and impressed by the College of Saint Benedict's growth and accomplishments," Motes said. "Saint Ben's has an incredible story to tell and a bold, compelling vision. I am looking forward to the opportunity to share this with others and build a robust, vigorous fundraising program in support of an institution that has had a profound impact on my life."

A native of Minnesota, Motes resides in Plymouth with her husband and three children.