Columbia State Community College announced the hiring of Mary-Kate Brown as the director of development at the Williamson County Campus. Brown, who earned her bachelor's degree at David Lipscomb University in Nashville, comes to Columbia State after serving as finance director and campaign manager for recent political races in Franklin. Prior to that, she worked as credentialing coordinator at DaVita in Brentwood, and credentialing specialist for MedSolutions in Franklin.

"We are excited to have Mary-Kate Brown join our team," said Dr. Janet Smith, president of Columbia State. "She has proven herself as a key member of successful political campaigns, and we know that her knowledge and skills will transfer and be valuable to Columbia State and its service to Williamson County citizens. She understands our advancement goals and challenges, and is ready to hit the ground running. Her excitement for Columbia State will be felt by all around her."

"Columbia State has long been one of the most valuable resources in middle Tennessee," said Brown. "I am honored to join the Columbia State team and look forward to contributing to Columbia State's growth and development in Williamson County."

As director of development for Columbia State's Williamson County Campus, Brown will work hand-in-hand with the Williamson County Development Committee to implement strategies to secure annual, major, and planned/deferred gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations. She will be responsible for identifying individuals, corporations and foundations with capability to make annual, major and planned gifts, developing, researching, and monitoring a portfolio of prospective individual and corporate donors, achieving annual performance levels that address specific development goals, and communicating regularly with prospective donors through regular meetings, telephone calls, emails and other means.

Brown will also be responsible for coordinating activities to cultivate prospective donors with College leadership, Advancement staff, other College faculty and staff, Foundation trustees and volunteers, and working with College leadership and Advancement staff to establish prospect management, donor information, and other practices that garner friends of the College, build alumni relations, increase fundraising and capacity, enhance community image, and improve effectiveness.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. The Williamson County Campus has served Williamson County residents for more than 30 years, and currently serves more than 1,200 students in the various program areas of Nursing, EMT/Paramedic, Business Technology, Commercial Entertainment, and more. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.