Group for abused children hires chief development officer

Veteran development executive Stephen D. Christensen has joined Olive Crest Homes and Services for Abused Children as chief development officer. In his new position, he will direct all of the organization’s multi-million dollar fundraising campaigns throughout Southern California, Nevada and Washington.

“Stephen is a savvy and seasoned development executive who is comfortable in any fundraising setting, from the board room to the living room,” said Donald Verleur, Olive Crest CEO. “He’s a great addition to our management team and a wonderful new leader for our fundraising initiatives. He’s sure to inspire our volunteer corps, too.”

“I’m honored to join an organization that shares my core values about family and children,” said Christensen. “I’ve admired Olive Crest for many years—they truly set the standard for effective, compassionate advocacy and service on behalf of abused and neglected children. I look forward to working with their volunteer leaders and others to generate additional funds necessary to expand their services to children and families.”

Christensen has more than 25 years experience in the non-profit and higher education fields, having held senior-level positions for such premiere organizations as Concordia University, Chapman University, California State University, San Bernardino, The Robert B. Sharp Company, University of California, Irvine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and the Boy Scouts of America, New York Council.

Among Christensen’s areas of responsibility are Olive Crest’s annual and estate giving programs, capital campaigns, and corporate/foundation relations. In addition, he will oversee a team of six development directors coordinating dozens of national and regional fundraising events, from golf tournaments and wine tastings to holiday toy drives and galas.

Most recently, Christensen founded Faith and Work Life (FWL), a discipleship ministry dedicated to helping people learn how to integrate their faith and their work. Prior to that, he served as executive vice president of university advancement and senior advisor to the president of Concordia University in Irvine, Calif. He also served as president of the Concordia University Foundation, which raised $10 million annually. In 2007, Christensen and the development team completed the university’s largest capital campaign, a successful $22 million initiative. In 2002, he created the University’s Faith and Business Forum, which attracts more than 6,000 business leaders to its annual events.

Prior to joining Concordia, Christensen served as vice president for university relations at Chapman University in Orange, California. Under his leadership, the Chapman team increased annual giving from $6 million to $17 million. Additionally, the team completed the largest campaign in the university’s 140-year history, a multi-year effort to raise $160 million.

Before joining Chapman University, Christensen served as the executive director of university development at California State University, San Bernardino; vice president and senior consultant with the Robert B. Sharp Company Inc.; director of major gifts for UCI; development director for special projects at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and a development officer with the New York City Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Christensen, who often teaches university-level campaign and fund-raising classes, holds a degree in political science from Cal State University, Fullerton and an MBA from Cal State San Bernardino. He is currently completing his doctorate degree in educational leadership at the University of Southern California.