Kearney is the CHRO Association’s special advisor for membership engagement and experience. Kearney has a consulting practice, Altru, dedicated to helping members, donors and organizations identify, assess, and execute high-impact opportunities. Known for her dynamic, collaborative, and results-driven approach, she advises clients within complex organizations on strategic planning, grantmaking, resource development, organizational design, and governance. She brings strong strategic and project management expertise, along with a distinctive ability to connect people and ideas to launch and scale new initiatives.
With experience spanning workforce development, health, and education, Kearney founded Altru in 2021. Previously, she served as Chief of Staff to the CEO of the National Academy Foundation (NAF), where she led board development and governance, partnering with Fortune 500 CEOs from companies including American Express, Citigroup, Johnson & Johnson, SAP, and Xerox. In this role, she also oversaw principal gifts in collaboration with the advancement team, helping to secure $20 million in annual contributed revenue. Kearney previously worked for Johns Hopkins Medicine and New York University, strengthening their fundraising and board development.
Kearney holds a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College, Hartford, where she captained the women’s varsity field hockey team and played varsity lacrosse. She is a 21/64 Certified Advisor and is a member of P150, a global collaboration of leading philanthropic advisors. She currently serves on the boards of the Westmoor Club Foundation and the Weill Cornell Medicine Dean’s Council, and as a parent ambassador for Blair Academy. Her past volunteer leadership includes Vice Chair of Penny’s Flight Foundation for Neurofibromatosis Research; Vice President of the Deerfield Academy Parents Network; Vice President of The Green Vale School Board of Trustees; and service on the Vestry of St. John’s of Lattingtown. She lives on Long Island, NY, with her husband and two teenage sons.
