Meet a DCMer: Kristina Park
With over twenty years at DCM, many know and have worked with Kristina Park. Learn more about her background in fundraising and as an artist, love for the outdoors, and more!
How long have you been with DCM, and what’s your title?
I started with DCM in August of 2006 as a Campaign Manager. My current title is Director of Talent Engagement and Growth.
Where are you from originally?
I’m from a suburb of Philadelphia in southern New Jersey.
How did you end up at DCM? What background did you have before coming to DCM?
My first job out of college was as an Associate Director of Annual Giving, where my main responsibility was telefundraising. We had the largest program in the country and raised $6 million a year. I’m also an artist, and took a break to focus on a few art shows. I then applied for a job with DCM as a Campaign Manager at its National Performing Arts Call Center in New York City. Instead of placing me at the call center, I was hired to travel across the country as a manager for on-site campaigns.
What was your career path at DCM?
The first campaign I worked on was fundraising for the Brooklyn Museum using our then-brand-new outbound software ENORE. Following that, I managed and supported campaigns in New York City, Philadelphia, and across California. I spent nearly four years in Seattle focused on fundraising for the Seattle Symphony. After starting a family, I shifted to more administrative roles, including supporting new business proposals, project management, and strategy. I have really found my place with my current role in recruitment and HR.
What campaigns have you worked on?
My most memorable campaign was with the Seattle Symphony. I worked on-site and had a great team of agents who stayed on the campaign for several years. The development department was fantastic and easy to work with. It was a significant part of my life, as I went through many personal milestones during my time in Seattle. I got married and had my first child there. It holds many memories.
I also enjoyed working at the Pennsylvania Ballet. I loved going to see performances and learning more about them as an organization.
Tell me about your arts background.
I studied printmaking and photography at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. I still do a little art here and there when I can. Education and the arts are the two most important things to me. After I took a career break to focus on my own art, I wanted to find a career that aligned with my background in both telefundraising and the arts. That’s when I found DCM, and it was a natural fit.
How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
Outside of work, I love spending time with my family, whether that's hiking or exploring new places locally and abroad. I also really enjoy exercising and designing my own training plans.
I like keeping my mind engaged by reading and being creative. Lately, I've been doing a lot of work with beads, including making jewelry and bookmarks, and I'm moving into creating larger-scale pieces in a more artistic way. My work explores the intersection of traditional American craft, family history, and mixed-race identity. I work with materials like beads, embroidery, gold leaf, and textiles that are rooted in domestic labor, storytelling, and passing knowledge across generations.
What’s your favorite thing about the work you do?
I feel like I'm making an impact, and I feel fulfilled. I always knew that I wanted a job where it wasn't just going to work every day and earn money. I know I need to feel happy and good about what I do, and I found that with DCM. Especially since we started working with more philanthropic organizations, I enjoy learning more about those causes and supporting their work.
What’s one thing that’s changed since you started?
A lot of things have changed in twenty years! We are a tight-knit group of people, many of whom have been with DCM a long time, which you don’t see in a lot of other businesses. Because of that, we have become experts in what we do. I really appreciate learning from the expertise of other people, exploring how we can work together, and how we look at the bigger picture of the work we do.
Do you have any special skills (career or non-career related) that we might not know about?
I’ve been with DCM for twenty years, so I think people already know a lot about me! I used to play tennis. I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone at DCM that.
It’s a beautiful day, you have no obligations, and no restrictions. What’s your perfect day?
As long as it’s warm, my perfect day is spent outdoors. Maybe exploring something new nearby like parks and hiking.