2010 Outstanding Alumni

The vice chancellor of institutional advancement and chief operation officer of the Texas Tech Foundation, Kelly Overley earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations from Texas Tech University, and later, she earned both a Master of Education degree in educational administration and a Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership and foundations from the University of Texas at El Paso.

She is responsible for all fundraising initiatives of the Texas Tech University System, which has an endowment of $750 million.

Under her leadership, the Texas Tech University System improved its 2008 ranking in the Chronicle of Philanthropy's program, Philanthropy 400, from No. 303 to No. 137.

At Texas Tech, she has started an ambitious $1 billion capital campaign.

In her current position, she manages a staff of 110 employees, the largest Texas Tech system department.

Previously, Overley served as senior director of development for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine in El Paso, Texas, and was responsible for the capital campaign that secured funding for the four-year medical school.

In 2007, she received the institutional advancement Top Producer award for her efforts to secure the largest gift in the history of the Texas Tech University system and was named Fundraiser of the Year by the El Paso Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Overley began her career as an elementary school teacher and director of gifted and talented education at Socorro Independent School District in El Paso.

In 1998, she became the director of development for Saint Clement's Episcopal Parish School and served as a major gifts officer for the University of Texas at El Paso, where she oversaw two building campaigns.