Lauren Kotmel
Bachelor of Arts in English, '11
Solon, Ohio
Lauren M. Kotmel, ’11, is a public affairs and development professional heavily engrained in her profession and the community.
Kotmel is the Development & Community Relations Specialist for Downtown Cleveland Alliance, assisting in the philanthropic advancement of Downtown Cleveland through donor relations for various civic, cultural, and urban development projects. Previously, she served on the Development team at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum, aiding in the 2012 and 2013 Induction Ceremonies. Prior to her time at the Rock Hall, she assisted in the research that spearheaded the creation of The Cleveland Museum of Art’s multimillion-dollar education initiative “Gallery One,” and served in the Office of Public Affairs at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. In 2014, she earned a “Top 25 under 35” Movers & Shakers award from the Cleveland 20/30 Club for her work fundraising for the arts in Cleveland.
She currently leads on the board of Column & Stripe: The New Friends of the Cleveland Museum of Art, and serves in leadership capacities with SPACES Art Gallery, The Cleveland Museum of Art Women’s Council, The Cleveland International Film Festival, Brite Winter Music Festival, and Chi Omega Women’s Fraternity.
Kotmel studied abroad in Germany, and graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and minors in Women’s Studies and Political Science. She earned her Master of Arts in Nonprofit & Arts Administration from John Carroll University, and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Kotmel continues to reside in Northeast Ohio, while proudly staying connected to her alma mater as the Philanthropy Advisor to the Chi Omega chapter of Kent State.