Valoree Vargo

Valoree Vargo serves as chief executive officer of the Kent State University Foundation. In this role, she leads the foundation's efforts to inspire philanthropic investment and strengthen relationships with donors and volunteers in order to provide strategic management that enhances Kent State University's mission through private support.  

From 2021 to 2026, following a year in the role on an interim basis, Valoree served as vice president for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement and chief executive officer of the Kent State University Foundation. During her tenure, she provided executive leadership for the university's advancement and alumni engagement enterprise, overseeing fundraising, and the $383 million completion of the largest comprehensive campaign in Kent State’s history, alumni relations and foundation operations while serving as a member of the President's Cabinet. She also directed the activities of the Kent State University Foundation Board and supported the Kent State University Board of Trustees External Relations and Philanthropy Committee. 

Valoree joined Kent State in 2010 as executive director of Donor Services. In 2014, she was selected by President Beverly Warren to design and lead the president's Listening Tour, which included more than 200 stops to engage students, alumni, faculty, staff, legislators, community leaders and donors in conversations that helped shape the university's future. 

In 2015, Valoree became Kent State's first associate chief of staff to the president. She returned to the Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement in 2016 as senior associate vice president for Advancement Operations and chief operating officer, leading teams responsible for Advancement Communications, Donor Relations and Stewardship, Volunteer Engagement, Annual Giving, Advancement Events, Giving Tuesday and the university's Engagement Center. 

Before joining Kent State, Valoree served as head of communications for the International Post Corporation in Brussels, Belgium. She also held leadership roles at George Washington University as executive director of Advancement Events and Communications and at the United States Postal Service headquarters in Washington, D.C., where she directed national media and public relations programs and managed the organization's worldwide Olympic Games sponsorship activities in Barcelona, Spain, and Albertville, France. 

Valoree is a graduate of Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pennsylvania, and now serves on its Board of Trustees.