Coker Powell is a forward-thinking development leader with a highly successful track record in creating and executing strategic plans to drive organizational growth and innovation. As chief revenue officer, she is responsible for leading all development work at both the local and enterprise levels, fulfilling a critical role for funding Blood Cancer United’s mission. Powell oversees all aspects of revenue generation, including corporate partnerships, advancement, peer-to-peer fundraising, philanthropy, planned giving, direct mail, digital revenue, and community-based fundraising.
Powell joined the organization in 2015 as senior vice president of its largest fundraising campaign, Light The Night, where she was responsible for international strategic direction and revenue. Under her leadership, Light The Night achieved record growth of 26% and was honored by the P2P Forum as "2016 Program of the Year" with the most revenue growth of any walk program in North America. Blood Cancer United also led the industry from 2015-2019 with 22% revenue growth and was recognized as the Raise 2022 Innovator of the Year by One Cause. In 2024, the organization clinched three of the top ten spots on Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum's (P2P Forum) list of top fundraising programs in North America, receiving recognition for Light The Night, Student Visionaries of The Year, and Visionaries of The Year. Powell has overseen the expansion of Student Visionaries of the Year from a single market event to a national campaign in 70+ markets that now raises more than $45 million annually. Within the last few years, she also oversaw the launch of Blood Cancer United’s Business Development department, which raised more than $50 million in fiscal year 2024, and she spearheaded the launch of the Dare to Dream Team to support Blood Cancer United’s pediatric cancer initiative.
Powell was named to Women We Admire’s 2025 list of Top 50 Women in Nonprofit, has been a featured speaker at P2P Forum and the Customer Relationship Management Conference (CRMC), and has been recognized as a thought leader on the One Cause, Her Success Story and Engage for Good podcasts. She is a member of the CDO Council through Salesforce and has served as a past president of the alumni board of directors at Wofford College.
Prior to joining the organization, Powell was national director of Heart Walk field revenue at the American Heart Association, where she oversaw national strategic direction and revenue for more than 320 walk events. Powell holds a bachelor's degree from Wofford College and a master's degree in communication from Wake Forest University.