Fundraising veteran Kersten to retire; Passes torch to newly configured team

DALLAS, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — RKD Group, North America’s leading nonprofit solutions provider, today announced a newly structured leadership team designed to bring deeper strategic thinking, commercial marketing innovation and decades of nonprofit expertise to organizations working to unlock generosity and strengthen donor relationships.

At a time when some agencies chase technological solutions without strategy and others rely on expertise alone, RKD Group is making a different bet: building a leadership team that brings both—the strategic depth to understand what drives donor connection and the technological innovation to execute at scale.

The new executive team brings together an uncommon blend of Fortune 500 commercial marketing experience with deep-rooted nonprofit sector expertise:

Kevin Jones joins as Chief Executive Officer, bringing extensive consulting, agency and commercial leadership from work with Spotify, Wells Fargo, Amazon, Sony, Toyota, Terryberry and other global brands. A familiar face to many following an interim role with RKD in 2024-25, Jones will lead strategic vision and growth.
Jackie Barrett joins as Chief Revenue Officer, bringing more than 15 years of experience building and scaling go-to-market teams and growth strategies that strengthen how organizations find, engage and better serve their clients, including time at IIE, a global education nonprofit.
Max Bunch steps into the role of Chief Growth Officer. A three-decade veteran of nonprofit marketing—all of it at RKD and its predecessor companies—Bunch will continue to lead RKD’s engagement with new clients, helping organizations identify and set a course to overcome their most pressing challenges.
Justin McCord assumes the role of Chief Operating Officer, bringing nearly 15 years of nonprofit marketing experience—all gained at RKD—to ensure operational excellence and innovation to drive continued client success.
Charles Lehosit has been named Chief Technology Officer. With more than a decade of experience in nonprofit marketing, including previous roles at RKD and Fundraise Up, Lehosit combines technical acumen with mission-focused innovation.

“Nonprofits today need partners who bring both strategic expertise and technological capability,” said Jones. “You can’t thrive with tools alone, and you can’t scale simply with expertise. Philanthropy—in its truest sense—is about passion for connection and humanity, and this team was intentionally built to help change agents unlock generosity through the intersection of deep strategic thinking, creative storytelling and innovative execution.”

The leadership reflects RKD’s belief that nonprofits thrive when they have trusted partners who bring both deep sector expertise and technological innovation—not one or the other, but the strategic integration of both.

The launch of the new team coincides with the retirement of fundraising veteran and founding CEO and Chairman Tim Kersten.

“It’s time for me to pass the torch and move on, with a heart full of gratitude. My time at RKD Group since 2011 has been, by far, the high point of my career. I have been immensely blessed to associate with amazing professionals to grow RKD Group into the undisputed market leader in our space,” Kersten said.

“I am proud of the service RKD provides, the values RKD upholds and the people RKD helps through our clients’ work. I feel grateful beyond words.”

About RKD Group
RKD Group is a growth-obsessed, digital-forward, direct response solutions provider for hundreds of nonprofits in the U.S. and Canada. With more than 500 team members, RKD Group delivers innovative strategies, creative leadership and data-driven solutions to accelerate revenue growth and build lasting donor relationships. For more information, visit www.rkdgroup.com.

Media Contact:

Jenn Thompson
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(972) 661-9800

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