Catie Fesko is the Institutional Giving Manager at Brighter Bites, where she secures funding from foundations, corporations, and government partners to advance the organization’s mission. She leads grant strategy and proposal development, manages institutional funder relationships, and collaborates across teams to drive sustainable growth in philanthropic support.

A native of Minnesota, Catie grew up in a household of bakers and developed a lifelong love of food. She still spends much of her time in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes, sharing her creations with friends and family, and entering baking competitions. She is a Minnesota State Fair ribbon winner for her Italian Almond Cake and, in 2023, won the Star Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest with her recipe for Earl Grey Butter Cookies.

Catie brings nearly a decade of experience in business development, proposal management, and strategic partnerships. Prior to joining Brighter Bites, she led multi-million-dollar initiatives in international education and global health, securing funding for projects with USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and various corporations and foundations. Her career reflects a deep commitment to leveraging resources and relationships to improve health, equity, and opportunity for communities at home and abroad.

Catie earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Loyola University Chicago, where she spent three semesters abroad in Italy, South Korea, and Argentina, fostering a lifelong love of travel and global perspectives. She also holds a Master of Public Health in International Health and Nutrition from Tulane University. Catie lives in Boulder, CO with her husband and daughter, where she enjoys gardening, hiking, and visiting the farmer’s market.