Barbara Kakiris

Chief of Staff | Executive Advisor to Presidents & CEOs | Enterprise Strategy, Operations & Governance | Cleveland + Remote

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

About

I am a senior executive leader and Chief of Staff with 15+ years of experience partnering with CEOs, presidents, deans, and boards across healthcare, higher education, government, nonprofit, and complex public institutions. My work sits at the intersection of strategy, operations, governance, advancement, and external relations. I help leaders translate vision into execution, align cross-functional teams, and navigate high-stakes initiatives involving institutional risk, reputation, donor and stakeholder engagement, and organizational change. Across my career, I have: • Served as a trusted advisor to top executives in highly regulated, politically complex environments • Led enterprise-level strategy, executive operations, and governance initiatives • Built and strengthened comprehensive advancement, donor engagement, and external relations programs • Managed sensitive personnel, compliance, and stakeholder matters with discretion and judgment • Driven revenue growth, operational efficiency, and long-term institutional sustainability I am particularly effective in roles that require clarity under pressure, strong executive presence, and the ability to lead across silos. Colleagues know me as a steady, strategic partner who can hold complexity, earn trust quickly, and move organizations forward. I am deeply committed to professional women’s leadership, public service, and building institutions that operate with excellence, integrity, and accountability.

Experience

  • Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Barbara Kakiris Consulting, LLC
    Nov 2011 - Present · 14 yrs 8 mos

    Executive advisor providing strategic leadership and consulting to public, nonprofit, higher education, and mission-driven organizations. •Advise CEOs, presidents, boards, and senior leadership teams on strategy, operations, governance, executive communications, and external relations. •Lead high-impact initiatives spanning event and program management, public relations, philanthropy, and international protocol. •Support organizations navigating complex stakeholder environments, institutional risk, and reputation-sensitive initiatives. •Recognized for discretion, judgment, and the ability to translate vision into executable strategies.

  • The MetroHealth System (Cleveland, OH) (Cleveland, Ohio, United States · On-site)
    • Chief of Staff
      Feb 2024 - Nov 2024 · 10 mos

      Senior executive partner to the President & CEO of a large public healthcare system. •Directed executive operations, strategic initiatives, and enterprise-level special projects for the Office of the President and CEO. •Served as a central coordinating leader across executive leadership, legal, compliance, clinical, and administrative teams. •Oversaw cross-functional alignment to advance organizational priorities, governance objectives, and institutional performance. •Developed high-level executive communications, board materials, presentations, and stakeholder engagement strategies. •Trusted advisor on sensitive leadership, personnel, and organizational matters requiring discretion and sound judgment.

    • Director of Engagement and Stewardship
      Jan 2022 - Feb 2024 · 2 yrs 2 mos

      Led donor engagement and stewardship strategy within a complex, highly regulated institution. •Designed and implemented a comprehensive donor engagement and stewardship program to strengthen philanthropic impact and donor confidence. •Partnered with executive leadership on stewardship strategy, donor recognition, and relationship management. •Led cross-functional initiatives integrating advancement, communications, compliance, and leadership priorities. •Improved donor engagement, retention, and alignment with institutional mission and values

  • Deputy Chief Of Staff/Senior Director of Presidential Initiatives at Cleveland State University
    Mar 2020 - Jan 2022 · 1 yr 11 mos

    Senior advisor to the President at a large, public, unionized research university. •Managed high-priority executive initiatives spanning strategy, policy development, governance, and campus-wide engagement. •Led institutional change management and executive communications during periods of organizational transition. •Coordinated cross-campus initiatives involving academic leadership, legal counsel, HR, and shared governance bodies. •Established partnerships that advanced university priorities, operational efficiency, and external relationships.

  • Councilwoman at Village of Gambier
    Nov 2019 - Jun 2020 · 8 mos

    Provided legislative oversight and public governance leadership. •Oversaw fiscal, social, and public works initiatives in a municipal governance environment. •Participated in policy development, regulatory compliance, ethics oversight, and public accountability. •Strengthened partnerships between government, community stakeholders, and professional staff.

  • Director of Summer Programs at Kenyon College
    Jul 2012 - Feb 2020 · 7 yrs 8 mos

    Led a revenue-generating, operationally complex enterprise within a nationally ranked liberal arts college. •Grew annual revenue from $500K to more than $1M while increasing net profit margins from 27% to 52%. •Restructured and optimized operations, improving efficiency, service quality, and stakeholder satisfaction. •Managed budgets, staff, vendors, facilities, and high-visibility programs with full P&L responsibility. •Built scalable systems and performance metrics to support long-term growth and sustainability.