Catherine Cecil Bacelieri

For more than fifteen years, Cat Bacelieri has been a creative leader in the nonprofit, arts, and education sectors—developing programs and coordinating major events to strengthen community engagement across a variety of mission-driven organizations. Her work has focused on supporting creative professionals and building partnerships that connect people through leadership and learning.

Cat earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in Journalism from Northern Kentucky University. Most recently, she served as the Director of Development for Carpe Artista, an arts education nonprofit in Smyrna, Tennessee. She led donor engagement initiatives, oversaw fundraising and community events, and managed collaborations that amplified the organization’s reach and impact. Her previous experience includes key leadership roles at the Louisiana Children’s Museum and the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, where she directed educational programming, coordinated events, and developed creative content for community-based initiatives. Earlier in her career, Cat worked with The Children’s Theater of Cincinnati, managing youth theatre programs and national touring productions.

Cat believes deeply in the transformative power of mentorship and empowering individuals to build confidence through leadership development. She volunteers her time with several local nonprofit organizations, including the Nashville Children’s Theater and five years as Co-President of the PTO Executive Board for Wilson Elementary School. Cat is married and they are blessed with two children. When they aren’t at the baseball field or dance studio, they enjoy spending time outside together swimming or visiting the family farm.