We are excited to announce the appointment of Natalie Knight as our next vice president for advancement, along with two staff updates that strengthen our ability to effectively serve our stakeholders and our community.

“We are thrilled to welcome Natalie to our team,” said Mike Sitrick, DuPage Foundation president & CEO. “Natalie’s knowledge, experience, and passion for our community make her the ideal fit to lead our Advancement efforts and work closely with our volunteer leaders, donors, and partners to achieve our ambitious endowment-building goals so we can increase our responsiveness to the growing needs of our community.”

Natalie brings more than 20 years of nonprofit development experience to the organization. She joins our team after a distinguished 13-year tenure at The Morton Arboretum, where she most recently served as director of campaigns and stewardship. In that role, she successfully led the execution of a two-year, $17 million campaign that exceeded its revenue goal by $7 million.

Natalie offers deep expertise across major and planned gifts, campaigns, and donor engagement, with a track record of building high-performing advancement programs. In her new role, Natalie will serve as a key member of our leadership team, shaping and executing a comprehensive strategy to expand philanthropic capacity and maximize community impact. She oversees all fundraising and charitable services efforts, including our $35-million All In DuPage community endowment-building campaign, major and planned giving, and donor and partner engagement and stewardship.

As a longtime DuPage County resident living in Wheaton, Knight’s commitment to our community is personal.

“I’m truly honored to join DuPage Foundation in its next chapter of impact,” said Knight. “Philanthropy is critical to raising the quality of life in our community, and I look forward to helping my fellow DuPage County residents shape their charitable legacies and connect with the causes that are personal to them.”

Michael Trench Transitions to Senior Philanthropy Officer Role
As part of this leadership transition, Michael Trench, who served as our vice president for advancement from June 2023 until this spring, will move into a newly created, part-time position as senior philanthropy officer. In this role, Trench will continue to work closely with individuals, families, businesses, and their advisors to help them plan and accomplish their unique charitable goals. He will also concentrate on supporting the growth of our community’s permanent charitable endowment—particularly through our All In DuPage campaign.

During Michael’s tenure as vice president for advancement, he helped us achieve record levels of engagement and support. Since 2023, we achieved significant growth in our funds under management, expanded our Legacy Society commitments by tens of millions of dollars, and established a record number of new unrestricted, field-of-interest, and operating endowment funds.

“We are deeply grateful for Michael’s contributions and ongoing commitment to our mission,” added Sitrick. “As he transitions into this next chapter, we’re excited that we will continue to benefit from his expertise and the outstanding work he does in helping match donors’ passions with needs and opportunities.”

Kait Miller Balsewicz Promoted to Director of Executive Operations & Planning
Additionally, we are proud to announce the promotion of Kait Miller Balsewicz to director of executive operations & planning. A key member of the team for eight years, Kait has played a vital role in advancing key initiatives and strengthening organizational capacity.

Throughout her tenure, Kait has led major programs such as the Annual Benefit and Next Generation Initiative and earned both her Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP^®) designations. As a trusted philanthropic advisor, she has secured millions of dollars in charitable commitments and guided DuPage families and organizations through complex gift and legacy planning.

“Kait’s dedication, versatility, and problem-solving skills have made her an invaluable member of our team,” said Sitrick. “This promotion reflects her outstanding contributions and the critical role she plays as we look to continue to increase our capacity and effectiveness in serving the needs of our community and partners.”

In her new role, Kait will lead executive operations for the office of the president & CEO, serve as an integral part of the leadership team, oversee cross-departmental strategic initiatives, and help ensure the Foundation is well-resourced for our next stage of growth. She will also continue to supervise our marketing and communications efforts, steward a portfolio of partners, and support the Advancement team with complex gift planning.