Kathleen Murphy Toms

Kathleen Murphy Toms supports social good leaders in imagining and building new worlds.

Kathleen studies the use of digital tools and social media within movements, particularly their use in shifting power, mass mobilization, behavior change, and achieving global equity. Kathleen has coached thousands of social impact leaders and grassroots organizers from nearly every continent on how to not only generate funds for their causes but to inspire and mobilize groundswell movements that create systemic change. She is an adjunct faculty member at The Heyman Program for Fundraising and Philanthropy in The Center for Global Affairs at New York University where she teaches social changemakers how to develop innovative content marketing and digital strategies to activate and engage new audiences.

She is the founder of Growing Good Strategies, a full-service communications and fundraising agency that supports social impact organizations of all sizes around the world. From 2018 to 2024, Kathleen served as the global director of digital strategy for GivingTuesday, the world’s largest philanthropic social movement. During her tenure, she helped drive record-breaking participation and engagement across 100+ countries—mobilizing everyone from grassroots organizers to global influencers in a shared call to action for generosity.

A frequent international public speaker and trainer, Kathleen covers social media, digital innovation, and storytelling for changemakers. Past speaking engagement venues have included: the Natoinal Parent Fundraising Conference (2025), International Fundraising Congress (IFC), The Fundraising Online Conference (#FRO2021), YouTube for Nonprofits, King Baudouin Foundation, TechSoup Asia, WorldChicago, the U.S. State Department, AdWeek, Social Media Week, MacArthur Foundation, Kenya Association of Fundraising Professionals, Chicago Foundation for Women, Women’s Philanthropy Institute, Ghana Giving Summit, Georgia Center for Nonprofits, and Stanford Social Innovation Review’s Nonprofit Management Institute.

Organizations she has advised include the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, 92Y Belfer Center for Innovation + Social Impact, vote.org, Nelson Mandela University, the ACLU, and The Obama Foundation.

Kathleen is a Webby-nominated digital director and a member of Brand Innovators’ 2022 40 Under 40 Class. She was an inaugural juror for the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences’ new Anthem Award.

Previously, Kathleen was Director of Communications at Forefront, Illinois’ statewide social impact membership association where she led their statewide giving day, #ILGive. She’s an alum of the Obama for America 2008 campaign team and a long-time community organizer on Chicago’s south side.