Soraya Alexander Named First Chief Operating Officer of GoFundMe and President of Affiliate Company, Classy

Alexander serves as Classy's current COO and has been integral in driving the company's relentless obsession over customer success

SAN DIEGO, Oct 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Classy, a GoFundMe affiliate and online fundraising platform for nonprofits, announced new leadership and promotions that will usher further growth opportunities for the social sector.

Soraya Alexander will serve as the new chief operating officer of GoFundMe and president of Classy. Additionally, Eric Pannese, Classy's senior vice president of product and design, will serve as the new chief product and technology officer, and Chris Silver, vice president of product marketing for Classy, will join the executive team as senior vice president of marketing. Chris Himes, Classy's current CEO, will transition to an advisory role.

"It's hard to find words to express the gratitude I feel for the last several years of partnership with Chris Himes," said Soraya Alexander, current Classy COO. "Together, with the larger Classy team, we've built a company unparalleled in its combination of relentless obsession over customer success, its focus on exceptional product and engineering innovation, and its ambition to radically transform individual giving for the most important sector on earth. Over the past several months, I've gained a tremendous appreciation for the sophistication and care the GoFundMe team takes in helping people help each other. It is truly awe-inspiring to see the ambition, reach, and impact of our combined organizations. And, despite billions of dollars raised collectively on both GoFundMe and Classy, we are just getting started with what's possible."

Alexander, who started as Classy's vice president of product marketing in 2018, was tapped to manage multiple facets of Classy's business over the past four and half years, including leading marketing and customer growth before being named Classy COO in 2021. As COO, Alexander focused on helping customers realize their full potential for online fundraising, including how technology can assist in creating meaningful relationships between nonprofits and their donors. Her dedication to the growth of customers contributed to the activation of 54,000 campaigns with over $1 billion raised from 12 million donations on the Classy platform in 2021. This year, Classy customers will surpass $5 billion raised all-time on the platform.

As the giving landscape evolves to demand activism and societal advancement at every touchpoint, Alexander will spearhead Classy's business and product strategy so nonprofits can meet these needs. This includes continued alignment across the two companies' joint initiatives and communal product offerings that help connect every citizen philanthropist with causes they care about. Currently, GoFundMe and Classy are developing direct giving paths from impassioned individuals on the GoFundMe platform directly to nonprofit organizations solving issues at scale; a program that is currently in its pilot phase. Alexander will also oversee customer operations for GoFundMe, working across both companies to ensure overall customer success and nonprofit support. She will report to GoFundMe CEO, Tim Cadogan.

"Soraya is a star on the rise, not just within our company but in our industry as a whole," said Tim Cadogan, GoFundMe CEO. "I am confident that she is the right leader, with unparalleled expertise and innovative instincts, to lead Classy and GoFundMe's operations to new levels of excellence for our customers as we work to help more people help each other."

Classy's focus on delivering the best fundraising technology for nonprofits remains unwavering. Alexander's dual role elevates this focus within the larger GoFundMe organization. She will work directly with Pannese, Silver, and the rest of the Classy and GoFundMe executive teams to continue investments in product, design and engineering and increase velocity to support nonprofits as philanthropy evolves.

"I'm incredibly proud of what our team accomplished during my time at Classy," said Classy CEO, Chris Himes. "We've built a top software company through relentless customer-centrism, the drive to innovate, and individuals who care deeply about the sector we serve. Alongside GoFundMe, there is more potential for a massive vision than I even anticipated when we first began conversations with their team. It will be a joy to see Classy reach its fullest potential under the leadership of Soraya and the rest of the executive team."

This week, GoFundMe was named to Fortune Magazine's Change the World list and, together, with continued strong leadership in place, the two companies are well on their way to becoming the most helpful place on earth. Visit classy.org and gofundme.com to learn more.

About Classy
Classy, an affiliate of GoFundMe, is a Public Benefit Corporation and giving platform that enables nonprofits to connect supporters with the causes they care about. Classy's platform provides powerful and intuitive fundraising tools to convert and retain donors. Since 2011, Classy has helped nonprofits mobilize and empower the world for good by helping them raise nearly $4 billion. Classy also hosts the Collaborative conference and the Classy Awards to spotlight the innovative work nonprofits are implementing around the globe. For more information, visit www.classy.org.

About GoFundMe
Since 2010, GoFundMe has become a trusted global leader in online fundraising, helping to raise and deliver more than $19 billion from over 200 million donations as of August 2022. Our vision is to become the most helpful place in the world. To learn more, visit us at GoFundMe.com and find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Media Contact:
Krista Lamp
Sr. Director, Brand, Events & Communications
Classy
[email protected]; 619-535-2263

SOURCE Classy