CCC Appoints Chris Wilhite as Director of Donor Relations

CCC is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Wilhite, CFRE, CAP, as our new Director of Donor Relations.

Chris joined CCC in 2020 as a Major Gifts Officer and has since played a pivotal role in strengthening our fundraising efforts. He built our major gifts program from the ground up, developed our gift acceptance policy, and led the development of our endowment policy and related gift agreements. With careful attention to relationships over the past six years, Chris’ major donor portfolio increased in annual revenue by fifty percent to $1 million. He also launched a donor discovery campaign to support a new legacy giving strategy.

Chris began his career in Texas as a campaign and community organizer in the environmental movement. In 2006, he became Director of the Rhode Island Chapter of the Sierra Club, leading a coalition focused on advancing public policy in the state legislature.

He later served as Director of Development and Public Awareness at the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, where he led statewide awareness campaigns, managed media relations, and built the organization’s first major gifts program. After relocating to the West Coast in 2012, Chris spent five years as Director of Development for Clackamas Women’s Services, leading two successful major gift campaigns.

“There is so much generosity among donors throughout Portland—I’ve seen it time and time again,” says Chris. “I’m excited to help take the vision our board, staff, and donors have for CCC to the next level as we work together to address homelessness in our community. While homelessness is complex, it is solvable, and CCC remains committed to helping people heal, regain stability, and move forward with dignity.”

Outside of work, Chris is an avid cloth weaver, woodcarver, instrument builder, and musician—and is known to cook a fantastic meal or two.

We’re proud to have Chris continue his leadership journey with CCC and look forward to the impact ahead.