Areas of Expertise: grant writing and management, project management, fundraising

“Education is an equalizer; I want to help affect educational transformation on a national level.”

As the director of development, Amber Decker, EdD, builds the partnerships and resources necessary for KnowledgeWorks to further its work. She leads the three aspects of grant development: cultivation, engagement and stewardship; research and planning; and strategic thinking. Amber is also involved in building relationships with key external stakeholders and strategically collaborating with internal staff to help execute the organization’s strategic plan.

Before her role as director of strategic partnerships, Amber served as KnowledgeWorks’ senior manager of strategy and grant development. Prior to joining KnowledgeWorks, Amber served as the vice president of development and strategic partnerships at Gateway Community and Technical College, where she was also the executive director of the Gateway Foundation. In those roles, she led a capital campaign and developed strategic partnerships within that community. Previously, she served as the director of adult education at Gateway Community and Technical College.

Amber earned her Bachelor’s degree from Northern Kentucky University in Journalism, a Master’s in journalism from the University of Louisville and received her doctorate in education at the University of Kentucky, focusing in higher education with an emphasis on community and technical college leadership.