Rudy Spencer

Rudy’s career includes a variety of leadership experiences in philanthropy, non-profits, customer experience operations at LG&E and KU, and consulting for small businesses (construction administration & telecommunications). Rudy was the Chief Strategy Officer at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana where he was responsible for all fundraising, recruitment, and marketing efforts in the Greater Louisville community. A former Big Brother, Rudy led a dramatic turnaround of the fundraising operation in 23 months, increasing individual giving by 165% and growing the overall agency revenues by 40%. Prior to Big Brothers Big Sisters, Rudy served as the 2018 volunteer Vice Chair of the Metro Louisville United Way fundraising campaign, which raised $26.3 million for non-profits in our region (97% of goal). He also co-founded a young professionals giving circle called Give 502, which donated $100,000 to non-profit organizations in its five years of existence.

In 2009, Rudy earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville, where he was Student Body President & Student Trustee. At UofL, Rudy was also the 2007 Homecoming King and a McConnell, Harlan, and Porter Scholar. In 2012 Rudy earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan. Upon graduation, Rudy was selected as the Student of the Year by the faculty and the National Association of Social Workers - Michigan Chapter. Additionally, Rudy is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), has completed Executive Education courses from Cornell University in nonprofit finance, training in Decision Quality from the Strategic Decisions Group, and is BOLD Certified through non-profit training with Dan Pallota.

Most recently, Rudy was selected to the six-member Advisory Board for the Center For Nonprofit Excellence’s new School for Fundraising & Community Engagement, with the goal to increase diversity within the fundraising community. Rudy’s leadership has been widely recognized in the Louisville community. He is a 2020 BMe Community Genius Fellow (creating a black male achievement leadership program), a recipient of the Business First Forty Under 40 award, a graduate of the Fund for the Arts NeXt! Arts Ambassador program, a graduate of the L.E.A.D. Greater Louisville Inc. program, and was named 2013 Young Professional of the Year by the Young Professionals Association of Louisville.

In his free time, Rudy enjoys spending time with his family & fiancée Ashley, serving as the Chapter Advisor to the Sigma Chi Fraternity at UofL, and a recently discovered joy for all things Disney!