KatieRose (Thornton) Fitti is a strategic marketing and development executive with over 20 years of experience across the private, nonprofit, and higher education sectors. Her career has been shaped at the intersection of sports, marketing, and mission-driven service.
She began her professional journey in the NFL, working in football operations and corporate partnerships before serving as a personal assistant to a Pro Football Hall of Famer. She transitioned into collegiate athletics, leading marketing efforts for nationally ranked men’s and women’s basketball programs and serving as a major gifts officer, where drove record-setting donor engagement and fundraising efforts.
KatieRose has held senior leadership roles in both agency and nonprofit environments. In the agency world, she managed partnership activations and marketing campaigns for regional and national brands. She also led global advertising strategies for major automotive and quick-service restaurant accounts. Most recently, as Director of Marketing & Communications, she spearheaded initiatives that grew revenue from Pennsylvania’s Tax Credit Program from $40 million to over $100 million—impacting more than 17,000 students statewide through expanded tuition assistance.
A former student-athlete at Columbia University, KatieRose earned her MBA in Marketing with a concentration in Sports Management from Temple University. She also served as Regional Vice President for the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and President of its Delaware County Chapter.
KatieRose lives in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, with her husband, three wonderful stepchildren, and their beloved rescue pit mix. She remains deeply committed to her faith, her community, and the power of sport to create lasting impact.