Carissa Neary Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Giving

Biography

Carissa Neary serves as Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving at Harrisburg University, where she leads alumni engagement, philanthropic initiatives, and advancement efforts that strengthen relationships across the University community.

Before joining Harrisburg University, Carissa held leadership positions in nonprofit finance and institutional advancement, building experience in fundraising, grant development, financial management, donor relations, and strategic planning. Her career has focused on helping mission-driven organizations build sustainable resources while expanding educational and community impact.

Carissa is completing her Master of Business Administration at PennWest University. She is passionate about nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, community engagement, and building meaningful partnerships that support organizational growth.

Outside of her professional work, Carissa volunteers extensively in her community. She serves as a content writer for Golden Retrievers in Need (GRIN) Rescue, the organization from which she adopted one of her two golden retrievers, and volunteers in wilderness search and rescue through ground search operations and K9 search work. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling internationally, and spending time outdoors with her dogs, Boomies and Bates.