Skip to main content
2026 Bridge Conference Main banner

Laura Durington

Director, Annual Giving
Catholic Relief Sevices

Laura Durington is the Director of Annual Giving for the international relief and development agency, Catholic Relief Services, now in her 20th year. She was responsible for developing CRS’ first digital fundraising strategy in 2006, started CRS’ social media program the following year. Currently, she manages a robust team of 14 staff responsible for raising more than $85M annually from private donors who give up to $10k per year in both 1x and recurring donations. This is accomplished through traditional direct mail along with digital fundraising campaigns utilizing email, mobile/SMS, peer-to-peer, digital ads, social media, CTV and search. She directs this work through a comprehensive strategy while continuing to research, evaluate and implement new innovations in direct response fundraising, sustainer recruitment, and behavioral science. She maintains that three traits most critical to success are: empathy, intellectual curiosity, and resourcefulness.

Before moving to Baltimore, Laura lived in South Africa and worked as a marketing consultant for the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She helped develop training manuals for the treatment of HIV and AIDS as part of a Harvard-AIDS Institute funded project. Originally from Philadelphia, she has over 30 years in marketing and digital communications, including positions as Account Director for a boutique advertising agency and E-mail Marketing Manager at an internet start-up.

Disclosure information not submitted.

Presentation(s):