08/28/2026
🌟AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT🌟
Meet Kim Blair!
Kim currently serves as the Senior Director of Principal Gifts and Strategic Initiatives for the Carilion Clinic Foundation. Kim is helping lead the Reaching Far, Caring Close comprehensive campaign, focused primarily on the new Cancer Center and securing leadership gifts.
Kim previously served as the Vice President for Advancement at Roanoke College. In addition, she served as the Assistant Vice President of Advancement for Roanoke at Virginia Tech, where she led advancement teams tasked with securing private philanthropic funding for the Virginia Tech Carilion – Health, Science & Technology Campus in the Roanoke Innovation Corridor. She orchestrated fundraising and advancement operations, overseeing outreach and strategic communication initiatives centered in Roanoke.
Blair was recently named to Women We Admire’s Top 50 Women Leaders in Virginia for the second year in a row—a list celebrating women at the top of their professions who exemplify the qualities needed for self-development and organizational success.
Before assuming her expanded roles at Roanoke College and Carilion, Kim served as a Senior Principal Gifts Officer within Virginia Tech’s Advancement Division since 2015. In this role, she helped secure multimillion-dollar gifts supporting the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, College of Engineering, Virginia Tech Athletics, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Program in Real Estate, the Corps of Cadets, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Notably, Blair closed the largest gift in Virginia Tech history, a $50M gift to name the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC in 2018.
Prior to rejoining Virginia Tech in 2015, Kim served as the Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Ferrum College, where she launched and completed the most successful campaign in the college’s history, while celebrating Ferrum’s 100th anniversary. She had previously served Virginia Tech as Chief Advancement Officer for the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, raising $35 million during the university’s Invent the Future campaign.
Earlier in her career at Roanoke College (1993–2008), Blair held several leadership roles including Director of Development, Director of Annual Giving, Director of Alumni and Parent Relations, and Development Representative.
A proud Southwest Virginian, Kim grew up in Blacksburg, VA and attended Roanoke College for her undergraduate degree and the University of Lynchburg for her master’s degree.
Kim is married to Tommy Blair, and together they have five children and reside in Salem, VA. She also serves on the boards of Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Ridge View Bank, and North Cross School.
A special thank you to our 2026 Ambassador Spotlight Sponsor: Olivia Marone Photography
