< Back to Our Staff

Debra S. Arnesen, CFRE
Senior Vice President

darnesen@netzelgrigsby.com

Santa Barbara

Debra, a senior vice president with NETZEL GRIGSBY ASSOCIATES, INC., has 27 years of fund development experience with nonprofit organizations and institutions.

She has developed and directed many successful annual giving, capital and special project campaigns. These include a $21 million capital campaign for the construction of a new performing arts facility and gymnasium at Oaks Christian School in Westlake, a $7 million capital campaign to build a new facility for Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, a $6 million capital campaign for the construction of an inpatient hospice facility for Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Santa Barbara, a $5 million endowment campaign for CALM, a $4.3 million capital campaign for the construction of a new YMCA in the Santa Ynez Valley, a $4 million capital campaign for Allan Hancock College, a $2.5 million endowment campaign for Family Service Agency, a $1.5 million capital campaign for the Carpinteria Unified School District for the construction of a new stadium, and a $2.4 million facility purchase and renovation for the Santa Barbara Visiting Nurse Association, where she served as vice president of development for nine years. Prior to those assignments she served as executive director of Girls Incorporated of Carpinteria and has worked with numerous nonprofits in Santa Barbara County including, Channel Islands YMCA, PCPA Foundation and Solvang Friendship House.

Debra graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a master’s degree in education. She has taught many workshops on fund development, board development and long-range planning. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and is a member of the Santa Barbara/Ventura County Chapter of AFP (formerly NSFRE), and received the 2003 Professional Fundraiser of the Year Award for the Chapter.