Cherian Koshy, CFRE

Cherian Koshy is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP), & AFP Master Trainer. Cherian is the Vice President of Development at Merit America, a a nonprofit organization that is closing the opportunity gap at scale by preparing talented workers in low-wage roles for well-paying careers - breaking the cycle of poverty, and building a new pathway to the middle class for tens of millions of Americans.

He is also the founder of the Nonprofit Operating System, a comprehensive platform designed to help organizations streamline their operations and maximize their impact. Prior to starting NonprofitOS, Cherian spent more than two decades working in the nonprofit sector, working with thousands of donors and raising millions of dollars for various organizations and causes. Cherian is a Certified Scale Architect and a Certified Mind Genomics Advisor. He holds advanced certifications in Behavioral Economics from Dan Ariely's Irrational Labs as well as from Harvard University. Cherian was also one of the most successful debating coaches in the United States
and is the author of one of the most widely used debating textbooks.

With 25+ years of fundraising experience in annual funds, major gifts, planned giving, and capital He is also one of the most sought-after trainers and speakers in the nonprofit sector. As the head of fundraising for various nonprofits, he's personally raised more than $100M. His industry-specific thought leadership has been featured in Advancing Philanthropy, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, the Institute of Fundraising (UK), and dozens of keynote presentations, blogs, webinars, workshops, and podcasts.

Cherian lives in Iowa with his wife Betsy, 2.3 kids, and their little dog too.