Chris Coletta

Director of Development Communications

Chris leads and executes communications strategy for the SELC Development Team, “making sure our donors are getting the information they need, when they need it, in the right ways,” he said. He ensures the overall consistency and quality of communications with SELC donors: foundation reports and proposals, printed and digital appeals, handouts and development collateral, event materials, email and website copy, and more.  

Chris also develops and supervises the Development Communications Team. In partnership with the chief development officer and SELC leadership, he sets goals, metrics, and strategies for communications with SELC donors.  

“When I came to work here, I knew this place had world-class attorneys, program staff and communicators,” Chris said. “But what I didn’t appreciate until now is our creativity. We will truly do whatever it takes to get the job done. Following our work can give the same feeling as reading a crackerjack thriller, where you’re not always sure what’s going to happen, but you know it will be a delight.” 

Chris describes himself as “Yankee born and Tar Heel bred” because he spent his early childhood in New York before moving to the Triangle. He and his wife have lived in Washington, D.C., for more than 15 years.  

When asked for a special place in the SELC footprint, Chris replied, “Shoutout to our incredible forests and mountains — places where you can go to lose everyone except yourself. But ultimately, I am probably most at peace on a quiet beach somewhere on Hatteras Island.” 

• Blue State, principal strategist 
• Greensboro News & Record and Triangle Business Journal, reporter 
• B.A., University of North Carolina Chapel Hill