In her role as Chief of Community Engagement for Upbring, Holly Raymond spearheads Upbring's efforts to identify and cultivate robust, trusting relationships at a grassroots level. With a primary objective to expand the organization’s influence within the community, Holly’s ultimate goal is to establish Upbring as a household name. Additionally, Holly aims to leverage these connections to generate opportunities for fundraising in support of Upbring's development initiatives.
Having served on the Leadership Team since 2017, Holly has a solid understanding of Upbring programs and how we accomplish all that we do. Prior to her current role, she served as Upbring’s Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Finance & Risk. Her contributions include strengthening financial operations, resulting in 100% overall organizational growth, and deepening Upbring’s finance and facilities resource capabilities with strategic staffing additions. She is a utility player, having managed various departments including HR compliance, IT, Risk, Disaster Response and Lubbock Community Services. Her success at Upbring is a testament to her outstanding leadership, determination and servant-hearted commitment to breaking the cycle of child abuse.
Before joining Upbring, Holly served as Chief Financial Officer of Common Threads where she directed operations and strategy for finance and accounting, human resources, operations and IT. Prior to that, she served as Vice President of Finance and operations for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas, Inc. She also worked for the accounting firms of Maxwell Locke & Ritter and Ernst & Young.
Holly is a first-generation college graduate, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Professional Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin. She served as a Trustee on the Hays CISD School Board from 2012-2018. She currently serves on the board for Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest and is Treasurer of the following organizations: Hays High School Athletic Booster Club, Keeping Communities Connected and Hays High School Project Graduation 2024. Holly also volunteers at Gethsemane Lutheran Church. She loves going to concerts and spending time with her husband and three children.
