New Director of Development Announced for Thrive Community Services

Thrive Community Services, formerly KCCDD, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dylana Larson as the new Director of Development. Larson comes to Thrive with many years of experience in fundraising, marketing and community engagement.

Born and raised in Collinsville, Illinois, Dylana graduated from Collinsville High School and went on to Illinois State University where she graduated with a degree in Recreation Administration.

Upon arriving in Galesburg, she served as the Director of Recruitment and Student Life Coordinator at Carl Sandburg College. During her time, she implemented a comprehensive path to enrollment program for incoming students and spearheaded the creation of a state-wide association for community college recruitment.

Recently she spent 8 years as the Cultural Director at American Hospitality Academy, a visa sponsor for international students. With the position at AHA, she was able to travel internationally and meet with schools and contacts around the world to share about the J1 cultural exchange visa program through the US Department of State.

In her 12 years in the Galesburg community, her passion for Knox county residents is evident. She has served on the board at Safe Harbor Family Crisis Center, the Galesburg Community Chorus and Family Planning of Western Illinois. She resides in Galesburg with her three children, Vada, Sedeerah and Warren.

“Dylana comes to us with great experience from her time volunteering at non-profits and Carl Sandburg College. With the rollout of our much-anticipated new name and brand, we are excited to have Dylana on board. Her experience in building relationships and connecting community resources will help propel Thrive forward with the upcoming launch of an endowment campaign,” states Pam Green, CEO of Thrive Community Services.

Established in 1956, Thrive Community Services has a long history of advocating and providing services in Knox County. Current programs include community day services, community employment services, SOAR respite program and Gordon Behrents Senior Center. Today, the organization serves over 300 individuals.

To find out more about Thrive Community Services and volunteer opportunities, please visit thriveGalesburg.org. Dylana can be reached at dlarson@thrivegalesburg.org