Kimera Way retired in 2024 as the president and CEO of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Foundation, a position she held for more than 20 years. Previously, she led university-related foundations at Michigan Technological University and Emporia State University (KS). Kimera holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wyoming and master’s degree in communication studies from the University of Kansas.
While at UW-Eau Claire, Kimera also served as executive director of the Blugold Real Estate Foundation where she provided leadership in developing the Pablo Center at the Confluence, the Sonnentag Event Center and Fieldhouse, the Priory, and two student housing complexes. She also led the development of the Flesch Family Welcome Center on campus and numerous other campus projects and initiatives.
Currently Kimera is the director of development for HeartWorks, a non-profit focused on curing congenital heart defects (CHD). CHD is the world’s most common birth defect, affecting 1 in 100 children born each year. HeartWorks is a pioneering team of clinicians, scientists and families rewriting the future of CHD through regenerative medicine. Its work is funded entirely by philanthropy. HeartWorks’ world headquarters is in Eau Claire.
The Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce recognized Kimera as a Woman of Achievement in 2012 and as its Public Employee of the Year in 2024. She was named an honorary alumna of UW-Eau Claire in 2024. She is a graduate of the Leadership Kansas program and is active in the Philanthropic Education Organization (PEO), focused on supporting women’s education.
Kimera and her husband, Darcy, live in Eau Claire. They are the parents of three daughters.
