Dr. Kholi Murchison

Director of Communications, Advancement Team

Borealis Philanthropy

Facilitator

Dr. Kholi Murchison serves as Director of Narrative Strategy and Public Affairs at Borealis Philanthropy, a justice-focused philanthropic intermediary resourcing a truly inclusive, multiracial democracy. As a member of Borealis’ leadership team, she leads organizational storytelling, public affairs, and partnered campaign work, shaping the narratives that deepen donor partnerships and bring more funders alongside the movements Borealis’ collaborative funds support.

Her work is rooted in Black feminist and womanist thought, the Black radical tradition, and a belief that narrative is infrastructure: the stories institutions tell shape who gets resourced, believed, and protected. Kholi is equally guided by chosen ancestor Toni Cade Bambara’s queerly uncomplicated question, “Are you sure, sweetheart, that you want to be well?” As such, she brings a relational, iterative, trauma-informed, and practice-based approach to campaigns, curricula, and experiential storytelling that deepen community bonds.

Before joining Borealis, Kholi spent nearly two decades leading brand, messaging, impact strategy, and change work across higher education, tech, community finance, the arts, and movement organizations. Her clients and collaborators have included the likes of Oberlin College, Spotify, Whole30, and international consumer brands like Yonex. She guided the Northern California Community Loan Fund, a 30-year-old CDFI, through a two-year rebrand into Community Vision, including its name change, message platform, and leadership transition. She developed storytelling strategy for Yerba Buena Center for the Arts’ guaranteed income pilot for artists, and she’s partnered with Beneficial State Bank and MoveOn on communications and campaign strategy. 

Parallel to her philanthropic advocacy, Kholi is co-founder of think tank and production company HOLI. Brands and partner at Oratory Glory, where she creates narrative infrastructure and leadership development strategy for executives. She also farms at her family’s Black and Indigenous-owned homestead, Celie & Squeak, and created Hella Black Brunch.

In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Kholi serves as Resource Development Chair for The Winston-Salem Foundation’s Black Philanthropy Initiative and as Arts & Letters Chair of the Winston-Salem Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.