Castle in the Clouds, the 6,300-acre historic estate and dining destination in Moultonborough, N.H., has appointed Kayla Szczesiul as Director of Advancement, the organization announced July 20. Szczesiul brings nearly two decades of nonprofit fundraising and community-partnership experience to the role, which spans both philanthropic giving and earned revenue for the Castle Preservation Society (CPS).
Her Mandate
Szczesiul will organize and oversee CPS fundraising campaigns and marketing plans, working with staff and volunteers to support the society's cultural and preservation mission. Her most recent post was Development Director at Monadnock Family Services in Keene, N.H. She also holds a master's degree in Community-Based Social Marketing from Prescott College — a credential that signals a data-informed approach to donor engagement and audience development.
The hire carries direct relevance to the estate's food-and-beverage operations. Castle in the Clouds runs the Carriage House Restaurant and the Café in the Clouds, two hospitality venues that generate earned revenue alongside ticket sales, events, and private hire. Strengthening the philanthropic pipeline allows the nonprofit operator to reinvest in those guest-facing assets, from facility upgrades to programming that drives repeat visitation — a model increasingly common among heritage hospitality operators blending dining with cultural tourism.
A 20-Year Inflection Point
"The 20th anniversary of the Castle Preservation Society marks the start of a new chapter for Castle in the Clouds," said Executive Director Charles Clark. "Her experience, vision and resourcefulness will help us shape the next 20 years of the Castle and beyond." Clark's framing positions Szczesiul's appointment as a structural investment rather than a routine hire — CPS enters its third decade with an explicit push to expand both community fundraising and visitor-facing revenue.
The broader context matters for F&B operators eyeing the heritage-venue segment. Properties like Castle in the Clouds compete for event bookings — weddings, corporate gatherings, private dining — against purpose-built venues, and the ability to articulate a compelling philanthropic story has become a differentiator in that market. Earned revenue from foodservice at cultural and historic sites has grown steadily as nonprofit operators professionalize their hospitality functions, according to sector analysts. A dedicated advancement director signals CPS is treating those revenue streams with the same discipline it applies to donor relations.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
