Eileen Kennedy Byrne is the founder of Crescent CFO, where she provides fractional and interim executive leadership and financial management services to higher education institutions and other nonprofit organizations. With more than three decades of experience in higher ed administration, she specializes in capital planning, public-private partnerships (P3s), and university-related real estate development.
Over the course of her career, Eileen has led complex development initiatives from concept through long-term operations, structuring innovative partnerships and strengthening institutional operations. She has deep experience in capital financing, including bond issuance, bank lending, and capital leasing, and has overseen more than $400 million in capital projects. Known for her practical understanding of the governance, financial, and operational challenges associated with large-scale collaborations, she brings a university perspective to forming effective multisector partnerships and navigating the complexities of P3s.
Before launching Crescent CFO, Eileen served as President and CEO of the University of New Orleans (UNO) Research and Technology Foundation, where she oversaw a 1M SF portfolio of office, laboratory, and conference facilities in the UNO Research and Technology Park. She previously served as Vice President and CFO of the University of New Orleans’ affiliated foundations and held several leadership roles at UNO, including Assistant Vice Chancellor for Property and Facilities Development and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs.
Eileen is a frequent speaker on privatization, capital financing, strategic uses of university-related foundations, leadership, and disaster recovery. She has presented for national organizations including NACUBO, the Association of University Research Parks, and the International Economic Development Council. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and an MBA from the University of New Orleans, is a graduate of the College Business Management Institute (CBMI), and earned a Certificate in Site Planning through MITx on edX.