Executive Brief

Executive Director of Advancement, Brown School
Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis

Founded in 1853, Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) is among the world’s leaders in teaching, research, patient care, and service to society. WashU is committed to learning and exploration, to discovery and impact. WashU consists of a variety of academic divisions including art & architecture, arts & sciences, business, engineering, law, medicine, social work, and public health. Together, the university explores intellectual passions and challenges the unknown. Located in St. Louis, MO, WashU's campuses demonstrate their commitment to an inclusive community that is welcoming, nurturing and intellectually rigorous.

The mission of Washington University in St. Louis is to act in service of truth through the formation of leaders, the discovery of knowledge, and the treatment of patients for the betterment of our region, our nation and our world.

WashU – Leadership Spotlight

Andrew D. Martin, PhD – Chancellor

Andrew D. Martin, PhD
Chancellor

Andrew D. Martin was appointed Washington University’s 15th chancellor by the university’s Board of Trustees on July 14, 2018.

Martin, who also is a professor of political science, law, statistics and data science, served from 2014-2018 as dean of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan. Previously, he served in various positions at Washington University in St. Louis, including as the Charles Nagel Chair of Constitutional Law and Political Science at the School of Law, vice dean of the School of Law, founding director of the Center for Empirical Research in the Law, and chair of the Department of Political Science in Arts & Sciences. Throughout his career in higher education administration, Martin has taught courses in judicial decisionmaking and political methodology and mentored numerous graduate and doctoral students. Each year, he teaches “Free Speech on Campus,” a popular class on the first amendment for undergraduate students. In recognition of his teaching and mentorship, Martin received the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award from the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in 2011 and the Distinguished Faculty Award from the Washington University Alumni Board of Governors in 2013. In 2021, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

Along with numerous scholarly articles and book chapters, Martin is the author of “An Introduction to Empirical Legal Research,” which he co-authored with Lee Epstein, the Ethan A.H. Shepley Distinguished University Professor at Washington University in 2014; “Judicial Decision-Making: A Coursebook,” which he co-authored with Barry Friedman and others in 2020, and “Free Speech: A Campus Toolkit”, co-authored with Lee Epstein, Adam Liptak, and Rebecca L. Brown in 2025. Throughout his career, Martin has received research funding from many organizations, including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health.

Martin earned his PhD in political science from Washington University in 1998 and his A.B from the College of William & Mary in mathematics and government in 1994.

WashU Brown School

The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis is internationally recognized as a leader in social work and social policy education, research, and community impact. For more than a century, the school has prepared innovative leaders dedicated to advancing equity and addressing society's most complex challenges through rigorous research, transformative education, and authentic partnerships. With a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice and interdisciplinary collaboration, the Brown School equips students and faculty to develop solutions that influence policy, strengthen communities, and improve lives on a local, national, and global scale.

WashU – Brown School – Story Board (PDF)

Brown School – Leadership Spotlight

Dorian Traube – Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School and Professor

Dorian Traube
Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School and Professor

Dorian Traube is the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School and a professor. Previously, Traube was a professor in the Suzanne Dworak Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California.

Traube developed Parents as Teachers@USC Telehealth, the first partnership of its kind between a national home visitation model and a university-based telehealth clinic. In doing so, she also established the first virtual home visitation program, offering a reliable home visitation model via video conferencing technology.

This program was chosen as a Named Commitment by the Clinton Global Initiative and was selected the winner of the Gary Community Investment/OpenIDEO Early Childhood Innovation Prize. The program was scaled from offering 1,000 home visits in 2016-2019 to offering 600,000 virtual home visits in 2020. On the workforce development side, the program initially trained 25 home visitors in virtual service delivery strategies and scaled to 12,000 home visitors by 2020. Traube’s research into the telehealth program laid the foundation for a multimillion-dollar award from the Heising-Simons Foundation to make virtual home visitation available nationally during the COVID-19 crisis.

Traube’s research agenda focuses on the utilization of technological solutions to provide early childhood health, education and parent support services. She has expertise in children’s mental health, child maltreatment prevention, family support interventions and home visitation. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Parsons Foundation, Queenscare Foundation, and the Overdeck Foundation. Traube serves on the Board of Directors for Good Shepard School, Youth in Need, the Research Advisory Council for Parents as Teachers, and the Hermann Center Institutional Advisory Board.

Traube earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and her master and doctoral degrees in social work from Columbia University. She is a licensed clinical social worker in California and New York.

Washington University Advancement

University Advancement champions Washington University’s highest priorities by inspiring and engaging alumni, parents, friends, corporations, foundations, and organizational leaders in their region and around the globe.

University Advancement is a diverse staff of individuals whose unique contributions support a common mission. Advancement's purpose is to secure financial and human resources to assist Washington University in fulfilling its mission of teaching, research, and community service. The team advances the university’s mission through fundraising and other programs that promote awareness, understanding, involvement, commitment, and advocacy on the part of the university's constituents. Advancement strives to treat the university’s alumni, friends, students, and our colleagues with respect and dignity, creating an environment that encourages trust and teamwork.

The University Advancement team is motivated by the belief that improving the human condition through the advancement and transmission of knowledge is a just cause, worthy of their commitment.

To learn about WashU Advancement's giving program, click here.

Washington University - Advancement Leadership Spotlights

Pamella Henson - Executive Vice Chancellor for University Advancement

Pamella Henson
Executive Vice Chancellor for University Advancement

Pamella Henson is Executive Vice Chancellor for University Advancement at Washington University in St. Louis, where she leads the university’s comprehensive advancement enterprise. She oversees the university-wide advancement program, including development efforts in support of the university’s nine schools — among them the School of Medicine — as well as alumni and parent engagement, corporate and foundation relations, volunteer leadership, national councils, and major university ceremonies such as commencement and convocation. Since assuming the role, she has led University Advancement through a significant organizational transformation, strengthening strategy, collaboration, and the use of analytics-driven decision-making to better align philanthropic efforts with institutional priorities. Her work centers on building enduring partnerships that connect people’s passions with mission-driven opportunities to create long-term impact.

With nearly 40 years in the advancement profession, Pam has served WashU for over three decades in progressive leadership roles. Earlier in her career at WashU, she served as regional director of development, director of capital projects, associate vice chancellor for alumni and development programs, and executive director of development for the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, where she advanced support for medical research, patient care, and community outreach.

Pam began her career with the United Way of the Desert in Palm Springs and the University of Redlands. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and is known for her collaborative leadership style and commitment to mentorship.

Kevin Largent – Vice Chancellor for Philanthropic Strategy

Kevin Largent
Vice Chancellor for Philanthropic Strategy

Kevin Largent brings over 25 years of advancement leadership experience, including nearly 20 years at WashU. He has held progressively senior roles spanning major gifts, campaign leadership, university-wide initiatives, and executive strategy. His broad experience includes leadership roles at WashU, where he currently serves as Vice Chancellor for Philanthropic Strategy. In this role, he provides executive leadership for the Philanthropic Strategy vertical, overseeing more than 60 advancement professionals supporting Danforth schools, programs, and campus initiatives.

Earlier in his career, Kevin served as Senior Director of Advancement at the WashU School of Medicine and major gift officer with WashU’s Siteman Cancer Center, managing major gift portfolios with commitments ranging from $50,000 to $20 million and contributing to campaigns that exceeded their goals. His career also includes serving as Associate Director, Major Gifts at the University of Chicago Medical Center and development roles at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he played a central role in the For All We Call Mizzou campaign.

Kevin is known for his deep institutional knowledge, his ability to align strategy, operations, and culture to advance philanthropic goals, and his commitment to mentoring advancement professionals.

Sarah Sligo – Associate Vice Chancellor, Philanthropic Strategy

Sarah Sligo
Associate Vice Chancellor, Philanthropic Strategy

Sarah Sligo is an Associate Vice Chancellor leading several teams within University Advancement’s Philanthropic Strategy vertical. Prior to this appointment in February 2026, she served as the Executive Director of the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts since August 2020. Sarah brings more than two decades of advancement leadership experience spanning major gift strategy, annual giving, and program leadership. Prior to joining WashU, she held senior fundraising roles at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst).

Sarah’s career reflects expertise in scaling fundraising programs, aligning strategy with institutional priorities, and leading teams through change. At RISD, Sarah served as Senior Philanthropy Officer; in this role she led individual and annual giving programs, managed major and planned gift portfolios, and helped lead institution-wide giving strategy and parent and volunteer engagement. At UMass Amherst, she served as Executive Director of Annual Giving, leading a team of seven staff and directing comprehensive, multi-channel fundraising programs that generated more than $3.5 million annually. At WashU, she has brought this experience to the Sam Fox School, where she has helped advance planning, coordination, and alignment with the university’s advancement structure. Her blend of frontline fundraising success and enterprise-level program leadership has been an asset to the Philanthropic Strategy vertical, particularly in strategizing and collaborating with major gift officers to support university priorities.

With You: The WashU Campaign

Washington University in St. Louis' With You: The WashU Campaign is a university-wide philanthropic initiative that unites alumni, parents, friends, and partners in advancing WashU's mission of excellence in education, research, and patient care. Guided by the university's strategic priorities, the campaign focuses on fostering healthier lives, expanding access to education, strengthening communities, and developing future-ready leaders. Through transformational philanthropy and broad community engagement, With You is empowering WashU to address society's most pressing challenges while creating lasting impact locally and around the world.

The Opportunity: Executive Director of Advancement, Brown School

WashU – Executive Director of Advancement, Brown School – Job Description (PDF Download)

Position Summary

Washington University’s University Advancement team seeks a strategic and collaborative advancement professional to lead the Philanthropic Strategy team for the Brown School in the position of Executive Director of Advancement.

University Advancement strives to advance the institution’s mission by creating a culture of philanthropy among alumni, students, faculty, and friends. With the 2025 public launch of the With You Campaign, WashU is ambitiously pursuing solutions to the world’s greatest challenges—to make a more promising future for all. The Brown School—with its 100 year history of improving the lives of others through research, policy, and practice—is uniquely positioned to advance these campaign themes as a national leader in social work education.

The Executive Director will serve as the chief strategist for Brown School advancement and oversee a team of advancement professionals who serve as subject matter experts with the objective of driving solicitation, cultivation, engagement, and stewardship strategies for the school's fundraising priorities. The team advises gift officers and oversees targeted strategic stewardship, engagement, and volunteer opportunities designed to build the donor pipeline.

The Executive Director will set the fundraising strategy for the Brown School, working directly with the Dean and other academic leaders within the school, as well as University Advancement leadership, to identify and develop strategic funding opportunities and goals. The Executive Director will oversee the Dean’s portfolio of prospects and engage with key donors and volunteers to increase engagement with and philanthropic support for Washington University.

The Executive Director will report to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Advancement for Philanthropic Strategy, and partner closely with the School Leadership and University Advancement senior leadership team. The incumbent will sit on the Philanthropic Strategy senior team.

Location: St. Louis, MO

Department: University Advancement

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Lead the Comprehensive Advancement Strategy for the Brown School:

Act as a strategic advisor to the Dean related to all advancement activities; serve as the lead contact for school colleagues with University Advancement.
Establish and maintain strong and effective working relationships with school colleagues and serve on the Dean’s cabinet and committees, as requested.
Oversee the school's prospect pool development and management, in collaboration with University Advancement colleagues.
Supported by strategy officers, manage the Dean’s portfolio and ensure the execution of appropriate prospect strategies.
Direct the volunteer strategy for boards and committees, such as the school’s National Council and Eliot Society Committee, and ensure engagement opportunities support annual fund goals and align to Advancement and school priorities.
Responsible for setting appropriate goals, and overseeing gift tables and progress reporting, in collaboration with University Advancement colleagues.
Support relationships across University Advancement for the Brown School.

Advance Brown School Funding Priorities:

Advise and partner with Brown School leadership and faculty to identify school-specific fundraising priorities and related giving opportunities.
Develop a deep understanding of key areas of distinction for the School, as well as the University, and corresponding campaign priorities.
Work with school-based stakeholders to be kept informed of timely developments that may impact on Advancement activities.
Draft and review collateral, case statements, opportunity menus, proposals, talking points and other school-specific resources for approval and alignment to School and Advancement standards.
Understand and apply University and Advancement-wide policies that impact giving opportunities and proposals.

Develop and Execute Donor Strategies:

Lead the development of cultivation and solicitation strategies to build support for Brown School priorities and the University’s campaign initiatives.
Oversee the management of the Dean's portfolio and the school's top prospect list and guide progress on these prospects.
Collaborate with generalist gift officers to develop individualized strategies for prospects that align to school priorities.
Guide gift officers through scripting, consultation, and offering curated resources tailored to specific programs or initiatives.
Provide guidance and support to the Brown strategy officer, as needed.
Partner with Principal Gifts to develop and execute strategies for prospects.
Serve as a Brown School subject matter expert and/or proxy for the dean in donor meetings. Travel and attend events with the Dean or gift officers, if needed.
Collaborate with Corporate and Foundations Relations team in executing comprehensive strategies for corporate and foundation support for the School.
Attend and staff key academic and school events as a representative of University Advancement.

Serve as Subject Matter Leader of the Brown School for University Advancement:

Partner with Individual Giving Executive Directors to ensure they have effective school-based strategies for gift opportunities.
Support unit-based training for gift officers.
Serve as liaison for principal gift activity.
Oversee fund administration in collaboration with the Donor Relations team and supported by the Brown School stewardship officer.
Navigate and manage the development of proposals and gift agreements in collaboration with the appropriate WashU and UA partners that support the Brown School; advise gift officers on donor stewardship expectations.

Oversee Team Operations:

Lead the Brown School Advancement team in the Philanthropic Strategy vertical: set performance goals, provide mentorship, guidance, and regular feedback.
Develop and manage budgets for unit activity.
Develop and manage annual operational plans.
Manage relationships with units across University Advancement; drive accountability for agreed-upon goals and deliverables.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree.
Eight years of professional experience in advancement, fundraising, or a related field.
Demonstrated record of significant achievement in major gifts fundraising, including success cultivating, soliciting, and closing transformational gifts.
Proven ability to develop and execute sophisticated fundraising strategies for planning, implementing, and managing complex gift opportunities.
Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse constituencies across a complex organizational environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree.
Ten years of leadership or management experience within advancement, higher education, or a related nonprofit environment.
Experience managing comprehensive fundraising campaigns, campaign initiatives, and gift tables.
Ability to develop a comprehensive understanding of the Brown School's strategic priorities and the University's philanthropic priorities to effectively align fundraising strategies and donor engagement efforts.

Skills:

Accountability.
Analytical thinking.
Budget management.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Cross-functional collaboration.
Proficiency with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.
Commitment to ethical fundraising practices.
Fundraising.
Fundraising strategy development.
Goal setting.
Highly developed interpersonal skills.
Leadership.
Knowledge of legal and regulatory compliance requirements.
Major gifts fundraising.
Meeting organization and coordination.
People management.
Relationship building.
Strategic planning.
Team accountability.
Team goal setting.
Team leadership.
Ability to work independently.
Workplace productivity and organizational effectiveness.

WashU – Staff Benefits 2026

Applications & Nominations

Washington University in St. Louis has partnered with Boyden Executive Search. For more information about this opportunity or to submit a cover letter and resume, please email:

Wendy Wilsker
Managing Partner, Boston
wwilsker@boyden.com
LinkedIn

Wendy Wilsker has dedicated her entire career to the non-profit sector, serving in leadership roles within charitable organizations and working alongside them as an executive recruiter and consultant. She excels at identifying the unique challenges and opportunities non-profits face, and partners with senior leadership to build successful organizational structures, teams and advancement programs.

Ella Laure Hipolito
Principal, Boston
ellah@boyden.com
LinkedIn

Ella Laure Hipolito is an expert and sought-after speaker on innovative search practices. She works with private and public sector clients to identify and assess talent, engaging with exceptional candidates and fostering trust-based relationships. While bringing a thorough knowledge of general and complex search, she specializes in higher education, social impact, public and not-for-profit.

Don’t check off all the boxes or meet every single requirement? We have learned that potential candidates hesitate when applying for a job unless they meet every single requirement. Boyden Boston is dedicated to inclusivity and valuing diversity and equity in the workplace. If this opportunity excites you, but your background may not be a perfect match, we still encourage you to apply.