Executive Brief

Senior Director of Development
VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

VCU, DAR, and MPAR

Welcome to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). VCU is a public research university unlike any other. VCU is dedicated to serving the needs of students and patients and its passionate community isn't afraid to tackle difficult challenges others can't, or won't. VCU is home to creativity, teaching, discovery and healing. Its location in the heart of downtown Richmond, Virginia, means the nonstop energy of the city ignites VCU's innovation and provides unlimited opportunities.

The mission of VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) is to maximize philanthropic support by engaging stakeholders with the institution, working in partnership with all VCU schools, programs and campuses as one development and alumni relations community and implementing the best practices and efficient strategies to achieve a comprehensive development program.

As part of DAR, the Medical Philanthropy and Alumni Relations (MPAR) team operates within a dynamic and collaborative environment that reflects the complexity of the institution. It is a highly matrixed organization, where success is driven by strategic partnerships, shared goals, mission-focus and the ability to navigate multiple reporting lines

Philanthropic support has never been more vital than it is now to support medical education, research and clinical care. To meet this opportunity, VCU DAR has created the Medical Philanthropy and Alumni Relations office, in which VCU has reimagined the way it inspires philanthropy, stewards its donors and prospects, and innovates to meet the changing needs of its constituents.

The office unifies the development teams supporting VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and VCU Health as well as the schools of Medicine and Public Health. In MPAR, teams of gift officers are organized around the areas where the largest opportunities exist. The office also includes Strategic Engagement teammates who work alongside the frontline fundraisers, supporting overall goals in annual giving, board management, communications, events and stewardship. 

VCU – Campaign Case Statement (PDF)
Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center – Case Statement (PDF)

VCU – Leadership Spotlight

President Michael Rao, Ph.D.
Virginia Commonwealth University

Michael Rao, Ph.D., became president of Virginia Commonwealth University in 2009. He is the first Asian-American to lead VCU and the fifth person to serve as president since the university’s creation in 1968.

Rao leads a nationally premier, urban public research university with an academic health system whose flagship hospital, VCU Medical Center, is ranked among the top 100 hospitals in the nation. VCU educates more than 28,000 students from 138 countries in more than 230 degree and certificate programs. As the largest employer in the Richmond area and among the largest in the commonwealth, VCU has an economic impact on Virginia of $9.5 billion. Additionally, VCUarts Qatar — located in Doha’s Education City — is internationally recognized for excellence in art and design.

Under Rao’s leadership, VCU is ranked among the top 50 public universities in the United States for sponsored research expenditures. U.S. News & World Report ranks more than 20 of VCU’s graduate programs in the top 50 in the nation. Consistently recognized for excellence, VCUarts is tied for No. 2 among the best graduate fine arts programs in the country, per U.S. News & World Report. Likewise, five of VCU’s health sciences schools and departments rank in the top 15 for National Institutes of Health research funding in their fields among public institutions for FY2024, and in FY2024 the university surpassed $500 million in sponsored research funding for the first time. VCU is designated by the Carnegie Foundation as an "R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production" with "Community Engagement" status.

Guided by its current strategic plan, Quest 2028: Together We Transform, the university is focused on the student experience, strengthening educator and researcher compensation, increasing national prominence through research and improving the patient experience. In FY2023, the university raised a record-breaking $271 million in support of  VCU’s people, innovations, environments and the Richmond community and beyond.

VCU is classified as a Tier III institution with the highest level of financial authority by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Rao has overseen one of the largest expansions of VCU’s footprint through the construction or renovation of approximately 9 million square feet of living-learning environments, academic meeting spaces and state-of-the-art clinical and laboratory facilities. With guidance from the master facility plan, ONE VCU, the university’s mission and physical environments will better align to support student success and patient experience while also focusing on safety, mobility and collaboration across programs. Recent projects include the VCU Engineering Research Building, the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU Children’s Pavilion, VCU Health’s Adult Outpatient Pavilion and the state-of-the-art STEM building with expanded lab space and support for innovative teaching methods.

Rao serves as chair of the Virginia Bio+Tech Partnership Authority and is a member of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, for whom he serves as its representative for the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. Rao also is a senior executive advisory committee member with the Northern Virginia Technology Council. He served as  chair of the Council of Presidents and is immediate past chair for the American Council on Education.

Rao’s career in higher education began in California in 1992, when he became president of Mission College. At the time, he was the youngest college president in the nation. He went on to serve as chancellor of Montana State University – Northern and president of Central Michigan University.

A tenured professor in the VCU College of Health Professions, Rao holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. He and his wife, Monica — a watercolorist and graphic designer — have two sons.

Magnus Johnsson
Interim Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations 

Magnus Johnsson is Interim Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations at VCU & VCU Health. With more than 30 years of experience in fundraising and nonprofit leadership, Magnus has built and guided high-performing advancement teams in higher education and the nonprofit sector. He joined VCU in 2007 as Executive Director of External Relations and Development in the School of Education and has since held senior leadership roles supporting the university’s philanthropic and strategic priorities. He has held previous leadership roles with Shineforth (formerly UMFS) and the United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg. Magnus has also served in key volunteer leadership positions, including past president of the Virginia Association of Fundraising Executives and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Central Virginia Chapter. He is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and a member of the 2015 class of Leadership Metro Richmond. He holds a Master of Public Administration with a focus in nonprofit management from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor of Science in public administration from James Madison University.

Niles Eggleston
Senior Associate Vice President for MPAR

Niles Eggleston serves as VCU's Senior Associate Vice President of Medical Philanthropy and Alumni Relations. He and his team support our academic medical center's mission by connecting donors to opportunities that advance clinical care, medical education and research. Their work reflects philanthropic priorities across VCU Health, Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and the School of Medicine. The Medical Philanthropy and Alumni Relations team includes five frontline fundraising pods focused on: cancer research and care; medicine and health sciences; healthy hearts and communities; integrated care; and neurosciences. The team also includes strategic engagement professionals from the fields of annual giving; board and hospital relations; communications; events; and stewardship. Together, they align donor interests with institutional priorities, helping fuel discovery, innovation and excellence in academic medicine.

Caitlin Doelp
Assistant Vice President of MPAR, Clinical Fundraising

Caitlin Doelp is an advancement leader with more than 18 years of experience in academic medicine and nonprofit philanthropy. Throughout her career, she has partnered extensively with research and clinical faculty leadership to develop philanthropic strategies that advance groundbreaking research, elevate patient care, and support institutional priorities. Prior to joining VCU, she held development leadership roles at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Blood Cancer United (formerly the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society), and the University of Pennsylvania/Penn Medicine.

Caitlin joined VCU in 2023 as Executive Director of Development for VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. In March 2026, she was appointed Assistant Vice President for Medical Philanthropy and Alumni Relations, where she provides strategic leadership for clinical and center-based philanthropy and the grateful patient philanthropy program, building meaningful partnerships that strengthen VCU Health’s mission across patient care, research, and education.

Originally from Philadelphia, Caitlin, her husband, and their two sons enjoy exploring all that the Richmond region has to offer.

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center is working toward a future without cancer – one revolutionary idea, one promising therapy and one life saved at a time. Through innovative research, patient care, education and community engagement, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center is discovering, developing, delivering and teaching effective means to prevent, detect, treat and cure cancer and to making these advancements equally available to all. Founded in 1974, Massey was among the earliest cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). It is the only cancer center in the Richmond metropolitan region and one of only two NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the state, placing it among the top 4 percent of cancer centers in the country.

Major strengths for VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center are in translating research discoveries into advances in treatment and prevention and in addressing cancer disparities to provide equal access to quality cancer care and screenings. Massey is leading the nation in establishing a 21st-century model of equity for cancer research and care, in which the community is informing and partnering with Massey on its research to best address the cancer burden and disparities of those the cancer center serves.

Through a seamless integration of cutting-edge research, multidisciplinary patient care, education, and community engagement, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center continues to advance precision medicine, expand access to innovative therapies, and improve cancer outcomes throughout Virginia and beyond.

MCCC – Leadership Spotlight

Monica L. Baskin, Ph.D.
Director, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

Monica L. Baskin, Ph.D., will serve as the next director of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center pending VCU Board of Visitors approval in September. She is also expected to be named the Lipman chair in oncology. Baskin is the first female director of Massey and the first Black woman to be named director of a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center. She will begin in the director’s role on August 3, 2026.

Baskin is the fifth director of Massey since its NCI designation in 1975. She oversees a comprehensive cancer center made up of 250 scientists and clinical investigators.

Throughout her career, Baskin has championed the community-to-bench cancer care model for which Massey has earned international acclaim. A world-renowned population scientist, Baskin is recognized for her exemplary community engagement efforts, including prioritizing the needs of those in rural areas and the medically underserved. Her research examines how behavioral, social, and environmental factors influence cancer prevention, screening, treatment, and survivorship. She has also led lifestyle interventions to improve cancer-related behaviors and health outcomes such as diet, physical activity and obesity, particularly among rural populations and groups that have been historically underserved.

“Dr. Baskin’s robust portfolio of research publications combined with her passion and drive for community focused cancer research has positioned her well to become the next director of Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center,” said Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of Virginia Commonwealth University. “Throughout her career, especially in the past year as Massey’s deputy director, she has shown dedication to Massey being on the cutting edge of cancer research. She is a champion of the community-to-bench model, and will work hard so the cancer center has a direct impact on those in its catchment area.”

Since arriving at Massey in Feb. 2025, Baskin has strengthened Massey’s impact throughout its catchment area, which covers central, southern and eastern Virginia. Baskin has elevated Massey’s national presence through her leadership in several professional academic societies, including as former president of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) and board member of the Association of Academic Medical Centers (AAMC), and the Science of Community Outreach and Education (SoCOE) Alliance.

Raised in Atlanta, Baskin lost her father to colorectal cancer during her senior year in high school. That loss, in addition to the passing of several close family members to cancer, inspired her training in the psychology and her research in cancer prevention, early detection and mental health.

"It is an honor to be named as the next director at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center,” Baskin said. “Massey is an exemplar, locally and nationally, on what truly matters for a cancer center and together we will continue to be defined by cutting-edge science, compassionate care and collaboration with our community to ensure everyone has access to lifesaving cancer prevention and treatment."

Baskin has been a principal investigator or primary leader of teams receiving over $70 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants. Baskin also served on several Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) review panels, bringing expertise in the science of community outreach and engagement to site visits. With this experience, Baskin will lead Massey through the renewal of its CCSG and comprehensive-designated status, which Massey earned for the first time in 2023.

Baskin credits the mentorship and sponsorship of several current and former NCI-designated cancer center directors, including Edward Partridge, M.D., director emeritus of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, who was a research mentor for her and the first to suggest a career path for her in cancer leadership. Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., FACS, the current president and CEO of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, was also a critical champion and sounding board that helped set her on the path that culminated in becoming Massey’s director.

“I have been privileged to work alongside Dr. Baskin during her career and have seen first-hand the positive impact she has made on cancer and in the community,” Vickers reflected. “Throughout her career, she has proven herself to be a foremost expert in the community-to-bench model, and I know her care, compassion, and commitment to ensuring the cancer burden is reduced for everyone will make a difference not only for patients throughout the Richmond region, but across the country."

In addition to serving as director, Baskin also serves as the associate dean for cancer innovation in the VCU School of Medicine, with appointments as professor in the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Palliative Care in the Department of Internal Medicine, and professor in the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the School of Public Health.

“As a world-renowned scientist and counseling psychologist, Dr. Baskin’s extensive experience in identifying and working to reduce health disparities at the intersection of cancer prevention and mental health has made her a powerful advocate for VCU Health patients and their loved ones,” said Marlon Levy, M.D., chief executive officer of the VCU Health System. “Given her distinguished career in leadership roles at prestigious universities throughout the country and her past year as deputy director of Massey, is an enormous gain for VCU and VCU Health that she has stepped into this role.”

Prior to joining Massey, Baskin served as the deputy director, associate director for community outreach and engagement, vice chancellor for community health equity, and the associate director for health equity at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and professor with tenure at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She had previously served as the associate director of community outreach and engagement at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB and professor with tenure in the UAB School of Medicine. Prior to UAB, she was a senior associate faculty member in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.

Baskin holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from Emory University, a master’s and doctoral degree from Georgia State University in community counseling and counseling psychology. She also completed a pediatric psychology fellowship at Emory University in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, as well as two National Institutes of Health fellowships at the National Cancer Institute and Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research.

She and her husband, Stacy, have two adult daughters, Kennedy and Alexandria.

Jasmine Davis, M.S., M.B.A.
Executive Director of Development

Jasmine Davis, M.S., M.B.A., serves as Executive Director of Development for VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she leads a fundraising program that advances the center's mission of reducing the cancer burden through research, patient care, education, and community engagement. In this role, she provides strategic leadership for Massey's fundraising efforts, overseeing major and principal gifts, grateful patient philanthropy, and leadership annual giving.

Since joining Massey in 2016 as Assistant Director of Leadership Annual Giving, Jasmine has held a series of progressively responsible leadership positions, including Director of Annual Giving and Donor Relations, Director of Development, and Senior Director of Development.

Throughout her tenure, she has played a key role in expanding philanthropic support for the cancer center, strengthening donor engagement strategies, building high-performing fundraising teams, and securing transformational investments that advance Massey's strategic priorities.

Jasmine is a collaborative leader who partners closely with physicians, researchers, volunteers, advisory boards, and community stakeholders to cultivate meaningful philanthropic relationships and drive fundraising success. Her expertise spans major gifts, grateful patient fundraising, campaign strategy, donor relations, board engagement, and fundraising operations.

She holds a bachelor's degree from Randolph-Macon Woman's College, a master's degree in Forensic Science, and an M.B.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University.

The Opportunity: Senior Director of Development

VCU Massey – Senior DoD – Job Description (PDF Download)

Position Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director of Development for VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Senior Director of Development serves as a senior fundraising strategist and frontline leader responsible for advancing major and principal gift philanthropy in support of Massey’s mission. This role provides strategic leadership for grateful patient fundraising initiatives, manages a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, partners closely with institutional leadership, faculty physicians, and researchers, and supervises frontline fundraising staff and volunteer engagement efforts

This position works closely with leadership and development colleagues across the Medical College of Virginia Foundation, Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, VCU Health, and VCU Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) to advance fundraising priorities aligned with VCU and VCU Health’s tripartite mission of research, education, and clinical care.

Key Responsibilities

  • Manage a portfolio of approximately 80-100 major and principal gift prospects and donors.
     
  • Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects capable of making five-, six-, and seven-figure philanthropic commitments.
     
  • Develop and execute sophisticated cultivation and solicitation strategies that lead to philanthropic investments and long-term donor engagement.
     
  • Prepare compelling written proposals, gift agreements, and donor communications aligned with institutional priorities.
     
  • Maintain accurate prospect strategy and engagement records to support donor pipeline development and long-term relationship management.
  • Serve as a strategic partner to clinical and research faculty to advance grateful patient philanthropy and strengthen physician engagement in fundraising efforts.
     
  • Collaborate with physicians, researchers, and institutional leaders to align donor interests with funding priorities across research, education, patient care, and community engagement initiatives.
     
  • Advise faculty and administrators on fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and philanthropic best practices, as necessary.
  • Lead, mentor, and develop assigned frontline fundraising staff by fostering accountability, collaboration, strategic pipeline management, and a culture of high performance.
     
  • Establish clear performance expectations and monitor progress toward fundraising and engagement goals.
     
  • Support cross-functional collaboration and knowledge-sharing among development colleagues and institutional partners.
  • Partner with volunteer leaders and the Massey Advisory Board Philanthropy Committee to strengthen philanthropic engagement, expand networks, and advance friend-raising initiatives.
     
  • Support board and volunteer leadership activities, including strategic agenda development, donor engagement opportunities, and stewardship initiatives.
  • Work collaboratively with leadership across Massey, VCU Health, the Medical College of Virginia Foundation, and VCU Development and Alumni Relations to meet or exceed fundraising goals.
     
  • Partner with DAR’s prospect development team to identify and prioritize high-capacity donor prospects.
     
  • Collaborate with planned giving colleagues to identify and secure blended and deferred gift opportunities.
     
  • Develop and monitor fundraising metrics, pipeline activity, and performance outcomes to support accountability and strategic decision-making.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
     
  • Seven or more years of progressively responsible fundraising experience including demonstrated success closing $1M+ gifts.
     
  • Experience fundraising within an academic medical center, hospital or cancer center.
     
  • Experience with grateful patient fundraising and physician engagement strategies.
     
  • Demonstrated ability to navigate complex organizational structures and aligning philanthropic strategy with institutional priorities.
     
  • Strong strategic thinking, relationship management, and interpersonal skills with the ability to engage effectively with donors, physicians, researchers, senior leadership, and volunteers.
     
  • Experience managing frontline fundraisers and demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and develop staff while fostering a collaborative and high-performing team culture.
     
  • Executive presence, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and the ability to influence and build credibility across complex organizations.
     
  • Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and organizational skills.
     
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and thrive in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.
     
  • Experience working with CRM systems, fundraising databases, and technology platforms used for donor engagement and pipeline management.
     
  • Ability and willingness to travel for donor engagement, including occasional overnight travel.
     
  • Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with colleagues and constituents from varied backgrounds and experiences.
  • Familiarity with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines and related compliance considerations.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $165,000 to $180,000 dependent on relevant experience.

Benefits

You have a wide array of benefits to support you during your employment with VCU! To see what we mean, read more about the benefits that VCU employees enjoy.

The Location: Richmond, Virginia

As the commonwealth’s capital, Richmond, Virginia, offers a vibrant mix of history, culture and real-world opportunities. Distinct neighborhoods, cozy restaurants and cafes and quaint local markets give the city an intimate feel, but theaters, galleries, music festivals, sports attractions and a steady stream of annual events bring RVA — as locals call the region — to life. Established in 1780, its rich history can be seen in the architecture, the Capitol grounds and the cobblestone streets around the city. With the historic James River and 600 acres of parks bordering it, bike trails, wineries, breweries, a flourishing arts, entertainment and restaurant scene (Food and Wine called Richmond a “culinary powerhouse”) and affordable suburbs, this small city punches well above its weight in terms of attractions and buzz. In fact, Travel + Leisure named Richmond the best place to live in Virginia in 2023 and Southern Living named Richmond one of the 20 best cities to live in the South in 2024.

Richmond’s location in the middle of the state allows for day or weekend trips to the beach, the Blue Ridge Mountains or Virginia’s many wineries. It’s within a two-hour drive of Washington, D.C., and a multitude of excellent institutions of higher education. The Richmond metropolitan area is also home to several Fortune 500 companies, a broad base of financial companies, hospitals and media firms, high-tech manufacturing companies and state and local government agencies. Entrepreneurs and artists put down roots in Richmond, and Thrillist named it one of the best U.S. cities for creatives in 2022. 

Beyond Richmond, CNBC has named Virginia as the No. 1 state in the country to do business six times since the study began in 2007. It has accomplished this by bringing in billions in capital investment and thousands of new jobs; investing in education; expanding access to quality health care for all; making sure everyone has access to opportunity; and more. Business Facilities magazine named Virginia the 2024 State of the Year. Suffice to say, Virginia is full of growth and opportunity, making it the perfect location for a university determined to erase barriers and provide students with robust learning experiences that will make them unstoppable.

Applications & Nominations

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center 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.

Lindsey Gale
Senior Associate, Boston
lgale@boyden.com
LinkedIn

Lindsey Gale has extensive experience in social impact with nearly 25 years of success in executive search, fundraising and consulting. She is an accomplished relationship builder, strategist, communicator and community influencer, and applies these skills to help individuals and a variety of non-profit organizations achieve their goals.

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.

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