The Organization: Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s
Rhode Island Hospital is a private, 719-bed, not-for-profit acute care hospital. Rhode Island Hospital (RIH) is the largest hospital in the state and provides comprehensive services to patients. The hospital has expertise in cardiology, including the state’s only open heart surgery program; oncology; neurosciences; orthopedics; organ transplantation; pediatrics; psychiatry and diabetes. Rhode Island Hospital is the only Level I trauma center for southeastern New England, providing expert staff and equipment in emergency situations 24 hours a day. It is the principal teaching and research hospital for The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the largest and most comprehensive of the Brown affiliated hospitals. The hospital's pediatric division, Hasbro Children’s (HC) is the state’s premier pediatric facility. The division has the area’s only pediatric intensive care unit, pediatric oncology and cardiac programs, pediatric imaging center, and separate emergency and operating suites designated for pediatric patients. Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s have earned worldwide recognition for its family-centered environment and expert staff.
Rhode Island Hospital, the flagship hospital for Brown University Health
Formed in 1994, Brown University Health is a not-for-profit health system based in Providence, RI comprising three teaching hospitals of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University: Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children's; The Miriam Hospital; and Bradley Hospital, the nation’s first psychiatric hospital for children; Newport Hospital, Saint Anne's Hospital and Morton Hospital, community hospitals offering a broad range of health services; Gateway Healthcare, the state’s largest provider of community behavioral health care; and Brown Health Medical Group, the largest multi-specialty practice in Rhode Island. Historically, Brown University Health teaching hospitals are among the country’s top recipients of research funding from the US National Institutes of Health. Brown University Health hospitals are charitable organizations that depend on support from the community to provide programs and services.
Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s History:
RIH was built through the generosity of the community, beginning in 1857 with a bequest by Moses Brown Ives to establish a fund for a hospital in Rhode Island. On October 1, 1868, the founders of Rhode Island Hospital gathered on the hospital grounds to dedicate the new hospital, founded to serve the citizens of our state as its name indicated. That generosity upon which the hospital was created has continued throughout the years to support major campaigns. Through philanthropy and ongoing community support, Rhode Island Hospital has continued to expand and improve to support its mission to be at the forefront of medicine.
Today's Rhode Island Hospital honors the memory of our founders and we believe it is all they imagined and more. Throughout its rich history, Rhode Island Hospital has created a legacy of milestones that have had enormous impact on the community. Today it is a national leader in research, a major teaching hospital and is home to some of the nation's finest doctors. Through the years, we have remained true to the vision of our founders; to provide care to the region's most seriously ill and injured with the latest medical technology available. Collectively, the community has supported many special campaigns, including drives to fund the $8.75 million, 10-story hospital which opened in 1955; the innovative $10 million Ambulatory Care Center built in the 1970s; and the world-class Hasbro Children's, for which the community raised $24 million. Most recently, the Every Child, Every Day campaign exceeded its goal by raising more than $42 million for renovations, programs and research for both HC and Bradley Hospital.
Leadership Spotlights
Sarah Frost – Chief, Brown University Health Hospital Operations, and President, Rhode Island Hospital
Sarah Frost, MBA
Chief, Brown University Health Hospital Operations, and President, Rhode Island Hospital
Sarah Frost, MBA is chief of hospital operations at Brown University Health and president of Rhode Island Hospital and its Hasbro Children’s.
As president of Rhode Island and its Hasbro Children’s, Frost oversees high-quality and safe patient care, staff engagement, patient experience, process improvement and operating financial results. In addition, as Brown University Health’s chief of hospital operations, she provides executive oversight for The Miriam, Newport and Bradley hospitals, to ensure all Brown University Health hospitals work together to achieve system objectives, patient care goals and to standardize quality and safety functions.
Prior to joining Brown University Health, Frost was chief executive officer for two Banner Health hospitals in Arizona: Banner - University Medical Center Tucson, and Banner - University Medical Center Tucson South. As CEO, she was responsible for guiding the strategic vision of two academic medical centers and outpatient clinics with more than 6,000 employees and 900 inpatient beds and $1.5 billion in operating revenue. Prior to her role as CEO, she acted as chief operating officer for the medical centers.
Frost holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from the University of Arizona and a master of business administration degree from the University of Phoenix. She currently serves on the boards of the AAMC Council of Teaching Hospitals, Pima County Joint Technical Education District Foundation, and the American Heart Association. She has also been recognized by many organizations for her leadership, including Beckers Hospital Review's Women Hospital Presidents and CEOs to Know (2023), AZ Big Media's Most Influential Women in Arizona (2023) and BizTucson'sWomen Leading the Region (2022), to name a few.
Marcia Neiberg – Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Planning Officer, Brown University Health
Marcia Neiberg, MBA
Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Planning Officer, Brown University Health
Marcia Neiberg is executive vice president and chief strategy and planning officer for Brown University Health. Neiberg is responsible for providing strategic and general planning and administrative leadership across Brown University Health and leading Brown University Health to achieve key strategic and operational objectives.
Neiberg joined Brown University Health from Mass General Brigham (MGB), where she served as vice president, start-up and planning, and interim vice president, finance, for Integrated Care and Urgent Care. In this role she was charged with leading all new ambulatory growth for MGB. With a focus on access, both virtual and in-person, she worked to bring a new full-service, multi-specialty, relationship-based care model to the Mass General Brigham system.
Prior to joining MGB, Marcia worked at Yale School of Medicine as senior director for business planning and analysis, where she was responsible for network development, including business planning for new physician groups and ambulatory practices, volume strategies, impact/data analysis, and market research.
Neiberg brings a strong balance of strategic planning, financial and performance improvement, and operational excellence. She has an MBA with a concentration in healthcare policy from Brandeis University in Waltham, MA.
Joseph G. Pannozzo – Vice President of Development
Joseph G. Pannozzo, Vice President of Development
Brown University Health
Joe Pannozzo is Vice President for Development and leads our philanthropic enterprise. Joe came to Brown University Health nearly 12 years ago as Chief Development Officer (CDO) for Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s. He was promoted to system VP in 2021.
As CDO for RIH and HC, Joe led the Every Child, Every Day campaign for Hasbro Children’s and Bradley hospitals from start to finish. This effort represents Brown University Health’s largest fundraising initiative to date. The campaign exceeded its goal by raising more than $42 million for renovations, programs and research.
Brown University Health Development, which encompasses the efforts of four separate hospital foundations as well as the Brown University Health Foundation, collectively raised $24.7 million in FY24
Prior to coming to Brown University Health in 2013, Joe worked in leadership fundraising roles at Tufts Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Stonehill College.
Rhode Island Hospital's Foundation and Development Division
The mission of the Rhode Island Hospital Foundation is to support excellent, compassionate, and state-of-the-art health care, education, and research through philanthropy, which is key to sustaining every great academic medical center. The foundation’s board of trustees provide leadership, oversight, and direct assistance in implementing the Rhode Island Hospital Foundation’s purpose to “solicit and raise funds to further improve and advance the science or art of healthcare delivery and patient care and the knowledge, practice, and teaching of medicine and nursing … .” The trustees advocate for the needs and missions of Rhode Island Hospital and its Hasbro Children’s, and devote their time and resources to supporting and advancing those initiatives. Bolstering Brown University Health Cancer Institute’s efforts to harness the power of the immune system to defeat deadly disease and helping to organize the Heroes Ball to benefit Hasbro Children’s Pain and Palliative Care Program for children with complex, chronic conditions are just two examples of how well-stewarded philanthropy improves lives. As Anthony Calandrelli, foundation board member, said, “Rhode Island Hospital was built on a foundation of community support and it’s our collective responsibility to keep that going for future generations.”
The Opportunity: Chief Philanthropy Officer and Campaign Director
The Chief Philanthropy Officer will play a critical role in bringing Brown University Health to new levels of fundraising success. As the newly-integrated health system prepares to launch a historic campaign, a leader is needed who is rooted in best practices and eager to have transformative impact. Brown University Health is committed to investing in its major gifts program, and the incoming CPO will have the opportunity to hire several senior philanthropy officers in the coming months. This is an ideal opportunity for those looking to grow a program to achieve its fullest potential.
Job Summary
The Chief Philanthropy Officer and Campaign Director (CPO) reports to the system-wide VP for Development and works collaboratively with the President of Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital. The CPO serves as the senior-most philanthropic strategist for the hospital, providing visionary leadership and oversight for all major giving initiatives, including leading all phases of an upcoming campaign. This role sets the strategic direction and ensures alignment with system-wide priorities. The CPO’s primary focus is the identification, cultivation and stewardship of individual, corporate and foundation prospects and donors within Rhode Island, New England and nationally. The CPO works closely with clinical staff, senior management, Foundation Trustees and volunteers to advance the hospital’s philanthropic mission with a chief focus on major, principal and planned giving opportunities.
The CPO will provide senior leadership to the hospital’s development team, including direct supervision of gift officers and other staff. This position will champion a culture of excellence, accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Responsibilities and Qualifications
Essential Responsibilities:
Identifies, cultivates, solicits and provides stewardship for major gifts of $10,000 or more. Builds effective relationships with physicians, patients, grateful families, administration, trustees and volunteers to advance the mission of the institution through philanthropy.
Manages a portfolio (50-100) of major gift donors/prospects and creates cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies for each. Actively solicits major and planned gifts in the $250k+ range, in partnership with hospital President, volunteer leaders and development colleagues.
Works closely with President, systemwide and clinical leadership to identify potential opportunities for funding, for both existing and planned projects and programs from all potential individual and institutional sources. Leads the development of long-term philanthropic strategies in collaboration with executive leadership.
With system-wide VP for Development and hospital President, develops annual plan and strategic objectives for fundraising that incorporate elements of prospect identification, rating, research, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship and recognition. Provides input on annual revenue and expense budget for hospital foundation in conjunction with systemwide development leadership.
Leads major and transformational campaigns and fundraising efforts across the hospital and its service lines.
Serves as a thought partner to the VP for Development on enterprise-wide fundraising innovation.
Will organize workplan, and that of direct reports, around agreed upon key performance indicators (KPIs) such as total dollars raised, number of gift solicitations made, number of meaningful donor interactions and number of grateful patient referrals. Performance expectation to meet or exceed established KPIs.
In conjunction with the donor relations team, ensures coordination and/or creation of annual reporting/stewardship plans that ensure and strengthen ongoing donor relationships. Ensures appropriate stewardship of all gifts and grants, working with Development Operations colleagues to transfer and report on funds as necessary. Uses data-driven insights to refine strategy and optimize donor engagement.
Ensures that fundraising strategies are consistent with Brown University Health and hospital missions and work closely with appropriate departments on collaborative efforts, particularly around media and promotional support for gifts.
Maintains high visibility within the hospital and within the external community.
Works closely to inspire the hospital’s Foundation Trustees on advancing the hospital’s philanthropic mission. Leverages the support of Trustees and volunteers as appropriate. May identify, recruit, and motivate volunteers responsible for helping the hospital Foundation achieve its fundraising goals.
Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum of ten years of professional and progressive leadership experience in the development field including demonstrated experience in major gift cultivation, solicitation and management of frontline fundraisers.
Experience in academic medicine preferred. Exemplary oral and written communications skills are necessary.
Demonstration of strong volunteer management skills.
Strong computer and information management skills preferred.
Basic budget preparation and time management capabilities needed.
Brown University Health is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ancestry, genetics, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran or marital status. Brown University Health is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
Applications & Nominations
Rhode Island Hospital has partnered with Boyden Executive Search. For more information about this opportunity or to submit a cover letter and resume, please email:
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.
Beth Parsons specializes in the education and non-profit sectors, having held fundraising and leadership roles in prominent educational and social impact organizations for nearly 20 years. She partners with clients to develop search strategies on the basis of organizational needs and core values. Her extensive advancement network serves as a source of high-impact talent.
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.
Rhode Island Hospital – Advancing Medicine. Touching Lives – 2024 Publication
