Michelle Rosenthal Clark, currently assistant vice chancellor at the University of California, San Francisco, has been appointed associate vice president for development at Caltech, effective September 21, 2020.
"An astute leader and creative thinker, Michelle is a strategic addition to our advancement program," says Dexter Bailey, Jr., Caltech's vice president for advancement and alumni relations. "Her proven track record within highly productive fundraising programs will enable us to accomplish much more in supporting our faculty, students, postdocs, and staff so they have the resources they need and deserve."
Clark brings with her more than 25 years of experience in fundraising and alumni relations. Her responsibilities will focus on leading a team of fundraising professionals dedicated to securing private donations for faculty research and the overall experience for undergraduate and graduate students. Since the multi-billion dollar Break Through: The Caltech Campaign was launched in April 2016, more than 13,000 donors have made modest and transformational gifts to fund critical areas of inquiry, build new facilities, advance scholarship, and support the overall well-being of Caltech.
"It's an exciting opportunity—to work with the people who are inspired to invest in Caltech's extraordinary research and education," Clark says. "Society is counting upon the type of discovery and impact that the Institute has reliably delivered over the past century. I'm honored to play a part in growing the philanthropy that will make future breakthroughs possible."
Clark has managed major and principal gift programs at UCSF during her five years there. She helped to launch a $5 billion comprehensive campaign and, more recently, led an initiative that drew $100 million in scholarship funding for medical students. She previously served as assistant vice president for development at Emory University's College of Arts and Sciences and vice president of advancement at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles.
Earlier in Clark's career, she spent more than 15 years working at the University of Southern California. As assistant dean for development and alumni relations at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, she helmed that academic unit's first-ever comprehensive development program, where annual contributions grew more than tenfold. She also established programs devoted to raising major gifts for the fine arts, dramatic arts, and music schools, in her capacity as executive director of development with USC's central advancement office.
Clark earned a bachelor's in art history and a certificate in management effectiveness from USC.
Written by Ramanuj Basu