July 6, 2020
Contact: Liz McCune, 573-882-6212, mccunee@missouri.edu
UM System President and University of Missouri Interim Chancellor Mun Choi announced today that Jackie Lewis, vice president of university relations at the University of Maryland, College Park, has been named vice chancellor for advancement at MU.
“I am passionate about higher education because I am passionate about changing lives — and that is what Mizzou is all about,” Lewis said. “Whether through education, research, service or economic development, clearly the University of Missouri is having an enormous impact. Leading advancement efforts at this preeminent institution is a tremendous opportunity, and I am excited to bring strong values, high professional and personal standards, a spirit of collaboration and, ultimately, results to MU.”
Jackie Lewis
At the University of Maryland, Lewis led a team of 300 professionals in the division of university relations. She spearheaded the execution of Maryland’s $1.5 billion campaign, Fearless Ideas: The Campaign for Maryland, raising $1.3 billion to date. She was responsible for helping secure a $220 million gift, the largest in the university’s history, to support multiple projects, including new buildings and a need-based scholarship program with a matching gift component that will result in a $100 million endowment. Additionally, Lewis led her team to two of the university’s three highest fundraising performance years.
“Jackie brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience that I believe will take MU’s Office of Advancement to the next level,” Choi said. “She is a proven leader of securing support for a public university, even in the midst of challenging times. We are excited to welcome her to Mizzou.”
Lewis starts her new position on Aug. 12, but she will participate in some university activities prior to that date. She replaces Tom Hiles, who announced his retirement in August 2019, and led Mizzou: Our Time to Lead, a comprehensive campaign that surpassed its goal of raising $1.3 billion to support and advance the educational and research goals of the university.
“We have experienced tremendous fundraising success at MU in the past,” Choi said. “Mizzou’s endowment has passed the $1 billion mark, and the institution celebrated multiple record-breaking years of giving. Our university is stronger because of the work of advancement, and we believe Jackie Lewis will continue to build on the strong foundation that has been created. I’m also very grateful for the hard work of our search committee, led by Rhonda Gibler, vice chancellor for finance, and Lyrissa Lidsky, dean of MU’s School of Law. They did a great job in finding our next leader of advancement.”
As vice chancellor of advancement at MU, Lewis will oversee 180 employees, including 62 major gift officers. Lewis and her team will continue to invest in relationships by strengthening engagement, cultivating partnerships and building a pipeline of support. Also, she will continue work to invest in the future, by championing inclusion, diversity and equity, and embracing innovation.
Previously, Lewis was senior vice president for development at the University of Iowa Foundation in Iowa City, where she successfully executed the For Iowa. Forever More, a $1.7 billion comprehensive campaign that raised more than $1.97 billion. Her team secured the largest gift to the campaign, a $45 million commitment in support of the creation of a neuroscience institute and a $25 million gift to name a new children’s hospital.
Lewis also served as vice president of Health Sciences Development at UI where she led a team of 40 professionals raising funds for all areas of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, the Carver College of Medicine and four health science colleges. Her team raised $90 million annually for medicine and $20 million annually for health science colleges.
At The Ohio State University in Columbus, Lewis served as assistant vice president of medical center development and alumni affairs, serving on the team that successfully executed the $475 million Power to Change Lives campaign to support research, clinical care and education for the medical center and college of medicine.
Earlier in her career, Lewis served as senior vice president of university initiatives and vice president of constituent development at the Arizona State University Foundation in Tempe.
Lewis is a graduate of Iowa State University, where she earned a bachelor’s in journalism/mass communication, and she grew up in Osceola, Iowa.
“I am the product of public higher education, and I appreciate the unique role higher education plays in our society to improve the lives of individuals and advance communities, the state and nation,” she said. “I can’t think of a more rewarding job than connecting Mizzou friends and supporters with opportunities to give back to the state’s flagship university.”
In addition to growing philanthropic investment in the broad missions and goals of the university, including student access and success, MU’s advancement division will continue to focus on identifying individual donors and private-public support for the NextGen Precision Health Institute, the university’s top capital priority. Richard Barohn, executive vice chancellor for health affairs, said that Lewis’s understanding of academic medical centers will be especially valuable.
“The University of Missouri is making a major investment in the health of Missourians, and I am confident that Jackie Lewis will be able to help us achieve this vision to unlock treatments and breakthroughs in major diseases affecting Missourians such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s,” Barohn said. “She is a major asset to the university — a true power player — and her experience in health care fundraising will be invaluable to us.”
What others are saying about Jackie Lewis:
Jackie has done very well fundraising through a period of time that frankly was very challenging. I was able to see her interactions with trustees and she was well received. She is very professional in her demeanor and she is a systematic thinker. Jackie has always been able to manage a lot of different personalities and she is well regarded. Jackie is a good team player and her perspective is one that is valued.
— Carlo Colella, Vice President for Administration and Finance, University of Maryland
Jackie and I sat on the president’s cabinet and worked on fundraising together, not only for athletics, but also for other campus priorities. Jackie is a breath of fresh air and a strong communicator. She put together a structure that has allowed us to have significant success by getting people aligned with the goals of the university. Jackie secured a transformational gift, which was one of the largest in the history of public institutions. In addition, she helped us facilitate a gift in athletics that was one of the largest for our unit. Jackie not only succeeded in driving philanthropic gifts, but also in setting up a sound structure that will last for the long haul.
— Damon Evans, Athletic Director, University of Maryland
At the University of Maryland, I have watched Jackie shape and solidify her colleagues around unifying themes for the university. She has been very effective in her role and in shepherding and working with the board of trustees on behalf of the university. Jackie is a thoughtful leader, a good decision maker and a strong communicator. She has been an incredible collaborator and has helped to build bridges across our organizations.
— Laurie E. Locascio, Vice President for Research, University of Maryland
Jackie has been an outstanding Vice President of University Relations for the past three years at the University of Maryland. With her Midwestern values and organizational skills, she assembled a first-rate team to oversee the new capital campaign that resulted in record fund-raising. I'm confident she'll do well at Missouri, as she has done at Iowa and Maryland.
— Wallace Loh, former President, University of Maryland
Jackie inspired the University of Iowa Foundation staff to have a laser focus on strategic goals for our fundraising program and helped us achieve a nearly $2 billion campaign. I trust her development instincts and appreciated her leadership as a strong and capable fundraiser and counselor to our staff.
— Lynette L. Marshall, President and CEO, University of Iowa Center for Advancement
Jackie is a thoughtful relationship builder who supports students, faculty, staff and alumni in times of need. She is a systems thinker, at both the macro and micro level, who can see both the forest and the trees. Jackie works hard and understands the context of higher education. What I like most about her is her integrity. She is a trusted colleague who has a strong moral compass and is invested in the full engagement of university life.
— Patricia A. Perillo, Vice President for Student Affairs, University of Maryland
Jackie was in charge of all fundraising for University of Iowa Health Care, and I had the chance to work with her for eight years. During the beginning of a large campaign, she developed the team and strategy along with also identifying new donors. Jackie has very strong personal relationships, not only with her staff and colleagues, but with donors as well. She is successful in recruiting, retaining and mentoring her staff.
— Dr. Jean Robillard, former Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Iowa Health Care
