Co-Conference Chairs

William Christopher Clarke
Associate Dean of Development and Director of Principal Gifts, Pratt School of Engineering
Duke University

William Christopher "Chris" Clarke is associate dean and director of principal gifts for Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering. The Pratt School raises approximately $40 M a year in private support. Clarke was appointed to this position in October 2004. Previously, he was the director of development and leadership gifts for Purdue University's School of Mechanical Engineering, where he led their $125 M campaign.

Prior to joining Mechanical Engineering, Clarke served Purdue as the associate director of planned giving from 1997 to 2001, when he became the associate director of development for major gifts. During 1999-2001, he served as the development liaison for Purdue's Black Cultural Center, one of the premier cultural centers in the nation.

An active member of CASE, he served as the conference chair for the largest CASE district conference in the country in 2001. He was the program chair for the CASE V Conference in 2000.

Clarke holds a master's degree in education administration and a bachelor's degree in psychology, sociology, and law and society. He is also completing his doctorate in higher education administration with a focus on institutional affinity and the socialization elements influencing philanthropy.

Jenna Goodloe Wade
Vice President for Development
Rhodes College

Jenna Goodloe Wade is the vice president for development at Rhodes College-where she has worked for the past 11 years-and oversees all aspects of development including annual, major and planned giving, and advancement services. She is currently directing a comprehensive capital campaign which has raised over $170 million toward a $250 million goal.

During her time at Rhodes, Wade has worked in various capacities within the development office. As the director of the annual fund, she led the college to break records in dollars and participation-exceeding 50 percent alumni participation. Following her time as the director of annual giving, she became the director of development and later the associate vice president for development, where her primary responsibilities included working closely with the president of the college, overseeing major and planned gifts, foundations and corporations, and the annual fund. Most recently she has been involved in planning and conducting the college's largest capital campaign.

Prior to joining Rhodes, Wade worked in development and alumni affairs at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center within the medical school, and as an executive director and director of development at the American Cancer Society. She has also served as a member of the CASE District III Board of Directors since 2005 and currently chairs the district scholarship committee. She co-chaired the CASE III 2006 district conference and served on the conference committee for several years.

Wade received her bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and her master's degree in education from Vanderbilt University.

Faculty

Julie Ricciardi
Vice President for Development and Alumnae Affairs
Peace College

Julie Ricciardi is Peace College's vice president for development and alumnae affairs. She began her career as an elementary school teacher in Culver, Ind., but felt compelled to go back to the place where she had learned so much during her college days, and in 1999, began work at Purdue University, her alma mater, as the director of the Purdue Musical Organizations (PMO) Club.

During her time at Purdue, Ricciardi planned and coordinated a $7.3 M campaign, securing $4.88 M in gifts and pledges for the PMC Facility Campaign, and secured $950,000 in gifts and pledges for scholarship endowments. She increased annual giving to the organization from $190,000 in FY1999 to $590,000 by 2007. Throughout this time, she created and fostered relationships with community organizations, businesses and individuals. Concurrently, in August 2005, she became the director of the Purdue Women's Glee Club, a vocal ensemble of 40+ young women. There, she planned and coordinated more than forty performances each year, and also led sectionals and ensemble rehearsals.

In 2008, Ricciardi became the director of development for Peace College. Within a year, she was leading the 10-person team and also serves as liaison to the board of trustees and the External Relations/Development Committee of the board, as well as to the Promise of Peace Campaign Cabinet Committee and the Presidential Portrait Committee. In addition, she is responsible for presenting quarterly updates to other advisory boards to the college including the Parents' Council, the Alumnae Association Board, the Foundation Board and the Board of Visitors. Under her leadership, the Development and Alumnae Office is charged with raising more than $3 M annually to support the strategic goals of Peace College.

She is a 1994 graduate of Purdue University, and holds membership in Alpha Chi Omega.

Peter Smits
Vice President for University Advancement
California State University, Fresno

Peter Smits serves as the vice president for university advancement at California State University, Fresno. As a member of the president's cabinet, he is responsible for Fresno State's programs in development and fundraising, university communications, endowment management and alumni relations.

Fresno State is currently in the public phase of its first comprehensive campaign, scheduled to end in June 2012. The campaign has reached 85 percent of its $200 million goal. One campaign highlight includes the largest cash gift in the history of the CSU.

Prior to his appointment at Fresno State, he served as the vice president for advancement at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He has also served as the executive assistant to the chancellor at Louisiana State University, as the vice president for college relations and development at the State University of New York at Brockport and as the dean of students at The College of White Plains.

Smits is a member of the CASE District VII board of directors, and serves on the Executive Committee. He chaired the membership committee for two years. He is a member of the CASE Commission on Philanthropy. He is the most senior vice president in the 23-campus California State University system, and was the inaugural chair of the CSU Council of Vice Presidents. He is past president of the Central California chapter of AFP, and a recipient of that chapter's Fundraising Executive of the Year award.

He has presented at workshops, seminars and conferences for CASE, the Association of Governing Boards and the Association for Fundraising Professionals. He frequently serves as a workshop or retreat facilitator for foundation boards and alumni boards.

Smits earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the State University of New York at Albany, and his doctorate from the University of Buffalo.

Carol Thornton
Dean of Development
St. Agnes Academy-St. Dominic School

Carol Thornton currently serves as the dean of development for St. Agnes Academy-St. Dominic School, a Catholic independent school in Memphis, Tenn. She oversees the development, alumni affairs and communications efforts of the school and recently completed a $20 million capital and endowment campaign.

Prior to joining St. Agnes Academy-St. Dominic School, she served as director of development for Christian Brothers University and the University of Tennessee, College of Medicine. Thornton has also worked as an endowment officer at ALSAC-St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Thornton received her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Memphis. She has held the CFRE certification since 2000.

CASE Crystal Apple award winner for excellence in teaching.