Christy Cates is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement Operations at the University of Denver (DU). Christy is responsible for the strategic management of DU’s Advancement Operations team which includes Community Experiences, Prospect Development, Business Intelligence and Analytics, Gift Administration and Records Management, Business Services, Talent Management, and organizational planning. In this role, she drives the overall efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of the advancement enterprise by enhancing the coherence and integration of core advancement functions, administering resources strategically and creatively, leading all planning activities, and cultivating a world-class team of talented advancement professionals.

Prior to joining DU, Christy served the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) as Executive Director of Advancement Services and UC Irvine as the Senior Executive Director of University Advancement Human Resources. Before entering the world of higher education advancement, Christy held human resources leadership positions with In-N-Out Burgers and Pick Up Stix, Inc., both privately held, multi-site corporations that employed between 800-4,000 employees. She earned a degree in political science from San Diego State University and is an active member of CASE and SHRM.