Faculty
Conference Chair
Shaun B. Keister
Shaun B. Keister, a veteran fundraiser with experience in higher education, arts, and conservation philanthropy, became UC Davis' first vice chancellor for development and alumni relations in 2011.
He functions as the campus's chief fundraising officer and also serves as president of the UC Davis Foundation. He led UC Davis in successfully completing its first comprehensive fundraising campaign, "The Campaign for UC Davis," raising more than $1.1 billion from nearly 110,000 donors. Under his leadership, UC Davis became one of the top two percent of fundraising programs in the United States according to the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Keister has served in a series of high-level development posts at Florida State, Iowa State, and Penn State universities. In his previous positions he has played a key role in the launch of three major campaigns.
He is a nationally-renowned fundraising expert having been quoted in local and national media outlets including "CNN Money," The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Currents magazine, The Sacramento Bee, and Fox 40 News. Additionally, he has nearly 20 years as an independent fundraising consultant serving clients including the San Francisco Opera, Steppenwolf Theatre, World Wildlife Fund, and the Nature Conservancy, and more than 60 public and private universities.
Keister has served as a CASE member and volunteer, speaking at more than 20 international conferences. He is the 2005 recipient of the CASE Crystal Apple Award for excellence in teaching.
He has a bachelor's degree in political science from Pennsylvania State University and master's and doctoral degrees in sociology from Iowa State University of Science and Technology.
Faculty
Nevin Kessler
Nevin Kessler is president of the Rutgers University Foundation, and executive vice president of development and alumni relations for Rutgers University. Under his leadership, Rutgers completed the university's first $1 billion comprehensive campaign.
Prior to joining Rutgers in October 2013, Nevin was the vice chancellor for university advancement at NC State University. He has also held leadership roles in development at the Yale School of Management, the University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc., and Virginia Tech.
Nevin has a bachelor's degree from Dickinson College and a master's degree in education from Bowling Green State University.
Fardin Sanai
Fardin Sanai was appointed UAlbany’s Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of The University at Albany Foundation in fall 2007 with oversight of all fundraising and alumni affairs functions. As Executive Director of the Foundation, Fardin serves as the liaison to the Foundation board and oversees foundation operations including, investments, real estate, and governance.
Under his leadership, UAlbany has expanded relationships both nationally and internationally, launched and successfully completed the $150 million This is Our Time fundraising campaign, the largest in the University’s 175-year history. Additionally, during his tenure, the university’s endowment grew from $16 million to its current level of over $110 million and has secured its first 8-figure gift.
Prior to his tenure at UAlbany, Fardin served as Senior Vice President for Development and Foundation Operations at Albany Medical Center, where he oversaw fundraising for both the college and hospital. Before that, Fardin served as Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the Foundation at SUNY Cobleskill where he created and expanded the college’s fundraising and development operations. He began his fundraising career at Albany Law School and spent two years as a fundraising consultant for Morin & Anderson, Inc.
UAlbany was a 2012 recipient of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s (CASE’s) Circle of Excellence Awards Program for Educational Fundraising for overall improvement. Fardin received the same award at SUNY Cobleskill in 2003. He currently serves as the chair of SUNY’s Chief Advancement Officers and on the SUNY SAIL Institute faculty. Fardin is a board member of 15-Love, a local non-profit which creates, enhances and executes free educational programs for inner city youth. Additionally, Fardin serves on the University at Albany Biosciences Development Corporation (UABDC) and the University Auxiliary Services (UAS) boards.
Fardin holds a bachelor’s degree from Marist College.
Cassie Warman
Cassie Warman, a leader in educational advancement for more than 30 years, serves as vice president of university advancement at Pacific University in Oregon. Warman served as vice president for college advancement and executive director of the Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) Foundation from 2009–2012 where she led the college's advancement efforts including fundraising, alumni relations, communications, and marketing as well as external and government relations.
She previously served as the vice president for university relations at Portland State University where she secured the largest private gift in PSU history, orchestrated the university's first comprehensive fundraising campaign that raised $114 million and led the university's first branding campaign. Prior to joining Portland State in 2004, she held advancement positions at Washington State University's Vancouver campus, the University of Portland and Eastside Catholic High School in Bellevue, Washington.
Warman has served on numerous boards and is the past chair of the CASE Board of Trustees. She has been honored with the CASE District VIII Distinguished Service Award as well as many other awards and honors.
Heather M. Young
Heather M. Young, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N. is a nurse leader, educator, scientist, and nationally recognized expert in gerontological nursing and rural health care, and is a professor and dean emerita at UC Davis. As founding dean and associate vice chancellor for nursing for UC Davis Health, she led the establishment of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and stewarded the $100 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to launch this effort. Accomplishments include five new graduate programs in Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership, the design and construction of the 70,000-square-foot Betty Irene Moore Hall and the formation of a nursing science research program focused on healthy systems and healthy people.
Young researches healthy aging with a focus on the interface between individuals, family, and formal health care systems. She has received funding from more than a dozen foundations for research and program development. She co-leads the Healthy Aging in a Digital World initiative at UC Davis Health and co-directs the Family Caregiving Institute.
She is a UC Davis alumna, with a bachelor’s degree in dietetics. She holds an associate degree in nursing from Sacramento City College, a bachelor's degree in nursing from Southern Oregon State College, and a master's degree in nursing with a specialty in gerontology and a doctorate in nursing science from the University of Washington.