Development for Deans and Academic Leaders: Winter Session 2026
The audience for this conference consists of academic leaders looking for a comprehensive introduction to development. Designed to engage learners, the program provides opportunities for sharing of best practices, reflection and networking and has been found most effective when academic and development colleagues attend together. As a result, attendees are strongly encouraged to register as a pair or team.
Learning Objectives
- Develop practical information for use in fulfilling your fundraising role as an academic leader.
- Recognize how active listening and strategic thinking can positively impact fundraising initiatives.
- Highlight successful collaboration strategies with colleagues and faculty to implement at your institution.
- Strategize creative and dynamic methods for effective development initiatives.
- Discuss best practices on how to build a successful donor pipeline.
- Enhance your interpersonal skills to build strong professional relationships.
Who Should Attend
- Academic deans
- Development officers
- Central development officers
- Administrators who work with academic deans
- Department heads
- Institute directors
- Provosts and presidents
Hear what past attendees say
Meet Your Co-Chairs
Shaun B. Keister
Shaun B. Keister, Ph.D., is a veteran fundraiser with experience in higher education, arts and conservation philanthropy. He has served as UC Davis’ first vice chancellor for development and alumni relations since 2011.
Keister functions as the university’s chief fundraising officer, leading a team of over 300, and president of the UC Davis Foundation. In his role as vice chancellor, he also serves on the Chancellor’s Leadership Council. Keister led UC Davis in completing its first comprehensive campaign, “The Campaign for UC Davis,” raising more than $1.1 billion from 110,000 donors. Under his leadership, UC Davis rose to the top 2% of fundraising programs in the U.S., according to the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Keister guided the vision and record-breaking success of the university’s second comprehensive campaign, “Expect Greater: From UC Davis. For the World,” which raised more than $2.25 billion from 2016-2024. Donors surpassed the campaign’s $2 billion goal by more than 10%, with 133,961 people giving toward student support, human and veterinary medicine, sustainability, innovation, and the arts.
Previously, Keister served in leadership development roles at Penn State, Florida State, and Iowa State.
He is a nationally renowned fundraising expert who is often quoted in local and national media outlets including CNN Money, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, CASE Currents magazine, The Sacramento Bee, and Fox 40 News. Additionally, Keister has over 30 years as an independent fundraising consultant serving clients including the San Francisco opera, Steppenwolf Theatre, World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and more than 60 public and private universities.
Keister is an active member of and volunteer for CASE, having both chaired and participated in many district, national, and international conferences. He is a recipient of the 2005 CASE Crystal Apple award in recognition of his outstanding performance at CASE international educational programs. Keister has served on the CASE Philanthropy Commission.
Keister has a bachelor's degree in political science from Penn State and master's and doctoral degrees in sociology from Iowa State.
Dale Wright
Dale Wright is the Interim Vice Chancellor for Advancement and Interim Senior Vice President of the University of Illinois Foundation Designate, developing, overseeing, and managing a comprehensive development and advancement program for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Illinois).
With 25+ years of extensive experience and a proven record success in constituent and alumni engagement, program development and execution, strategic planning, management, building and coaching high-performing teams, and securing and stewarding major and principal gifts, across three (3) $1B+ multi-year comprehensive campaigns. During his tenure at Illinois, he has held additional leadership roles as Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement and Associate Dean for Advancement for The Grainger College of Engineering.
Wright is actively involved with the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), serving as a faculty member and speaker at conferences, co-chaired two major CASE events and contributing to the advancement field as a member of the CASE Commission on Philanthropy and a CASE Laureate, as well as past District leader (V & VI). His excellence as a teacher and mentor was recognized with CASE’s Crystal Apple Award for teaching. He is also the recipient of the Frank L. Ashmore Distinguished Service Award (2025 for the U.S. and Canada). Additionally, he is a member of organizations such as the African American Development Officers Network and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, including as a past member of the board.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Wright is committed to community service, serving on the board of the United Way of Champaign County, and the American Legion Boys State of Missouri (Missouri Boys State) Board of Directors. In recognition of his service to Missouri Boys State and the field of education, he received the Mel Carnahan Public Service Award in Education in 2023 from the Carnahan Policy Institute. He holds degrees from the University of Missouri (Mizzou).