CASE Announces 2026 Global Individual Achievement Award Winners
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 CASE Global Individual Achievement Awards. These prestigious awards celebrate individuals whose leadership and service have made a lasting global impact on education and the advancement profession. The E. Burr Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award and the James L. Fisher Award for Distinguished Service to Education will be presented at the CASE Summit for Leaders in Advancement in Seattle from 20-22 July 2026. The John Lippincott Award for Global Advancement and Support of Education will be presented at the CASE Europe Annual Conference in Edinburgh from 10-12 November 2026.
Brian K. Lee - E. Burr Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award
The E. Burr Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates individuals whose long-time service and professional accomplishments have significantly shaped the advancement profession.
Brian K. Lee has had a transformative career in university advancement, guiding major universities to historic achievements in annual fundraising and alumni engagement. As Vice President for Alumni Affairs and Development at Harvard University, he cultivated a fundraising program that delivered four of Harvard’s most successful fundraising years. He was instrumental in advancing major gifts that established the Kempner Institute for Natural & Artificial Intelligence and the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability.
Previously, while Vice President for Development and Advancement at the California Institute of Technology, he implemented the $2 billion Breakthrough Campaign. Prior to Caltech, Lee spent 26 years at Tufts University, where his work focused on alumni relations and engagement. From 2013-2015, Lee served as Chair of the CASE Board of Trustees.
“Brian’s vision and energy have inspired advancement professionals around the world. At CASE, we are deeply fortunate that Brian lent his considerable expertise to advocate for our global growth and bolster our services to members worldwide particularly in his role as Chair of the CASE Board, the first I had the honour of working with,” said Sue Cunningham, President and CEO, CASE.
Joanna Motion - John Lippincott Award for Global Advancement and Support of Education
The John Lippincott Award highlights individuals who have strengthened CASE’s global presence and contributed to the growth of the advancement profession worldwide.
Joanna Motion is an Associate Partner at More Partnership, where she helps institutions in the Asia-Pacific region build a culture of philanthropy, develop visionary leaders, and lead effective advancement teams. Before joining More Partnership, Motion led international operations for CASE. In that role, she oversaw dynamic global growth, including expanding CASE services across Europe and in Asia-Pacific, and establishing CASE Latin America. She has been a dedicated CASE volunteer throughout her career, is the recipient of a CASE Crystal Apple Award for Teaching Excellence, and has been a prolific speaker at CASE conferences around the world.
Motion is widely recognized as a global pioneer in the advancement field. Early in her career, she launched the Alumni Association and then the Development Office at the University of Melbourne. The University of Kent and Loughborough University have awarded Joanna honorary doctorates in recognition of her outstanding work in philanthropy.
“Joanna has been instrumental in shaping CASE into the global association that we are today. Her leadership ignited our global expansion by strengthening our presence across Europe, cementing our position in Asia-Pacific, and establishing an office in Latin America. It was Joanna who encouraged me to engage with CASE at the beginning of my educational advancement journey, I am immensely grateful that she did,” reflected Cunningham.
John G. Glier - James L. Fisher Award for Distinguished Service to Education
The James L. Fisher Award highlights individuals whose influence on education extends beyond a single institution.
John Glier is a renowned leader in philanthropic management. As the CEO of Grenzebach Glier and Associates (GG+A), he provided strategic direction to leading universities and philanthropic counsel to some of the largest fundraising campaigns in higher education. Glier has worked with the staff of more than 200 nonprofits and with a wide range of volunteers, philanthropists, and board leaders of institutions in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Glier is a dedicated CASE volunteer, having served as the Chair of the Huron | GG+A Global Philanthropy Research Awards Steering Group and as a member of the CASE Insights Advisory Group. He has also been a primary driver of the Research Symposium at the CASE Summit for Leaders in Advancement and a frequent presenter at CASE district, regional, and other conferences.
“John’s myriad contributions to the global philanthropic sector are far too many to name. He is a champion for education, healthcare, and the arts whose generosity will leave an enduring legacy at institutions spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. I have always valued John’s wise council and encouragement and his unstinting commitment to our sector and to the profession,” said Cunningham.
Brian K. Lee, Joanna Motion, and John G. Glier represent a shared vision and global perspective that continue to elevate the advancement profession. CASE is pleased to celebrate their achievements and acknowledge the enduring influence of their service on the worldwide advancement community.
For more about the CASE Global Individual Achievement Awards, visit www.case.org.
About CASE
CASE—the Council for Advancement and Support of Education—is a global, not-for-profit membership association with a vision to advance education to transform lives and society.
CASE is the home for advancement professionals, inspiring, challenging, and equipping them to act effectively and with integrity to champion the success of their institutions. CASE defines the competencies and standards for the profession of advancement, leading, and championing their dissemination and application with more than 97,000 advancement professionals at 3,100 member institutions in 80 countries.
Broad and growing communities of professionals gather under the global CASE umbrella. Currently these include alumni relations, development services, communications, fundraising, government relations, and marketing. These professionals are at all stages of their careers and may be working in universities, schools, colleges, cultural institutions, or other not-for-profits. CASE uses the intellectual capital and professional talents of a community of international volunteers to advance its work, and its membership includes many educational partners who work closely with the educational sector.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., CASE works across all continents from its regional offices in London, Singapore, and Mexico City to achieve a seamless experience for all its stakeholders, particularly its members, volunteers, and staff.
