Vitae

1. Deborah Stevens Hamilton
1429 Falling Branch Rd. - Christiansburg, VA 24073
Home:540-382-1483; Office: 540-231-6648; Cell: 540-357-0226; Email: dshamilt@vt.edu
Webpages:
http://www.eng.vt.edu/corporate/corporate-relations
http://www.eng.vt.edu/users/dshamilt
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=hb_tab_pro_top
Career Profile:
I am a seasoned, accomplishedfund development professional with diverse experience spanning over 30 years during
which time I served as vice president, executive director, consultant, and fundraiser in the not-for-profit, higher
education, and independent school sectors.
Interested in exploring the directorship of corporate and foundation relations at tier-one research universities or
within the university relations departments at major corporations and foundations, where I can provide leadership
and support to the corporate and foundation fund development priorities, share and implement my “comprehensive
industry/university partnership” model, mentor the CFR staff and volunteer team, and contribute my energy,
experience, proficiency, and perseverance to meet stretch goals in a fast paced, team-oriented work environment.
Professional strengths:
Excellent networking skills to align, connect, and engage faculty and senior administrators and other
components of the college and university with both the senior and technical leaders of corporationsand
corporate foundations
Excellent research and strategic and short-term planning skills, coupled with ability to write and deliver
compellingbusiness case and charitablegiving case proposals
Excellentinterpersonal, customer service, and stewardship skills
Effective oral and written communication skills
“Self-starter” - creative but pragmatic and flexible with excellent organizational skills and ability to handle
multiple projects at once
Sound analytical and problem solving skills
Track record of accomplishing tasks within limited time periodand limited budgets and successfully
completing tasks in a collaborative and consultative manner
Strong volunteer development and nurturing skills
Strong management skills for small working groups
Service oriented work ethic
Professional experience:
2005 – present
Associate Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations – Virginia Tech (VT)
Since 2005 have raised in excess of $16 million dollars in corporate philanthropic support (does not include
matching gifts)
Created first full-time CFR function for the College of Engineering (CoE)
Advise on effective industry/university relations strategies and work closely with the college’s dean, the five
associate deans , and a large portfolio of corporate “executive focals”
1

2. Provide innovative leadership to the CFR efforts within VT’s College of Engineering to develop mutually
beneficial relationships with corporate and foundation partners to provide “bottom-line” benefits to industry
plus support the priority needs of the college and its 13 departments, research institutes, centers, labs, global
engagement efforts, faculty, students, and programs
In co-operation with CoE dean, development director, and CoE advisory board, delivered corporate funding
proposals in support ofthe CoE portion of VT’s recent successfully completed $1 billion capital campaign
Currently cultivating 10 corporations for $6,750,000 in cash, instrumentation/equipment support of the
new “Signature Engineering Building” https://www.eng.vt.edu/signaturebuilding
Develop supporting activities and liaise between all sections of CoE and other internal VT partners such as:
Virginia Tech Foundation; VT’s Vice President of Research Office and its office of sponsored contracts;
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties (VTIP); the Vice President for Outreach and International Affairs;
VT Corporate Research Center (VT’s highly successful university industrial park); VT Office of
Economic Development; Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS); VT Career
Services, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
(IALR) in Danville, VA, and the VT National Capital Region located in Arlington, VA.
Proactively engage “individual donor” development officers in both the College of Engineering and VT
central development; faculty in other colleges (such as the Pamplin College of Business, the College of
Science, and VT’s new arts/technology and VT/Carilion Medical Research Centerinitiatives); and seek
interdisciplinary and collaborative funding opportunities that align with industry needs
Routinely interact and support corporate liaison needs for the President’s Office, the Provost Office, and the
Vice President for Development and University Relations Office
Sample key achievement (others provided upon request):
$5M cash gift payable over five years from a major cyber security corporation to support the Ted and Karyn
Hume Center for National Security and Technology, College of Engineering. To date is the largest cash gift
benefitting Virginia Tech from a corporation. A prime example of my focus on developing
comprehensiveindustry-university partnerships, the fund agreement includes the major philanthropic cash
gift, a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), and a leasing agreement (VTRC-
Arlington). This partnership illustrates how a development officer, working with energetic faculty members,
sponsored contracts personnel, and university counsel can successfully incorporate research, workforce
development (recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students through on-campus faculty champions),
economic development, alignment of capabilities for joint submissions to government and other funding
sources, and community outreach and service to provide return-on-investment benefits to both industry and
VT.
Summary of other professional experience:
2003 – 2005 – Development Director, The North Cross School – Roanoke, VA (supervised three staff)
1999- 2003 – Annual Giving Director. Also served as one of two staff to the planning phase of $3 million
dollar capital campaign - The Universityof the Virgin Islands – St. Thomas/St. Croix, USVI (supervised two
staff)
1996 – 1999 – Grants Writer. Also served as one of two staff to the successful $9 million capital campaign,
Young Harris College – Young Harris, GA
1980 – 1996 – Executive Director of the Voluntary Action Center, seniorleadership staff with the United Way
of Savannah, the United Way of Bergen County, New Jersey, and executive director and/ or independent
fund raising consultant to the following non-profit organizations in Savannah, GA: theNeighborhood
Housing Association, the Alzheimer's Association, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, the Savannah
Symphony (supervised one to three staff at any time)
1976 – 1980 – Real estate and computer accessory equipment commissioned salespositions- Atlanta, GA
1974 – 1976 - Assorted part-time jobs in California and Georgia, as I was often relocated with US Naval
officer husband
1971 – 1973 – High school English and journalism teacher, Coffee County High School – Douglas, GA
2

3. Other professional affiliations/activities:
Active Member – Network of Academic Corporate Relations Officers - NACRO. (Served on the
subcommittee for benchmarking)
Active Member – VT’s Presidential Taskforce"Envisioning Virginia Tech 2012 - 2018"
Member - American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE)
Member – Engineering Development Forum (EDF)
Member - Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
Education:
Bachelor of Arts Degree, 1970 – Henry W. Grady School of Journalism (Sociology minor) - University of
Georgia, Athens, GA (graduated in three years)
Continuing education and certifications: Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy,The United Way of
America, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, IBM’s “Community Executive Program”, University of
California (Berkeley), The Grantsmanship Center, NACRO, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP),
The Foundation Center, the Engineering Development Forum (EDF), CASE, Leadership Savannah, and
Virginia Tech
This is a confidential application, but referencesand senior level commendations will be made
available upon request.
DSH/dsh 12/01/2011
3