After a great deal of deliberation and prayer, Father James P. Burns, president, has determined the need to implement leadership changes to support our advancement initiatives, specifically our upcoming capital campaign. Audrey Kintzi, ACFRE, will no longer serve as vice president for Advancement, effective Thursday, Dec. 31. She will be applying her expertise to a new area at Saint Mary’s in the role of vice president emerita for Advancement and executive director of the Philanthropy and Development program.
Kintzi is thankfully in remission from Stage IVb ovarian cancer, and she continues to undergo treatment. This change allows her to focus her time and energy on a full and complete recovery while still contributing to Saint Mary’s mission.
We are grateful to Kintzi for her leadership these past eight years. During that time, she completely reorganized, refocused, and elevated the work being done in Development and Alumni Relations. Kintzi also oversaw Marketing and Communication for two years until this fall. Under her guidance, Saint Mary’s completed an incredibly successful Discover Inspire Lead Campaign, the largest in Saint Mary’s history. The campaign raised a record $74 million in five years, far surpassing the $57 million goal.
Under Kintzi’s leadership, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) has recognized the efforts of Saint Mary’s Development team each of the past four years with Educational Fundraising Awards: a Sustained Excellence Award in 2019, an Overall Performance and a Sustained Excellence Award in 2018, and Overall Improvement Awards in 2017 and 2016.
We are fortunate to retain Kintzi’s talents as she fundraises and recruits for the internationally recognized M.A. in Philanthropy and Development program, which educates nonprofit professionals on the critical elements of a successful nonprofit organization. It’s a program dear to Kintzi’s heart as she has taught and will continue to teach many cohorts.
In addition to her 40+ years of fundraising prowess, Kintzi led her team with an abundant heart and a keen sense of humor. She also set the foundation for our upcoming campaign, which will significantly advance our strategic plan and Saint Mary’s mission. Please join me in thanking her for her tireless efforts on behalf of this university.
A search for vice president for Advancement will commence immediately, and we will share news of our progress.
