Doug Colby

About Doug Colby

I am a creative, collaborative, and relationship-driven DEVELOPMENT & ADVANCEMENT DIRECTOR with proven skill in helping academic institutions build sustainable, strategic philanthropic programs by using my exemplary communication and stakeholder management skills to effectively marry organizational goals, research strengths, and donor interests.My skill in donor prospecting/stewardship and continuous process improvement, combined with my ability to create supportive and collaborative teams, makes me a valuable part of every team.I excel at: Creating a culture of enthusiasm around philanthropy that unites development professionals, faculty members, and leadership teams behind a common goal and yields better results. Effectively mentors direct reports and academic partners as they learn to develop blue-sky thinking skills. Identifying, cultivating, and stewarding potential donors and developing new relationships while utilizing metrics-driven performance management strategies and clearly communicating a powerful case for giving.KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Securing six-/seven-figure and valuable in-kind gifts that dramatically expanded university’s research capabilities and significantly increased school’s visibility nationally. Delivering a sustained annual increase from $2.3M to $10.2M in four years and establishing two critical centers studying affordable housing and water issues for small social ecology program. Closing $18M gift (fully realized value=$40M–$50M) that established a comprehensive suite of scholarships and fellowships (four-year, two-year, transfer, graduate, post-doc) for USC’s humanities program.PERSONALITY TRAITS: Open-Minded: I am open to new ways of doing things. Strategic: I connect seemingly unrelated factors and build these connections into innovative fixes. Rational: I devise inventive solutions to complicated problems. Willing to learn: I can quickly absorb information that will help me improve my work. Passionate: I am driven by my curiosity about the human experience.Campaign Management | Strategic Communications | Stakeholder Management | Donor Stewardship | Data Analysis Annual Gifts | Major Gifts | Naming Gifts | Planned Giving | Alumni Relations | Marketing | Management Leadership

Experience

1. Executive Director of Development, the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

   ASU Foundation for a New American University

   Jul 2025 — Present · Tempe, AZ, US

Education

• Fort Lewis College

  BA, Music

  1982 — 1986