David Woodruff

About David Woodruff

I’m a fundraising consultant with Marts & Lundy, where I work with non-profit leaders navigating growth, complexity, and major change. I’m also the founder of Holdfast Coaching, where I coach advancement professionals and senior leaders who want to lead with clarity, confidence, and integrity.Over nearly four decades, I’ve served as a chief development officer, associate vice president, executive director, and chief operating officer for development at institutions including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and Massachusetts General Hospital. My work has centered on principal and major gifts in top-tier research university and academic medical center environments, where trust, strategy, and patience matter as much as ambition.I’ve helped lead three successful ten-figure comprehensive campaigns and have deep experience partnering with high-capacity volunteers at the highest levels. Along the way, I’ve stayed closely connected to the profession, serving as president and board member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Massachusetts Chapter. In 2025 I received AFP\'s Lifetime Achievement Award.Colleagues know me as a values-driven leader who takes the work seriously but not himself—someone who brings ethics, judgment, creativity, and a sense of humor to complex challenges, and who cares deeply about mentoring the next generation of leaders.

Experience

1. Consulting Partner

   Marts&lundy

   Jan 2022 — Present · Boston, MA, US

   Perform fundraising and campaign consulting services for clients in higher education and academic medicine centers.

Education

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  S.B., Civil Engineering

  1974 — 1978

• Babson F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business

  MBA, Business

  1991 — 1996

• Stanford University

  M.S., Civil Engineering

  1978 — 1979