Tim Dolan Named New CEO of UH Foundation

Following an international search, the University of Hawai‘i and the University of Hawai‘i Foundation (UHF) announce the selection of Tim Dolan as new vice president of advancement and chief executive officer of the foundation, effective February 1, 2019.

Tim Dolan. Courtesy photo.

Dolan is currently vice principal of advancement at the University of Sydney, leading that university’s historic $1 billion campaign. Earlier in his career, Dolan served as director of development at UH’s John A. Burns School of Medicine and UH Cancer Center, and also worked at Chaminade University.

“I am thrilled to welcome Tim back to Hawai‘i,” said UH President David Lassner. “The university’s strategic priorities can only be achieved by partnering with a strong advancement team, and Tim Dolan is the collaborative, highly experienced leader the university and foundation need at this critical moment in our history. We look forward to working with him as we strengthen support for our ambitious goals in service to the university and our state.”

Dolan was selected from an internationally competitive pool of carefully vetted candidates for the position. He joined the University of Sydney in 2009 as chief development officer. Over the past ten years, Dolan has mobilized a team of nearly 100 advancement professionals across nine campuses to impressive results, including almost quadrupling annual philanthropic revenue and more than doubling the total number of donors to the university as he built a true culture of philanthropy for the institution.

With responsibility for all aspects of a comprehensive university advancement program, including alumni relations, Dolan and his team have generated significant support for the University of Sydney’s mission and elevated its fundraising operation to become the nationally acknowledged leader in higher education philanthropy.

As UH vice president of advancement and foundation CEO, Dolan will lead and manage more than 100 staff members and be responsible for significantly increasing fundraising totals and launching the university’s next comprehensive campaign. Dolan will be charged with enhancing the collaborative relationship between the foundation and the university with greater integration between alumni relations and development and a strong infusion of best practices in advancement.

President Lassner and the UHF board of trustees share vision and goals, and a commitment to deeper collaboration than ever before.

“As chair of the foundation board of trustees, I am delighted that Tim Dolan will be leading the foundation as we look to the future,” said Catherine Ngo. “We also wish to thank Donna Vuchinich for her dedicated service as foundation president and CEO for the past 15 years. During Donna’s tenure, the foundation grew from approximately $84 million in assets to over $500 million today.  We are grateful for the substantial and lasting impact she has had on the lives of our students, staff, faculty and the entire state through her leadership.”

UHF Board of Trustees Vice Chair Richard Wacker added, “We are very grateful to Donna for her years of success in leading the foundation through unprecedented growth and exceeding fundraising goals for the benefit of our university. We look forward to working with Tim to continue the good work of the foundation in partnership with President Lassner to further advance the university and its critical role in the future of our state.”

Prior to the University of Sydney and after leaving Hawaiʻi early in his career, Dolan spent nearly seven years at UCLA providing fundraising leadership for the division of humanities before overseeing development for the College of Letters & Science and directing the university-wide leadership gift program.

Dolan is the immediate past chair of Australia’s G08 Advancement Group. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at the University of California, Los Angeles.