Dear colleagues,
It is with sincere excitement that we write to announce that Michael McNally will join Harvard as the next Associate Vice President and Dean for FAS Development, effective October 23, 2023.
Bringing together a global sensibility and deep roots in the research community of Boston, Mike is an inspiring and effective leader of development teams and a trusted partner to those who seek to advance academic discovery through the power of visionary philanthropy. Well known to many of us, Mike comes to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences from Massachusetts General Hospital where he has served as Vice President for Development since 2018, managing a team of more than 200 development professionals. There he has ensured the effectiveness of fundraising and development support programs, and, in concert with the senior vice president and hospital leadership, oversaw the planning and implementation of a $3 billion capital campaign that expanded the Hospital’s fundraising base and engaged a new class of donors in transformational gifts with the potential to improve human health.
Throughout his career, Mike has brought his characteristic high standards and collaborative approach to the work of complex academic organizations, building “best in class” fundraising programs in both domestic and international markets. Prior to joining the Hospital, Mike held multiple roles at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, as well as MIT. At Harvard Chan, he led external relations, first as deputy vice dean of external relations and later as vice dean. There he and colleagues raised $932 million against a goal of $450 million in a campaign that transformed the School by stimulating new lines of exploration and discovery, increasing institutional support for tenure ladder faculty, supporting the launch of multiple new degree programs, and driving innovation and collaboration in science and education. Importantly, the campaign also opened doors to students who would not have been able to study at Harvard without financial aid raised through this effort.
At MIT, Mike served as director, and later executive director, of individual giving. In this capacity, he led a team of 45 that played a key role in campaign planning, strategic planning, and annual target-setting in support of the Office of the President, Office of the Chairman of the Corporation, as well as deans, department heads, and volunteers. He also introduced and led the implementation of new fundraising frameworks focused on maximizing the prospect base, developing supporting business systems, and building and motivating a high-performing team. These changes not only significantly increased revenue from a 5-year average of $23 million to $72 million, but also increased retention of frontline fundraisers.
Mike’s personal attributes are just as impressive as his deep professional experience and extraordinary track record of accomplishment. Under his calm exterior, you quickly discover someone who is intellectually curious and delights in engaging the academic mission. He is clearly energized by the opportunity to innovate and to improve and optimize organizations. And, he is profoundly invested in people. From the members of his team, to the faculty and researchers he partners with, to the volunteers who open so much possibility for institutions, and to the students for whom he is committed to opening doors, Mike leads with genuine relationships and the clear knowledge that people make everything possible.
A first-generation college student whose family hails from Ireland, Mike’s early career took him to Spain before he joined Laspau, a Harvard-based nonprofit organization that designs, develops, and implements academic and professional exchange programs on behalf of institutions in Latin America, the United States, and Canada. He is fluent in Spanish and has a certificate in international relations from El Instituto De Estudios Europeos in Madrid. He received his bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a master’s degree in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
We want to take this opportunity to thank the members of the search advisory committee and all those who shared their perspectives to inform the search process. Our particular thanks go to Beth Thompson for her service as interim leader of FAS Development. Knowing that the FAS Development team could rely on her steady hand, deep experience, and good sense provided us with the time we needed to bring this search process to such a successful outcome. We are profoundly grateful to Beth and to all those members of the team who have kept the momentum high during this interim period.
We could not be more excited to welcome Mike back to Harvard and to benefit from his wisdom and partnership in advancing institutional priorities, from graduate education to financial aid to our academic initiatives tackling issues of global consequence.
Sincerely,
Hopi Hoekstra and Brian Lee
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Hopi Hoekstra
Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences
C. Y. Chan Professor of Arts and Sciences
Xiaomeng Tong and Yu Chen Professor of Life Sciences
Brian K. Lee
Vice President for Alumni Affairs and Development