NEW YORK CITY, NY (September 15, 2011) Rachelle M. Sanders has been appointed Vice President, Chief Development Officer, at Montefiore Medical Center.
Ms. Sanders fills a pivotal leadership role at Montefiore as the institution moves forward in fulfilling strategic goals and investing in infrastructure, programs and new talent to elevate its regional and national standing as a premier academic medical center.
"Rachelle Sanders has extensive experience in leadership and stewardship, and I am thrilled she will be joining the Montefiore team," said Steven M. Safyer, MD, President and CEO of Montefiore. "For the past 15 years, Ms. Sanders has led and managed several development campaigns that raised visibility and drove endowments. She possesses a strong understanding of public relations and communications, and her expertise in these areas will help further advance Montefiore's key messages and strengthen our relationships among donors."
Most recently, Ms. Sanders served as Executive Director of Development at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine in Little Rock, Ark., where she managed fundraising for 30 medical departments and programs. In addition to supervising a team of major gift officers, Ms. Sanders built a pipeline of major gift prospects by cultivating relationships with alumni and faculty and establishing a campus-wide grateful patient initiative.
Ms. Sanders began at UAMS as Director of Development for the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, a center of excellence at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She was quickly promoted to Executive Director of the Cancer Institute Foundation. As Executive Director, Ms. Sanders provided oversight for the development operation and volunteer services and was a member of the management team that achieved a $325 million campaign. Ms. Sanders was accountable for raising more than $75 million toward facilities and endowments. She served on the university's development leadership team and helped build and strengthen unified programs that promoted donor-centered outreach.
Prior to joining the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Ms. Sanders spent nine years at the Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, MA, where she held varying positions, including as Director of Communications and Marketing; Director of Major Gifts and Annual Giving and Director of Development.
Ms. Sanders holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston University.