Faculty
Meet Your Chair
Lorna Somers
An accomplished and successful fundraiser, Lorna spent the past 35 years at McMaster University where she has been engaged in securing some of the largest charitable gifts in Canadian history. She led two university-wide, comprehensive campaigns, both with a focus on volunteer and academic participation. She has also structured and led targeted campaigns for McMaster's Museum of Art and Faculty of Health Sciences, the University's Student Centre, and secured support for numerous endowments establishing scholarships, bursaries, chairs, and professorships. An accomplished and successful fundraiser, Lorna spent the past 35 years at McMaster University where she has been engaged in securing some of the largest charitable gifts in Canadian history. She led two university-wide, comprehensive campaigns, both with a focus on volunteer and academic participation. She has also structured and led targeted campaigns for McMaster's Museum of Art and Faculty of Health Sciences, the University's Student Centre, and secured support for numerous endowments establishing scholarships, bursaries, chairs, and professorships.
An internationally recognized teacher and facilitator in the fields of Higher Education and Institutional Advancement, Lorna has shared her expertise with educational, cultural and charitable organizations around the world. She is the recipient of numerous international awards for excellence in teaching and leadership, and is a sought-after speaker and coach on business, social and dining etiquette, frequently working with students to improve their confidence and knowledge as they launch their careers.
Lorna's volunteer leadership has been extensive and global with a three-decade commitment to the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE), the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and the Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP). Her contributions have included various volunteer roles as national and regional chair, conference chair, Board Trustee, Director, special advisor, and CASE Laureate.
Faculty
Rashid Bashir
Rashid Bashir is Dean of The Grainger College of Engineering, the Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering and Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Previously, he was the Executive Associate Dean at the Carle-Illinois College of Medicine (2017–present), the Abel Bliss Professor of Engineering, Head of Department of Bioengineering (2013–2017), and Director of the Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory (a campus-wide clean room research facility) (2007–2013). Prior to joining UIUC, he was at Purdue University (1998–2007) with faculty appointments in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Bioengineering. From 1992 to 1998 he worked at National Semiconductor Corporation in Santa Clara, CA as Sr. Engineering Manager.
He graduated with a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in 1992. He has authored or co-authored over 250 journal papers, over 200 conference papers and conference abstracts, and over 120 invited talks, and has been granted 49 patents. He received the NSF Faculty Early Career Award, the 2012 IEEE EMBS Technical Achievement Award, and the Pritzker Distinguished Lectureship Award from BMES in 2018. He is a fellow of IEEE, AIMBE, AAAS, BMES, IAMBE, RSC, APS, and NAI. He has been involved in 3 startups that have licensed his technologies. He was part of the core founding team and co-chair of the curriculum committee for the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the world’s first engineering based College of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
His research group is interested in developing new technologies for precision and personalized medicine, and 3D bio-fabrication of cellular systems. Using bionanotechnology, BioMEMS, and lab on chip, he is working at the interface of biology and engineering from the molecular to the tissue scale, and aiming to make an impact on grand challenges in health and medicine including cancer, sepsis, and others.
In addition to leading his own research group, he was the PI on an NSF IGERT on Cellular and Molecular Mechanics and Bionanotechnology and PI on an NIH Training Grant on Cancer Nanotechnology. He is also co-PI on a recently funded National Research Traineeship (NRT) from NSF. He is also Associate Director and UIUC site lead on an NSF Science and Technology Center on Emergent Behavior of Integrated Cellular Systems (with MIT, Georgia Tech, and other partners).
Michael Bumbry
Dr. Michael Bumbry has nearly 15 years of experience in higher education administration including careers in both student affairs and advancement. He currently serves as the Senior Director of Alumni Outreach and Engagement at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). In his current role, Dr. Bumbry manages a team of alumni directors who support the academic units, with a focus on strategic engagement and pipeline development. Prior to UCSD, he served as Director of Development at the Kogod School of Business at American University. Dr. Bumbry previously served in various development and student affairs roles at Johns Hopkins University, University of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago, Temple University, and North Carolina State University.
In addition to his full-time position at UCSD, Dr. Bumbry serves as Vice President of the American College Personnel Association- College Student Educators International (ACPA) Foundation Board. He has served on the faculty of two previous CASE Development for Deans and Academic Leaders conferences, and is the former Chair of the CASE Advancement Internship conference.
Dr. Bumbry holds a B.A. in broadcast communications from Elon University, an M.Ed. in higher education administration from North Carolina State University, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Loyola University Chicago.
Jay Davenport
Jay Davenport, CFRE, serves as vice president of Development and Alumni Relations for Virginia Commonwealth University and VCU Health.
As VCU’s chief development and alumni officer, Jay leads fundraising and engagement efforts for the VCU enterprise, including the Monroe Park Campus, the health sciences campus and VCU Health. Areas under his purview include Advancement Solutions, alumni relations, annual giving, corporate and foundation relations, development and alumni communications, donor engagement, planned giving, presidential advancement, principal giving, regional philanthropy and the universitywide development staff.
Jay joined VCU and VCU Health in 2017 in the middle of a $750 million campaign and helped steer the campaign to a successful conclusion, raising over $840 million. In the past six years, Jay has helped VCU and VCU Health raise over $1 billion and is currently designing the first comprehensive campaign for the VCU and VCU Health.
Jay has previously led fundraising teams at Wake Forest University, including as assistant vice president of college development, assistant vice president of major gifts and associate vice president and campaign director. He has also served as director of development and team leader at Rice University and held fundraising positions as a college development director at the University of Memphis College of Business and Wright State University College of Engineering. He began his higher education career as an assistant dean of admissions at Wittenberg University.
Jay has served on the board of directors for Make-A-Wish of Greater Virginia and the Benedictine Schools of Richmond. Jay holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Xavier University and a master's degree in higher education administration from Ball State University.
Maureen MacDonald
Maureen J MacDonald received her Honours BSc in Chemistry from Acadia University, Canada, in 1991 and her MSc (1993) and PhD (1998) in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo, Canada. After post-doctoral research fellowships at the University of British Columbia and the University of Western Ontario she started her academic career as a faculty member at Wilfrid Laurier University. Since 2000 she has been a faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, where she is a full professor and the Dean of Science.
Dr. MacDonald the director of the Vascular Dynamics Laboratory and is an active member of the Exercise Metabolism Research Group in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster. Her research interests are in exercise physiology with specialization in the application of ultrasound techniques to the assessment of the peripheral blood vessels. Most recently, together with her research team, she has been examining impact of high intensity interval training on the blood vessels and heart in individuals with coronary artery disease and the use of heat therapy as an alternative to exercise training and focussing on inclusion of women in these areas of research. She has directly supervised over 200 undergraduate and graduate students since her appointment in 2000 and was awarded the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Mentorship award in October 2018. Dr. MacDonald has been continually funded by The Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada since 2001, and currently is also funded by Canadian Institutes for Health Research.
Dr. MacDonald is a member of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Physiological Society, and the European College of Sports Science and. Two research leaves at Stanford University (July 2006-June 2007) and Loughborough University (July 2013-June 2014) provided Dr. MacDonald with international academic exposure and fostered lasting international research collaborations. She retains a Visiting Professor position in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University and is currently on research leave and appointed as a Global Chair at Manchester Metropolitan University in the Institute of Sport.
Karl Miller Lugo
Karl Miller Lugo is Vice President of Advancement and Alumni Engagement at The University of Texas at San Antonio, where he serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet and University Leadership Council and oversees an operation comprising University and Athletic Development, Corporate and Foundation Engagement, Donor Engagement, Alumni Engagement and the Alumni Association, Operations and Advancement Services.
Prior to joining UTSA, Karl was a Vice President with the international fundraising consulting firm Bentz Whaley Flessner (for four years), where he focused on campaign planning and management, major and principal gifts, advancement assessments, and building processes for comprehensive fundraising strategy and accountability.
Karl spent 10 years at the University of Texas at Austin and finished his UT Austin career as Executive Director for Fundraising, where he oversaw principal, major, and annual giving programs, and led the successful completion of the $3 billion Campaign for Texas in partnership with campus chief development officers. With over thirty-two years in development and higher education, Karl has held senior leadership positions at public and private universities.
An active member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Karl was a member of the inaugural CASE Minority Advancement Institute class. He currently serves on the US/Canada Council, has chaired three district conferences, served on the CASE Commission on Philanthropy, the CASE Diversity Recruitment Advisory Group, and the faculty of several conferences. He was awarded the CASE Crystal Apple Award for Teaching Excellence and holds the CASE Laureate distinction.
He holds bachelor’s degrees in public relations and Spanish from Western Kentucky University and an MBA from the Gordon Ford College of Business at Western Kentucky University.
Karl is a native of Puerto Rico before relocating to Kentucky for 28 years, then settling in Texas. He is an Ironman triathlon finisher and the proud holder of a Ducktorate Degree from the Disney University. Karl and his wife have two children.
Sarah Pearson
Sarah Pearson has been in the advancement profession since 1980. She is currently the vice president for college advancement at Bates College.
Previously, she served as the chief development officer for the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, where she was responsible for fundraising for one of the world's leading biomedical research institutes. Prior to her arrival at the Broad, Pearson served as vice president for alumni relations and development at Northwestern University. There she managed a team of 175 staff, servicing six undergraduate schools, the graduate school programs, a Big Ten athletics organization, and the university's museum and library.
Pearson began her development career in 1980 at Harvard University. She then served as director of the Cornell Fund during Cornell's $1.5 billion campaign. Moving on to the University of Chicago, she served as associate vice president of development and alumni relations and campaign director during the launch of the university's successful $2.3 billion campaign.
Pearson served as a member of the CASE Board of Trustees and as chair of the Philanthropy Commission. She was a faculty member and then served as chair of the CASE Summer Institute on Educational Fundraising. She served as chair of the 2007 CASE Summit for Advancement Leaders, as conference chair for the CASE conference on campaign strategies, and as a member of the faculty for nurturing major gift fundraising. She received the CASE Crystal Apple for teaching excellence in 2008.
Pearson received her bachelor's degree from Bates College and her master's of fine arts degree in theater arts from Brandeis University.
Nora Sheffe
Nora Sheffe, founder and president of Sheffe Consulting Inc., is an accomplished and innovative IAF CertifiedTM Professional Facilitator with more than 20 years of experience designing and delivering facilitated leadership group sessions in organizations and communities across Canada, the United States, and around the world. She was certified by the International Association of Facilitators and remains an active member in good standing.
Through Sheffe Consulting Inc., Sheffe has grown the network and resources to facilitate groups and organizations of all sizes to discuss important issues, share research and best practices, identify priorities, and define next steps.
She also provides training in the areas of leadership, communication, conflict resolution, and facilitation.
Dale Wright
Dale Wright serves as associate vice chancellor for advancement at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC). In this role, besides managing a small portfolio of donors and prospects, he provides vision, strategic leadership, mentoring, and coaching to a portfolio of chief advancement officers and deans and academic and university leaders.
Prior to this position, he served at UIUC as the associate dean & chief advancement officer for The Grainger College of Engineering with responsibility for the strategy and operations in fundraising and constituent engagement. As campaign director for the college’s $550M goal, as part of the "With Illinois" $2.65B campaign (original goal of $2.25B), he led the college in exceeding the goal by 21%. Additionally, the college secured 25% of the overall campaign total.
Over the last 20+ years, Wright has held a variety of alumni and fundraising engagement roles in higher education. He has guided several deans, academic leaders and university leadership through the campaign planning process and execution, over three $1B+ comprehensive campaigns. He is an experienced principal and major gift fundraiser, mentor, and leader, designing engagement programs to help teams and volunteers meet philanthropic goals.
Wright is an active CASE volunteer, having served on district and national committees, and presently as a faculty member/speaker at CASE conferences and other CASE educational programs. Wright also holds membership in organizations such as the African American Development Officers Network, the Association of Fundraising Professionals and is involved in other non-profit work, including serving on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the American Legion Boys State of Missouri (Missouri Boys State). He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Missouri (Mizzou).