Union Theological Seminary President Rev. Dr. Serene Jones today announced the appointment of Maura Smith to the position of Vice President of Development and Alum Relations.
“We are excited to welcome Maura to the Union family. Maura brings a wealth of experience and will play a critical role in ensuring we achieve our strategic vision for Union building upon our powerful 187 year legacy of advancing social justice,” said President Jones.
A native of Massachusetts, Maura Smith earned a B.A. in Political Science from Wellesley College and her M.A. in City and Regional Planning at the University of California Berkeley. Maura began her career working in government, first as staff for the late U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas (D-MA), followed by stints as a Project Director for the City Managers of Cambridge, MA and Oakland, CA. in 1999, Maura decided to turn her volunteer fundraising activities into a full-time job and started her career in Development, working for a variety of social service organizations including the Lowell Community Health Center where she successfully managed a $40 million fundraising campaign.
For the past six years, Maura has served in development roles at the University of California Berkeley, as a frontline fundraising positions at the Graduate School of Journalism and most recently, as Assistant Dean for External Relations and Development at the highly ranked Goldman School of Public Policy. At the Goldman School, Maura manages the team responsible for development, alumni relations, communications, grant writing, special events, Board relations, and campaign strategy.
Maura says that she was attracted to the role at Union because of the school’s mission, prominence, and leadership. She looks forward to helping donors connect their passion with their philanthropy at Union.
In her free time, Maura prefers the company of others to a quiet night at home. She looks forward to “living and working in the city that never sleeps.”