A publication for the faculty, staff, administrators, and friends of California State University, Chico
May 11, 2006 Volume 36 / Number 8

Three New Advancement Directors

The effort to match new advancement directors with each of the colleges has taken a big step forward with the hiring of Leslie Schibsted in Natural Sciences, Ann Prater in Humanities and Fine Arts, and Jonathan Wanderstock in Intercollegiate Athletics. The three join Dee Hoffman-Wills in Business, Sarah Fry in Communications and Education and Jerry Hight in Engineering, Computer Science, and Construction Management.

The new directors have offices in the colleges and work directly with the deans (with the exception of Wanderstock, who works with the director of athletics) under the umbrella of Vice President for University Advancement Rick Ellison. The three bring different backgrounds in fund-raising and public relations to the challenging task of coordinating each college’s advancement efforts.

They speak of themselves as “expert advocates for the colleges we represent.” They share an excitement about their new jobs and an agreement that their primary work is to build relationships and to connect what is happening in a college with someone’s passion.

“ The University is poised on the edge of opportunity in a lot of areas,” said Schibsted. “At the end of the day, my job won’t be about raising money but about seeing people’s dreams realized.”

Leslie Schibsted has worked with for-profit clients in advertising, marketing, and investment management and with non-profits in fund-raising for more than 15 years. She specializes in helping non-profits effectively articulate their mission and programs in all their materials, including case documents, donor relations materials, and other marketing efforts. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Berkeley, from the School of Business Administration.

Jonathan Wanderstock previously worked in Eugene, Oregon, where he served as assistant dean of development and external relations at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. Before that he was at the University of Colorado at Boulder for nearly five years as director of development for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The strategic plan he developed resulted in the School’s first endowed chair. Wanderstock obtained a dual degree in broadcast journalism and business law from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in sports administration from Penn State University. He is originally from Ithaca, New York.

Ann Prater comes to the College of HFA from Enloe Medical Center, where she was director of public relations for the last five years. Before that, she held similar positions at CHW North State and Redding Medical Center. A 1978 Humboldt State graduate, She spent the first ten years of her career in television news, first as news director in Eureka and then as a news producer in Sacramento and San Diego. She sees her work as a director of advancement as similar to the public relations work she did in communications in the health field: translating the story of the University and building relationships.

—Kathleen McPartland