Lisa Capone will assume her duties as UMSL’s new vice chancellor for advancement on Aug. 1. She brings nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, most recently as the associate vice president for development at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. (Submitted photo)

Lisa Capone will serve as the new vice chancellor for advancement at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Chancellor Kristin Sobolik announced her selection today after a nationwide search, and Capone will assume her new duties on Aug. 1.

Currently serving as associate vice president for development at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Capone oversees the university’s comprehensive fundraising efforts, which raised a record $56 million in gifts last fiscal year. Capone has nearly 20 years of experience in higher education fundraising at UL Lafayette, Oklahoma State University and Louisiana State University.

“Lisa has an extensive portfolio in all areas of university advancement and will bring important leadership upon which our solid foundation of donor development and alumni engagement activities can strengthen and grow,” Sobolik said. “Lisa has a strong ethic in team building and collaborative leadership that will be crucial in her role within advancement and as an essential member of our UMSL team, especially as we approach our 60th anniversary and engage strongly and positively with our external constituencies in the St. Louis region, state and nation.”

Reporting to the chancellor, Capone will serve as UMSL’s chief fundraising officer and have broad authority and responsibility for oversight of all aspects of the Advancement office, including development and alumni engagement.

“UMSL is the region’s premier public research university and is truly embedded in the community, not only through its academics, research and service, but through its 80,000 alumni who live, work and add tremendously to the vibrancy of St. Louis,” Capone said. “I look forward to working with our supporters to bring collaborative and transformative change to our campus and the St. Louis region at large, while expanding our national and international reach where we have a growing alumni network of more than 30,000.”

Capone, who holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration as well as a Master of Public Administration from Louisiana State University, said she is excited for the opportunity to join the St. Louis and UMSL community.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for me to join a vibrant, world-class university that educates and graduates thousands of students annually,” she said. “I look forward to engaging with our many campus and community stakeholders to enhance our alumni network and raise private philanthropic support for UMSL as the university seeks to transform lives and build inclusive prosperity and growth throughout the region, state and nation.”

Throughout her career, Capone’s experience in university advancement has been dynamic, involving two successful comprehensive campaigns, leading and managing corporate and foundation relations, as well as major gifts, principal gifts, annual giving and alumni engagement. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive, member of the Network of Academic Corporate Relations Officers and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, and served on the Business and Career Solutions Center Taskforce for the Louisiana Workforce Commission.