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Evans chosen to lead VUMC development
Diane Crawford Evans has been named associate vice chancellor and executive director of Medical Center Development, filling the position vacated by Robert Feldman last year.
Evans, currently chief development officer at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center in Lexington, will begin April 15 at Vanderbilt.
At UK, she was instrumental in the development and implementation of the medical center's first capital campaign for $600 million.
Prior to that position, she worked at the University of Florida Foundation as alumni affairs coordinator and director of development for major gifts, participating in the raising of $400 million and $750 million, respectively, in two capital campaigns.
"I've loved my assignment at UK," Evans said, "but since we are completing our capital campaign this year, I jumped at the chance to interview at Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt has the most potential of any medical center in the country. It was hard to resist."
Dr. Harry R. Jacobson, vice chancellor for Health Affairs, is confident in Evans' abilities. "We are fortunate to attract Crawford to this position at Vanderbilt. The stakes are high, but I'm certain we have the right person for this monumental task."
Expanding donor base and boosting Vanderbilt's perception as an international and national presence are two critical components of Evans' initial plan for the medical center.
"We have to think of ourselves as a national and international health care pioneer, as well as a local and regional health care provider," she said. "This is crucial to the kind of campaign currently being launched at Vanderbilt."
Evans was also attracted to Vanderbilt as a result of the cohesive attitude between University central and the Medical Center. "The leadership at Vanderbilt has made crucial decisions to be one campus working together. The hierarchy of the program has been restructured to make Vanderbilt even greater."
At the beginning, Evans has asked for a transition team to generate critical information quickly to facilitate the process and to continue the success of the capital campaign.
"Just like a new CEO, president, or any leader, I will need a lot of information pouring in as fast as possible," she said. "This will give me context for good decisions and effective actions."
Vanderbilt University will launch a $1.25 billion capital campaign next month to bolster the educational, medical and research opportunities at the institution.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center is an integral part of the campaign and will reap the benefits. Investing in programs, people, and space, the five-year plan will bolster research in genetics, developmental biology, structural biology, and neurosciences; provide for more clinical faculty and development of physicians; and allow for building the new Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital outpatient building, Medical Center East, and Medical Research Building IV.
"I am thrilled by this opportunity. I will be working with and for wonderful people who care deeply about health care, education, research and service," she said.