David Blinder’s career in the academic and non-profit worlds spans three decades as professor, development professional, senior manager, and fundraising/organizational development consultant.
David earned a BA from Princeton University and PhD in philosophy from UC Berkeley. He taught philosophy at Yale University for seven years before moving in 1987 to Princeton University and starting his career in development. After positions in leadership gifts and corporate and foundation relations, David was named director of development for Princeton. He was an integral part of the senior planning team for the university’s $1 billion 250th Anniversary Campaign.
In 1995, David joined Wellesley College as vice president for resources and public affairs. In close collaboration with then president Diana Chapman Walsh, he planned and implemented a campaign that set a new record for liberal arts college fundraising.
In 2007, David was appointed associate vice chancellor of university resources at UC Berkeley, where he served on the Chancellor’s Cabinet and the Council of Deans, and as vice president of the UC Berkeley Foundation. During his tenure, David planned and managed the $3 billion Campaign for Berkeley, successfully completed in 2013.
In 2013, David moved to The Scripps Research Institute as senior vice president for external affairs. There he managed fundraising, communications and government relations for the Scripps campuses in La Jolla, CA and Jupiter, FL. He left Scripps in 2015 to devote full-time to consulting.
David characterizes his work in fundraising and organizational development as applied philosophy. Understanding the interplay between the philosophy of philanthropists and the mission-driven institutions they support is fundamental to the success of both.