Brian Kish Biography

Brian Kish is Senior Vice President for Central Development at the University of Arizona Foundation. His responsibilities include oversight of the UA Foundation offices of Annual Giving, Prospect Management and Research, Communications and Marketing, Donor Services, Gift Planning, and the GIFT Center.

The Central Development team is a division of the UA Foundation that provides University faculty, staff and development personnel support with their non-governmental charitable grantseeking activities.

Kish has more than 14 years of experience in development. Prior to joining the UA Foundation, he spent nearly five years in Newport, Rhode Island, serving as the Assistant Vice President for Advancement at Salve Regina University. His responsibilities included the management and operation of development and alumni/parent relations activities.

Since 2001, Kish also served as an Independent Fundraising Consultant focused on annual giving consultation and alumni relations. The company, which Kish co-established, was associated with Campbell & Company, Chicago.

From 2002-2005, Kish was Senior Director of Development and Assistant Campaign Manager at the University of California, Irvine. Before that, he spent eight years at the Iowa State University Foundation where he worked his way up from Assistant Director of Annual Giving Programs to Director of Annual Giving Programs.

Kish holds a bachelor’s degree in political science with a focus in international relations from Ohio University. He is currently working toward attaining his master’s in management with a focus in holistic leadership.

In addition to his extensive development background, Kish has won numerous regional and national awards for program excellence, including the Crystal Apple Teaching Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). He is the youngest recipient of this prestigious honor for outstanding CASE presenters.