Dear USF Community,
I am pleased to announce that Colin Allen MA ’06 will join the University of San Francisco as vice president of advancement, effective Sept. 20.
Colin comes to the Hilltop from Sydney, Australia, where he was the chief philanthropy officer at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation for the past two years, and where he previously served as general manager of philanthropy since 2021.
His prior roles include head of advancement at the Australian National University’s College of Business and Economics, director of advancement at Polytechnic School in Los Angeles, and working as a consultant and director at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Maryland. He has a BA from Bates College and received a master’s in sport management from USF before earning an MBA from Johns Hopkins University.
With professional experience that spans three continents in multiple industries, including sales and marketing for the Oakland Raiders and for the sports and media company IMG, Colin brings a global, holistic perspective to his role.
Colin does not limit his passion for philanthropy to his career. He is also a board director for the Australasia Leukemia and Lymphoma Group and has served as a trustee at the Ronald McDonald House, one of the world’s largest pediatric housing facilities, here in San Francisco.
I believe Colin’s strong track record of fundraising across varied industries, in combination with his deep devotion to philanthropy and mission, will be invaluable in positioning USF for institutional vigor and success for years to come.
“The common thread throughout my career has been a belief that organizations can achieve far more when they build strong relationships and have the ambition to pursue transformational goals,” Colin said. “I’m grateful to President Aceves and the VP for Advancement Search Committee for extending to me the opportunity to lead such a storied, mission-driven institution as the University of San Francisco into its next chapter.”
I share Colin’s gratitude to the members of the VP for Advancement Search Committee for their diligent efforts in finding the right person for the role. I want to add a special thank you to Donna Davis, vice president and general counsel, for her outstanding leadership in chairing this search committee. Dean Otgontsetseg (Otgo) Erhemjamts of the School of Management, Associate Dean Lynette Apen of Academic Affairs and Faculty Development in the School of Nursing and Health Professions, Director of Financial Aid in Strategic Enrollment Management Jenny Garcia, Associate Vice President of Facilities Management JJ Thorp, Professor William (Billy) Riggs of the College of Arts and Sciences, Associate Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students Lester Deanes, Board of Trustees Member Mark Buell, and Interim Vice President of Development Jayme Burke generously gave their time and thoughtful consideration to this search. I deeply appreciate their service.
I am especially thankful to Jayme for her steady guidance over the past two years. She was a steadfast leader of the Development Division during a time of much transition, and I look forward to supporting her work alongside Colin, as the division adopts its new name — Advancement. The new name is in alignment with the majority of our Jesuit higher education peers and better encompasses the depth and complexity of the work that we do that extends beyond fundraising.
Colin, his wife, Deborah Wolfe, and their 10-year-old son, Milo, will be moving to the Bay Area in the coming weeks. Please join me in extending them a warm welcome to the USF family.
Kindly,
Salvador D. Aceves ’83, EdD ’95
President