Carol Van Natta, who led UW Tacoma’s fundraising and external relations operations for six years and managed a campaign that raised more than $40 million, is leaving the university in June to head the Oregon State University Foundation’s Portland Center. The university will conduct a national search for her replacement.
Mike Wark, currently the director of Public Relations and Communications, will serve as interim Vice Chancellor for Advancement while a replacement is sought. Van Natta’s last day is June 13.
Van Natta led development efforts at UW Tacoma for six years, building a small staff into a 13-person Advancement office that handles the university’s fundraising, communications and alumni and community relations functions. She led UW Tacoma’s first capital campaign, part of the university-wide, eight-year Campaign “UW: Creating Futures,” to raise more than $40 million, nearly doubling the original goal of $20.85 million. As part of the campaign, Van Natta guided volunteer fundraising efforts that led to a $15 million contribution from Gary E. Milgard, James A. Milgard and the Milgard Family Foundation to name the university’s business program. During her tenure, UW Tacoma raised nearly $2 million for freshman scholarships to help the campus transition into a four-year university and acquired a $3 million endowment to establish the Port of Tacoma Chair.
Van Natta established UW Tacoma’s Alumni Relations office and strengthened the department’s Community Relations function. She also led efforts to raise funds for William W. Philip Hall, which is now under construction, the Haley Professorship for the Humanities, and the Paulsen Visiting Chair and Lecture Series and more.