Berry College welcomes Laura Croft as the new Vice President of Advancement beginning July 1.
Croft currently serves as Chief Advancement Officer of the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Foundation), having worked at the foundation since 2011. During her tenure with CDC Foundation, she has worked collaboratively with CDC leaders and world-class scientists to build public-private partnerships, strengthen individual giving, and cultivate donor relation strategies to protect America and the world from health threats. In her current role and previously as Vice President, Croft has helped raise over $1 billion for these efforts. She also held previous management and leadership roles at Children’s Museum of Atlanta, Atlanta Botanical Garden, and United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta.
“Laura is an accomplished professional who has worked with prominent corporate leaders and philanthropists across the nation”, said Berry College President Steve Briggs. “She knows how to balance the importance of mission, relationships, and impact. She recruits top talent and fosters a successful and caring team culture. We are thrilled that she will help us advance Berry’s distinctive work.”
Croft will serve Berry as chief strategist and analyst in deepening and broadening external resources for the college. She will collaborate with the president and other senior leaders to identify opportunities, partnerships, and new networks of benefactors drawn to the distinctiveness of Berry’s character. Croft will also serve as the primary liaison to the advancement committee of the Board of Trustees.
“The unique ethos of Berry, emphasizing a holistic 'head, heart, and hands' approach to student learning, resonates deeply with me and fuels my enthusiasm for joining this exceptional team,” Croft said. “Drawing from my 24 years of experience as a philanthropic facilitator, I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to collaborate and engage with others in nurturing the development of the next generation of servant leaders and community champions.”
Croft has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance and a minor in Spanish from the University of North Georgia. She is active in community organizations and currently serves as board chair of Adult Children of Aging Parents. She and her husband have two adult daughters.
Croft was selected through a competitive national search with the assistance of the executive search firm CarterBaldwin.
###
Office of Public Relations
