Patricia McNeill
Vice President for Development
Sonoma State University
1801 East Cotati Avenue
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
(707) 664-2712
patricia.mcneill@sonoma.edu
Professional Background
Patricia McNeill is Vice President for Development at Sonoma State University. She joined the University in July 2007. Before coming to the Sonoma State, she was a veteran academic fundraiser with broad experience in major gifts, planned giving and capital and endowment campaigns.
McNeill was the Senior Director of Development at San Jose State University from 2005-2007 and served as a director of development and a planned giving officer from 2002-2005. At San Jose, she was the chief development strategist during which time gifts to the SJSU grew from a steady $9-$10 million annually to more than $50 million this year. She built the program from a staff of three to twelve with every academic unit having its own development officer. McNeill also initiated and developed a plan for SJSU's first comprehensive capital campaign with a $150 million working goal.
McNeill worked at California State University, Dominguez Hills from 1999-2002 as a Director of Development for the College of Arts and Sciences where she launched the first College Fund for Student Excellence and one for Faculty Excellence.
From 1983 to 1995, she served in various fundraising capacities with J.C. Geever, Inc. of New York City where she helped a variety of non-profit clients build successful fundraising programs. She co-authored with Geever the first two editions of "The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing." She has also led professional seminars on the grant writing process.
McNeill has a B.A. in Art History from Mills College in Oakland, California, an M.A. in Art Education from Columbia University Teacher's College, New York and an M.A.T. in Museum Education from George Washington University, in Washington DC.
