Jennifer Arnett to Lead Fundraising at Mayo Clinic

Jennifer Arnett, vice chancellor of University Development and Alumni Relations, has been named chief development officer of the Mayo Clinic, effective Dec. 1, 2021. Her last day with UC San Francisco will be Oct. 22, 2021. Founded in 1890 in Rochester, Minn., Mayo is ranked the number one hospital among the nation’s health care institutions, with a mission to provide integrated clinical practice, education, and research. 

As UCSF’s top development officer, Arnett has led the University through the largest capital campaign in UCSF’s 157-year history, culminating in nearly triple the annual philanthropic support for UCSF’s strategic priorities compared to a decade earlier. During her previous role as associate vice chancellor, she partnered with the vice chancellor to design and launch UCSF: The Campaign, with the initial goal of raising $5 billion to solve the Grand Challenges in biomedical science and medicine. The campaign surpassed its goal by almost 24 percent, closing early in September 2020 at $6.2 billion.

“Jennifer has been a tireless advocate of the work UCSF does across all of our mission areas,” said Chancellor Sam Hawgood, MBBS. “She has inspired our donors to imagine what we can achieve together, and her contributions have helped to create a stronger foundation for UCSF’s ambitious plans.”

Jennifer has been a tireless advocate of the work UCSF does across all of our mission areas. She has inspired our donors to imagine what we can achieve together, and her contributions have helped to create a stronger foundation for UCSF’s ambitious plans.

Over the past 12 years, Arnett has risen through the ranks of UCSF’s development team, starting in 2010 as the senior director for corporate and foundation relations. She became interim head of development in late 2011 and associate vice chancellor in 2012, before taking the helm of UDAR four years ago. 

Throughout her tenure, Arnett worked to transform the culture of the fundraising team, while growing and strengthening the team to better serve the institution. This included contributing to the creation of a new structure and funding model that has established UCSF among the leading universities in philanthropic support. 

“I am grateful for the opportunity I had to partner with so many great colleagues during my time at UCSF,” said Jennifer Arnett. “I have learned so much from working with Chancellor Hawgood, his leadership team, UCSF’s best-in-field faculty, my talented UDAR team, and our phenomenal donors. It has been inspiring to bring this community together to build support for big ideas – ideas that have and will continue to make a material difference in advancing science and health.”

Arnett currently oversees a team of 200 people, including seven direct reports, and a budget of $48 million. She also serves as vice president of the UCSF Foundation Board of Directors, working directly with the Foundation.

Prior to UCSF, Arnett held multiple fundraising roles for Emory University, starting as an assistant director there early in her career. She took an 11-year hiatus from Emory to lead a development consulting service, before returning to the Atlanta university as senior director of development in 2007. She is a graduate of Harvard College in Cambridge, Mass.