INTERVIEW:
About Shane Jacobson:
Shane Jacobson is the Chief Executive Officer of the V Foundation. He is an accomplished foundation executive with experience leading record-setting campaigns that align philanthropic partnerships with ambitious goals. At the V Foundation, Jacobson and the staff have a laser-sharp focus on funding game-changing research and all-star scientists to accelerate victory over cancer and save lives.
Prior to joining the organization, Jacobson served as the President & CEO of the University of Vermont Foundation. His team set an all-time high in fundraising through a highly successful $581 million campaign. Included in this total is nearly $300 million in support of academic medicine and patient care, as well as $43 million for athletics. They also generated substantial investments in research and scientific discovery by more than doubling the number of endowed faculty professorships and chairs, with more than 125 positions now at the University. Additionally, Jacobson was part of a team that cultivated a $66M gift that named UVM’s College of Medicine – which represents the single largest contribution ever to a public university in New England.
A native of Iowa, Jacobson received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Iowa State University, and he completed the Harvard University Management Development Program. He has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Association of Governing Boards’ Council of Presidents and AGB Foundations Advisory Council and the UVM President’s Commission on Inclusive Excellence.