Open to opportunities

Lisa Merritt

@lisamerritt

Message

Senior fundraising executive driving enterprise revenue growth for global health, science, and sustainability.

United States

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek senior leadership roles where I can drive enterprise revenue growth, build high-performing teams, and translate complex science and sustainability work into fundable strategies.

I am a senior fundraising executive with 20+ years leading enterprise-level revenue growth and securing five-, six-, and seven-figure investments across global health, sustainability, science, and higher education. I translate technical and humanitarian impact into compelling cases for philanthropic investment.

I have designed and executed diversified fundraising strategies—major and principal gifts, foundations, corporate partnerships, grants—and led CRM-driven portfolio management using Salesforce and Raiser’s Edge. I built and coached high-performing teams, established portfolio standards, and delivered disciplined forecasting and pipeline management.

My track record includes doubling philanthropic revenue at a 136-year-old scientific society, raising planned and legacy gifts, and delivering the most successful fundraising year in a college's history while advancing multi-year campaign goals. I partner effectively with CEOs, boards, faculty, and scientists to scale mission-driven initiatives.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Fractional Development Consultant

Current

Independent Consultant

Aug 2025 - Present (7 months)

Provide fractional senior-level fundraising leadership to nonprofits across global health, science, and culture, advising CEOs on major gift strategy, portfolio design, and revenue forecasting to improve donor retention and revenue performance.

Major Gifts Fundraising Strategy Portfolio Management Salesforce Grant Strategy Revenue Forecasting Development & Operations

Vice President, Investments & Partnerships

My Green Lab

Jan 2024 - Dec 2025 (1 year 11 months)

Served as chief fundraising officer, designing multi-year fundraising strategy and submitting $1.5M in competitive proposals within five months while building and managing individual and family-office donor pipelines.

Major Gifts Corporate Partnerships Grant writing Salesforce Revenue Forecasting Fundraising Strategy

Director of Development

Sigma Xi

Jan 2021 - Dec 2024 (3 years 11 months)

Revitalized philanthropy as first head development officer, doubling philanthropic revenue from $800K to $1.5M in two years and raising an additional $3.5M in planned and legacy gifts through team-building and portfolio optimization.

Major Gifts Planned Giving Team Leadership Salesforce Pipeline Development Stewardship

Executive Director Development

University of Miami

Jan 2017 - Dec 2021 (4 years 11 months)

Led multicultural advancement team at the College of Engineering, delivering the college's most successful fundraising year and advancing the Dean’s $75M+ vision as part of a $2B university campaign with multiple six- and seven-figure gifts.

Major Gifts Campaign Management Fundraising Strategy Alumni Engagement

Director of Development

Florida International University

Jan 2014 - Dec 2017 (3 years 11 months)

Developed and executed comprehensive campaign fundraising strategy for the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts, leading an integrated advancement team and securing major gifts and campaign support to restructure alumni and volunteer leadership.

Campaign Strategy Major Gifts Annual Giving Alumni Engagement Donor Relations Fundraising Communications Portfolio Management

Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations

Pérez Art Museum Miami

Managed corporate and foundation relations to secure institutional support for museum initiatives and align philanthropic partnerships with programmatic priorities.

Corporate Partnerships Foundation Relations Grant writing Stewardship Relationship Management Proposal Development

Senior Engineer

Florida Power & Light

Worked as a senior engineer on utility projects, applying electrical engineering expertise prior to transition into fundraising and nonprofit leadership.

Electrical Engineering Project Management Technical analysis Regulatory Compliance Cross Functional Collaboration Engineering design

CEO & Managing Director

Pegasus Consulting Group

Led consulting firm providing fundraising and development strategy, advising nonprofits on advancement operations, revenue diversification, and donor engagement practices.

Fundraising Strategy CRM Implementation Staff Training Strategic Planning

Director of Major Gifts

Florida Grand Opera

Led major gifts and grants management to increase philanthropic support for performing arts programming through targeted donor cultivation and proposal development.

Major Gifts Grants Management Stewardship Proposal Writing

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Florida International University

Master of Science, Engineering Management

Master of Science in Engineering Management focused on graduate-level engineering management coursework to support technical and organizational leadership.