Two senior-level appointments in the Office of Alumni Affairs and Development (AAD) will take place in January, according to Fred Van Sickle, vice president for alumni affairs and development.

Mike Moyer, currently an associate vice president for advancement at Virginia Tech, will return to Cornell Jan. 15 as associate vice president for principal gifts, succeeding Jeff McCarthy.

Additionally, Van Sickle announced that Ben Renberg, senior associate vice president for development, will be leaving Cornell Jan. 16 to return to his native Texas; Kristen Ford, currently Cornell’s associate vice president for colleges and units, will be promoted to the position. Both Moyer and Ford will report to Van Sickle.

“I know both Mike and Kristen will bring a deep understanding of Cornell, keen strategic sense and an inspirational work ethic to their new roles,” Van Sickle said.

Moyer began his fundraising career at Johns Hopkins University. At Cornell from 2007-15, he had previously led fundraising for the College of Architecture, Art and Planning and then the College of Engineering. In those roles, he helped secure funds to build Milstein Hall, renovate the Fine Arts Library and lead the Engineering team during two of the most productive years of the previous campaign.

At Virginia Tech for the past five years, Moyer led a majority of the advancement division’s programming and directed their $1.5 billion “Boundless Impact” campaign, creating a best-in-class corporate giving program through a partnership with their vice president of research and innovation, provost and deans.

“I am thrilled and honored to return to Cornell,” Moyer said. “I’m excited to reconnect with Cornellians I know well, and meet many for the first time.

“Cornell University’s ability to address the world’s most complex problems is without equal,” he said. “I’m therefore looking forward to working with our alumni and friends – along with bringing some creative approaches and ideas from Virginia Tech – to help President Martha Pollack and the university reach its lofty ambitions.”

“Mike’s strong track record as a unit and divisional leader, and his collegial manner, will position him to lead the principal gifts team and our divisional partners to new levels of productivity for Cornell,” Van Sickle said.

Ford, who previously worked as the director of special campaigns at Ithaca College (as well as an athletic director), began her Cornell career in campaign planning and led university corporate and foundation fundraising during the “Cornell Now” campaign before moving to the colleges and units division, where she bolstered partnerships, elevated fundraising results and recruited and mentored a cohort of assistant and associate deans and directors.

“I am excited for this opportunity, and to build on Cornell’s fundraising and engagement success as we progress towards the launch of the public campaign,” Ford said. “There remains much more to be done, and I look forward to working with university leadership, volunteers and colleagues within alumni affairs and development to advance the opportunities for students and key university priorities.”

“Kristen is well-positioned to lead and drive further divisional innovation and productivity,” Van Sickle said. “Her commitment to excellence and continual growth is evident in everything she does, and I know we can count on her to lead with passion and effectiveness.”

Ford will be leading the search for an associate vice president for colleges and units after the new year.

Renberg to lead Texas health care foundation

Renberg is returning to his native Texas, where he will lead Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation as its new president. The foundation raises and manages funds to support Baylor Scott & White Health, the largest nonprofit health system in Texas.

Renberg said he will look back on his Cornell years with pride.

“When I arrived, the charge was to build a growth mindset culture and bring our fundraising program to new heights,” he said. “With Fred’s leadership and in partnership with exceptional colleagues, we have made significant progress on both. It has been an honor to bring people together and achieve great results for Cornell.”

“In the almost five years he has spent in Ithaca, Ben has made many contributions to our shared accomplishments,” Van Sickle said, “including helping us plan and launch our university campaign, realign our fundraising approach, encourage our feedback culture, and most recently served as interim principal gifts lead. He leaves us a much more productive and effective organization.”