San Francisco Opera Names Lisa Bury As The Company's Chief Philanthropy Officer
Bury will work closely with Shilvock and San Francisco Opera's Board of Directors on the development and implementation of fundraising goals and strategies.
Matthew Shilvock, Tad and Dianne Taube General Director of San Francisco Opera, today announced the appointment of Lisa Bury as Chief Philanthropy Officer, following a national search led by Anne Johnson at the Aspen Leadership Group. Bury joins San Francisco Opera from The Dallas Opera, where she currently serves as Chief Advancement and Strategy Officer.
"I am thrilled to welcome Lisa to San Francisco Opera at such a pivotal time for the Company," said Matthew Shilvock. "Lisa brings extraordinary experience and wisdom leading fundraising efforts in American opera companies and has a personal passion for the art form that is deeply inspiring. Lisa is joining us at a time when Eun Sun Kim is beginning her tenure as music director, our centennial season is just around the corner and we are looking at new ways of sharing opera with broader communities. I am so excited for the lasting impact that Lisa will bring as we work to deepen our connection within the Bay Area and beyond."
Lisa Bury assumes her new position on December 8, 2021, reporting to Matthew Shilvock. As Chief Philanthropy Officer, Bury will work closely with Shilvock and San Francisco Opera's Board of Directors on the development and implementation of fundraising goals and strategies for San Francisco Opera, serving as the senior leader dedicated to contributed revenue and acting as a critical member of the general director's executive team. Committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, Bury will direct a fundraising team encompassing the annual fund, institutional and major gifts, grants, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, endowment and capital campaigns.
"It is an honor to join Matthew Shilvock and his leadership team," said Lisa Bury. "I was completely mesmerized by the Company's current Fidelio and the electrifying music-making led by Eun Sun Kim. Working in partnership with San Francisco Opera's family of board and staff to build the philanthropic investments needed to advance our mission deeply into the next 100 years is an absolute dream come true for me."
The Dallas Opera's general director and CEO Ian Derrer said: "In her two years as a highly successful member of The Dallas Opera's senior executive team, Lisa Bury has been instrumental in helping to steer the company through the tumult of the Covid-19 pandemic, while at the same time significantly increasing the donor base and aligning development and marketing strategies to enhance revenues and the patron experience. She was also a key player in the development of important new digital initiatives, including the launch of thedallasopera.tv. I have no doubt that Lisa's leadership experience and insight will help San Francisco Opera advance in all its bold endeavors."
Lisa Bury joined The Dallas Opera as Chief Advancement and Strategy Officer in October 2019 from the Boston Symphony Orchestra where she served as the Interim Chief Development Officer. Previously Bury held the position of Director of Development at Seattle Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and Arizona Opera, following a 14-year tenure at Lyric Opera of Chicago. A violinist and violist, Bury earned both an M.B.A. and an M.A. in Arts Administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where she is currently an adjunct professor at SMU's Meadows School of the Arts. She holds additional degrees from Ithaca College in New York and Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She became a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) in 2018. A long-time member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) for which she served as a presenter, board member, and committee chair with the Seattle chapter, Bury has presented at the conferences of OPERA America, League of American Orchestras, Tessitura Network and the Association of California Symphony Orchestras.
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