Chatham University Names Michael E. Braxton as Vice President of Advancement
Chatham University has announced the hiring of Michael Braxton as vice president of advancement following a national search.
Braxton comes to Chatham with two decades of experience in philanthropic partnerships in Pittsburgh’s academic and cultural institutions. His expertise is in major and planned giving, comprehensive campaigns, donor engagement, and advancement strategy.
“Michael’s appointment comes at an exciting time for Chatham as we strengthen our commitment to our students, community, alumni, and future,” says Chatham President Dr. Lisa Lambert. “His deep connections with the Pittsburgh community, combined with his experience and understanding of higher education philanthropy, make him an excellent addition to our leadership team. I look forward to the energy and experience he will bring to our efforts.”
Before Chatham, Braxton worked at Duquesne University, where he was associate vice president of planned giving & major gifts. Prior to that, he spent six years as director of development at Pittsburgh Opera, where he led a successful $50 million comprehensive campaign, the organization’s largest, including the two biggest individual gifts ever given to the company.
He also worked for 15 years at Carnegie Mellon University, where he advanced philanthropic priorities across a complex, research-intensive institution. There, he cultivated support for interdisciplinary academic initiatives, managed relationships with top university prospects, and developed fundraising strategies in collaboration with deans and academic leaders.
“Chatham’s greatest strength is its community of students, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, and friends,” says the incoming vice president of advancement, Michael Braxton. “I look forward to listening and engaging with this community as we build upon Chatham’s proud legacy and advance its exceptionally bright future.”
Braxton also brings experience as a trustee, volunteer leader, and governance partner through service in educational, civic, and faith-based institutions. He serves on the combined Board of Trustees of Virginia Theological Seminary and The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church, where he chairs the institutional advancement committee.
A former lawyer and western Pennsylvania native, Braxton earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Princeton University and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School.