UVA Darden School of Business Names Kara Mullins Executive Director of Advancement

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business and the Darden School Foundation today announced the appointment of Kara Mullins as executive director of advancement.

Mullins will oversee the Darden School’s fundraising efforts and will lead the creation and execution of a major capital campaign in alignment with UVA’s Bicentennial celebration, which will begin in 2017.

Mullins will report to Darden’s Dean Scott Beardsley and begin her role in January 2016.

“A talented leader and fundraiser, Kara rose to the top of a highly competitive group of candidates. She brings to Darden a successful track record leading fundraising teams at important national and international organizations,” said Beardsley. “She has the skills and experience to lead Darden’s advancement efforts at an exciting time in our 60-year history, and I look forward to working with her.”

Mullins currently serves as associate vice president for Institutional Advancement at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., where she oversees major gifts and has successfully directed a comprehensive campaign. Previously, she served as director of development of The Phillips Collection and as a senior development officer at the National Gallery of Art, both in Washington, D.C.

Mullins earned a B.A. from Marymount University and is a master’s degree candidate at Georgetown University.

Executive search firm Korn Ferry and the University of Virginia Executive Search Group conducted a national search and worked closely with a search committee comprised of Darden faculty, staff and trustees.