Mission and Executive Leadership

Our Mission

Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) is dedicated to advancing the mission of the University as a premier research and teaching institution. Guided by the University’s strategic priorities, ARD nurtures lifelong, mutually beneficial relationships with alumni, parents, friends, and organizations that result in volunteer engagement and philanthropic support.

In our daily work, we maintain a commitment to strengthening partnerships across the University community and to providing service through communication, collaboration, and leadership in the field of development. In all things, we continue to support the goal of the founders: to create a university of “the highest order of excellence.”

Executive Leadership

David Lively (’26 P), Vice President, Alumni Relations and Development

David Lively is vice president for Alumni Relations and Development at Northwestern University and serves as the University’s chief advancement officer. With more than 30 years of experience in higher education advancement, he leads Northwestern’s fundraising, alumni engagement, and philanthropic efforts, overseeing a team of more than 280 staff members and partnering with 100 advancement professionals across Northwestern's professional schools.

Lively joined Northwestern in 2012 and was appointed vice president for Alumni Relations and Development in 2024. Prior to his appointment, he held several senior leadership roles at the University, including senior associate vice president and campaign manager for We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern, which raised $6.1 billion from more than 174,000 donors. Previously, Lively held advancement positions at DePaul University, the University of Denver, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, and the University of Colorado Foundation.

Lively earned degrees from Southern Methodist University, Colorado State University, and the University of Denver, and completed the Management Development Program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. He is the author of Managing Major Gift Fundraisers: A Contrarian’s Guide (CASE, 2017).

Natasha DiPrima ’92 MS, Senior Associate Vice President, Alumni Relations and Development

Natasha DiPrima is a senior associate vice president for Northwestern University’s Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) and a member of the ARD Executive Team. In her role as chief marketing and communications officer for ARD, she is responsible for communication strategies and marketing efforts that drive lifelong alumni engagement and meaningful philanthropic giving. She leads a team of communication professionals and partners with colleagues across the University to inform, engage, and inspire Northwestern alumni and friends. A highlight during her tenure was leading the branding and communications for We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern, the University’s $6.1 billion fundraising campaign.

DiPrima has extensive experience in marketing, communications, alumni engagement, and volunteer management. Prior to joining ARD in 2011 , she oversaw alumni marketing and communications at the University of Notre Dame . Previously, she was a marketing and communications executive at several financial services companies.

DiPrima received a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications.

Sarah Dunn, Chief of Staff and Executive Director, Executive Operations

Sarah Dunn serves as the Chief of Staff and Executive Director of Executive Operations. In this role, she partners closely with senior leadership to advance the strategic priorities of Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) and oversee key executive functions, including management of the Board of Trustees ARD Committee, oversight of trustee philanthropy, and presidential engagement and deployment activities.

Prior to joining Northwestern, Sarah served as the inaugural director of advancement for the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), where she led fundraising and development efforts during the organization’s successful transition from a private operating foundation to a public charity. The advancement programs established during her tenure helped position PPIC for long-term philanthropic growth and public charity status.

Early in her career, Sarah held development positions at the University of Michigan, the Chicago Botanic Garden, and the Friends of the Parks in Chicago. She earned a bachelor’s degree in horticultural science from Colorado State University and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala.

Jamie Muller ’98, Associate Vice President, Schools and Programs

Jamie Muller serves as associate vice president for Schools and Programs within Northwestern University's Alumni Relations and Development division. She oversees advancement teams supporting Northwestern's undergraduate-serving schools, Athletics, the Block Museum of Art, University Libraries, the School of Professional Studies, and key university-wide initiatives including financial aid, parent giving, and student affairs. In partnership with University leadership, she helps advance Northwestern's strategic philanthropic priorities.

An award-winning broadcast journalist before beginning her career in higher education advancement, Jamie brings a storyteller's perspective to philanthropy and leadership. She is known for building high-performing teams, forging strong partnerships, and connecting donors with opportunities to make meaningful impact across the University.

A graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, Jamie returned to her alma mater in 2009 and has held a series of increasingly senior advancement leadership roles. Her career reflects a commitment to strengthening Northwestern through philanthropy and helping alumni, parents, and friends invest in the University's future.

Greg Outwater ’95, Associate Vice President, Major Gifts

Greg Outwater has served for over 18 years in Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) at Northwestern University, most recently as Associate Vice President, Development. In this role, Outwater drives Northwestern’s central individual major gift fundraising and strategy, managing a combined team of 30. As a leader, he thrives on building strong teams and supporting professional growth and success at ARD. Outwater was the number-one-ranked major gift producer over the entirety of Northwestern University’s $6 billion campaign, We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern.

A former opera singer, Outwater previously held managerial positions at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and IMG Artists. He is an active volunteer, currently serving on the board of directors of Greenwood Gardens in Short Hills, NJ. Outwater holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music and completed Graduate Studies in Opera as a Rotary Scholar at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst (The Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts) in Frankfurt, Germany. He earned a Certificate in Staff Leadership: Leading Change, from the Kellogg School of Management.

Karyn Reif, Senior Associate Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Karyn Reif is a member of ARD’s senior management team overseeing the division’s strategies and programs for human, financial, and technology resources. Reif joined Alumni Relations and Development in 2012 as associate vice president and chief operating officer. In this role, one of her primary charges was to build and oversee the department’s talent management program during the University’s multibillion-dollar fundraising campaign. Since 2015, Reif has also overseen the participation programs, providing strategic leadership for the reunion and annual giving teams. In 2017, she was promoted to the role of senior associate vice president and chief operating officer.

Reif has more than 30 years of experience in alumni relations and development as a frontline fundraiser, manager of frontline staff, and leader of administrative services and operations. Prior to joining Northwestern, Reif served as associate vice president of philanthropy for Rush University Medical Center, where she was an integral member of the leadership team during Rush’s successful fundraising campaign that ended in 2012. Before that, Reif was director of development at Rush, managing a team of development officers during the medical center’s previous campaign.

Earlier in her development career, Reif worked at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education and also for the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago. Reif earned her bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College and master’s degree from the University of Chicago.

Jason Smith, Associate Vice President, Strategic Initiatives

Jason Smith is a member of Northwestern University's Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) executive leadership team, where he helps shape cross-university fundraising strategy and advance philanthropic support for the institution's highest priorities.

He oversees several of ARD's key fundraising units, including Principal Gifts, International Development, Gift Planning, Foundation Relations, and Corporate Engagement. Smith also leads the planning and execution of Northwestern's comprehensive campaign efforts.

A seasoned advancement leader with experience across leading research universities, Smith has built a career in higher education philanthropy focused on fostering meaningful partnerships through a thoughtful and collaborative approach. Prior to joining Northwestern, he served as Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development at the University of Chicago, where he led regional advancement, individual giving, and principal gifts programs. Before UChicago, Smith held leadership positions at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Denver.

Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Skidmore College.

Lindsay Vahl Dean, Executive Director of the Northwestern Alumni Association, Assistant Vice President of Alumni Engagement

Lindsay Vahl Dean was named assistant vice president of alumni engagement and executive director of the Northwestern Alumni Association in July 2024, after having served as interim executive director for nine months. Vahl Dean is responsible for the overall leadership and strategic direction of the alumni association, which represents more than 260,000 alumni worldwide. She also serves as an ex-officio member of the NAA Board of Directors.

Vahl Dean joined Northwestern in March 2023 as senior director, strategic initiatives and alumni engagement, leading the NAA’s Alumni Communities team. Previously, she spent more than a decade with the Illinois State University Alumni Association, serving in alumni engagement leadership roles of progressive responsibility. Vahl Dean earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science and completed significant coursework toward a PhD in higher education administration at Illinois State. She began her professional career at her alma mater as an undergraduate admissions counselor.

Vahl Dean has been actively involved for many years in the progression of the alumni relations profession as well as the development of its future leaders. She was co-chair of the 2024 CASE District V Conference and served on the CASE District V Conference Planning Committee for eight years. Since 2022, she has served on the CASE District V Cabinet and currently serves as its chair. In addition, she serves the local community as a council member of the James R. Jordan Boys & Girls Club of Chicago Council.

Darnell Hines Jr., Associate Dean for Alumni Relations and Development, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law

As the associate dean of alumni relations and development, Darnell Hines is responsible for major and annual gifts, alumni relations, and donor relations and stewardship at Northwestern Pritzker Law. In his role, he is primarily tasked with developing strategies for mobilizing private philanthropic support from alumni, faculty, and staff, while nurturing the relationships between the Law School and its alumni and donors.

Hines has nearly 20 years of alumni relations and development experience. Prior to joining Northwestern Pritzker Law in 2015, he was the director of stewardship for the University of Alberta in Canada. Previously, he was the executive director of donor services at Wake Forest University and the director of donor relations and reunions at Michael E. Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University.

Alan Krensky, Executive for Development, Northwestern Medicine, Vice Dean for Development and Alumni Relations, Feinberg School of Medicine

Dr. Alan Krensky is currently the executive for development for Northwestern Medicine and vice dean for Development and Alumni Relations of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He attended the University of Pennsylvania for undergraduate and medical school and went on to Boston Children’s Hospital to serve a residency in pediatrics and a fellowship in nephrology. He also completed a fellowship in immunology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

After a year on the Harvard faculty, Dr. Krensky moved to Stanford for 23 years, where he served as associate dean for children’s health, associate chair for research (pediatrics), and the Shelagh Galligan Professor of Pediatrics.

During his time at Stanford, Dr. Krensky helped to raise more than $500 million for the Children’s Health Initiative, which he authored and directed. He moved to the National Institutes of Health in 2007, where he served as deputy director and was responsible for the Roadmap for Medical Research as well as the inaugural director of the Office of Portfolio Analysis and Strategic Initiatives. He joined Northwestern in 2012 to help develop the fundraising campaign for Northwestern Medicine and Feinberg.

Dr. Krensky has published more than 280 scientific papers and chapters and holds 12 patents. He has been recognized with research awards from the American Heart Association, American Society of Nephrology, National Kidney Foundation, American Society of Transplantation, American Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, Society for Pediatric Research, American Academy of Pediatrics, March of Dimes, and Burroughs Wellcome. He received a MERIT Award from the National Institutes of Health and is a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and Association of American Physicians. He served as president of the Society of Pediatric Research and secretary-treasurer of the American Society of Nephrology.

David Sack ’94, Associate Dean for Alumni Relations and Development, Kellogg School of Management

David Sack became the associate dean of Alumni Relations and Development at the Kellogg School of Management in November 2022. He joined Kellogg as a senior managing director in May 2020 and was responsible for developing and implementing fundraising plans for Kellogg’s strategic priorities.

Prior to joining Kellogg, David was vice president of philanthropy at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH). Before his 18 years with NMH, he served as a director at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, overseeing annual corporate fundraising. Earlier in his career, he spent two years as executive director of the Jazz Institute of Chicago.

David holds an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BA in art history, criticism, and conservation from Northwestern.