Chief Development Officer Chautauqua Institution

Chief Development Officer | Chautauqua Institution

Chautauqua, New York

Institution Overview

Internationally renowned for its nine-week Summer Assembly Season from June through August, Chautauqua Institution curates a stunning variety of programs in arts, religion, education, and recreation. More than 100,000 visitors engage each summer in daily lectures, performances, worship services, classes, workshops, and recreational offerings—drawn by a shared desire for intellectual growth, meaningful dialogue, an unparalleled sense of community, and personal relaxation and renewal.

Chautauqua’s grounds comprise 750 acres located on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State and within a 2-hour drive of Buffalo, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. Between 7,500 and 10,000 people reside on the grounds during the 9-week summer season.

Chautauqua hosts a diverse and compelling lineup of artists, lecturers, and performers. On any given day, Chautauquans may attend lectures and master classes from the likes of Ken Burns, Morgan Freeman, Doris Kearns-Goodwin, and Thomas Friedman. They may enjoy religious leaders like Rev. Raphael Warnock, Rabbi Peter Berg, Rev. Winnie Varghese, or Rev. Otis Moss III. They may experience authors such as George Saunders, Kwame Alexander, Amor Towles, or Amy Tan.

They may attend performances by the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, Diana Krall, Wynton Marsalis, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Denyce Graves, Laufey, Sheryl Crow, or The Roots.

Chautauquans may also immerse themselves in classic works and world premieres performed by Chautauqua’s Theater Company, Opera Company, and Symphony Orchestra, or they can choose to support and nurture the future artistic leaders developed by the Schools of Performing & Visual Arts. However they choose to spend their time, Chautauquans have the opportunity to experience creativity of all forms in a distinctive environment that is uniquely conducive to interaction, collaboration, and the formation of relationships.

In fact, many speakers and performers stay for multiple days, bring their families, expand the scope of their involvement, and return to Chautauqua again and again. That is the power of the one-of-a-kind experience Chautauqua provides.

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is responsible for conceptualizing, organizing, and implementing a comprehensive and strategic fundraising program in support of Chautauqua’s mission and strategic priorities. The CDO will serve as a thought partner to President Mark Johnson, to whom the position reports. The CDO will work closely with the Senior Vice President/Chief Program Officer, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, and fellow members of the Executive Team.

Other close partners include the Board of Trustees, the Executive Director and the Board of Directors of the Chautauqua Foundation, and a wide circle of volunteer leaders. Together they will build a sustainable culture of philanthropy throughout the Institution, cultivate transformative gifts, and elevate and support Chautauqua’s mission.

The CDO leads a team of approximately 10 professionals across the following areas: major, principal, and planned gifts; annual giving; institutional grants and sponsor ships; prospect research, donor relations and events; and development services. The CDO will be tasked with sustained growth of the Chautauqua Fund, Chautauqua’s annual fund, which raised $5.9 million in FY25. The CDO will also help to build the strategy for Chautauqua’s next comprehensive campaign.

Chautauqua Institution enters this search at an inflection point. Its Boundless campaign set a goal of $150 million and closed six months ahead of schedule in December 2025, raising $166 million during…