Office for External Relations

Ellie Starr

HSPH FEATURES

Health policy

A passion for quality, affordable health care

Social inequalities

Serving the underserved

Starr leads fundraising effort

Ellie Starr joined HSPH in June 2009 as the School’s new Vice Dean for External Relations. Starr comes from the Perkins School for the Blind where she served as Executive Director of the Perkins Trust.

During her tenure at Perkins, Starr restructured Perkins’ development office, built and led a team of development professionals to increase fundraising by 40 percent, and launched the largest fundraising campaign in Perkins’ 180-year history.

A 17-year veteran of the development field, Starr spent eight years at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) prior to her time at Perkins. At DFCI, Starr built the highly successful principal and major gifts efforts and developed fundraising strategies and plans for the $1 billion Mission Possible Campaign, the largest in DFCI history. She raised several million dollars toward the campaign’s goal.

Starr began her development career at Brandeis University where she planned and implemented strategy to develop and cultivate planned and major gifts.

HSPH’s fundraising and alumni relations efforts report to Starr. “The School’s mission to translate knowledge into programs and policies that improve the health of millions of people is extremely compelling and is what draws me here,” says Starr, “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead a team of fundraising professionals and work with Dean Frenk and all the talented HSPH  faculty, alumni, students and donors to promote that mission.”

“Ellie joins HSPH with a wealth of fundraising experience, a lifelong passion for issues of public health and solid experience in building and growing successful development teams,” says HSPH Dean Julio Frenk. “I see her work, and the efforts of those working with her, as the essential bridge between our academic community and the business and philanthropic communities.” To reflect that dual function, Dean Frenk has chosen to rename the Office for Resource Development the Office for External Relations.

“I know our donors and friends will enjoy working with her and the entire resource development team as we endeavor to attract funds to support our vital mission,” says Dean Frenk.