Lynette Marshall Announces Retirement Timeline
PHOTO: Jason Smith Lynette Marshall, president and CEO of the University of Iowa Center for Advancement, has announced her plans to retire in summer 2026.
Marshall has been at the helm of the UI Center for Advancement since 2006—creating a culture of philanthropy on campus and incisively leading the organization to support the University of Iowa and its mission.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to serve Iowa and its incredible community of alumni, donors, and friends,” Marshall says. “I have every confidence in the continued strength of our leadership team, the dedication of our staff, and the continued success of the Together Hawkeyes campaign. The future is bright for Iowa.”
“It is the honor of a lifetime to serve Iowa and its incredible community of alumni, donors, and friends.” Lynette Marshall, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF UI Center for Advancement
UI President Barbara Wilson says Marshall’s career at Iowa is one defined by remarkable impact.
“Lynette has been a steadfast and visionary leader whose work has transformed how we engage with our alumni and supporters,” says Wilson. “Her leadership has helped secure vital resources for our people and programs, and her legacy will continue to shape the university for generations to come. I will miss her immensely and I am grateful that we have a full year to prepare for the transition and to continue working together to benefit the university.”
For Iowa. Forever More.
Marshall came to Iowa in 2006 after a distinguished 25-year career in advancement at her alma mater, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There she became the first fundraising professional in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, earning a master’s in educational policy studies along the way, and eventually served as the university’s associate vice chancellor for development.
In 2007, soon after arriving at Iowa, Marshall was instrumental in shaping a student philanthropy initiative. Over the years the initiative grew to include a student organization focused on advancement, an advancement fellowship, an academic certificate program in fundraising and philanthropy, and a robust summer internship program.
After Iowa City and the University of Iowa were struck by a historic flood in 2008 that caused nearly $800 million in damage to campus, Marshall led the UI Foundation’s efforts to help fund the rebuilding of the arts campus, which was the most severely affected. The Arts & Minds campaign raised crucial funding to support new facilities for the performing and visual arts and the UI School of Music.
In 2013, the university announced an ambitious comprehensive fundraising campaign, For Iowa. Forever More. This campaign was the largest fundraising effort to date for the university and state. Under Marshall’s leadership, the campaign raised more than $1.975 billion, surpassing the goal by $275 million.
Donors to the campaign helped the university build UI Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital and the UI Stanley Museum of Art; establish crucial research hubs such as the Iowa Neuroscience Institute and the Pappajohn Biomedical Institute; and provide unprecedented support for students, faculty, research, and programs.
PHOTO: Justin Torner Marshall, pictured here at a UI Dance Marathon event, has long championed the student organization, counting the decades of students who have “danced for life” to raise money for Stead Family Children’s Hospital among the university’s most generous donors. Collectively, UI Dance Marathon has raised more than $37 million for pediatric oncology research and care at Iowa since its inception in 1995. Together, Hawkeyes
In 2017, just months after completing the For Iowa. Forever More. campaign, Marshall was tasked with combining two longstanding organizations, the UI Alumni Association and the UI Foundation, into what is now known as the UI Center for Advancement. This move to an advancement framework, which includes philanthropy, alumni outreach, and engagement, created a collaborative approach that maximizes support for the University of Iowa.
“Lynette has led the Center for Advancement with integrity, vision, and an unwavering commitment to the University of Iowa.” Andy Code, CHAIR, UI CENTER FOR ADVANCEMENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
“Lynette has led the Center for Advancement with integrity, vision, and an unwavering commitment to the University of Iowa,” says Andy Code, chair of the UI Center for Advancement Board of Directors. “Thanks to her leadership, the organization is strong and well-positioned for the future. The board has full confidence in the talented leadership team she has built, and we are deeply grateful for the legacy she will leave.”
Marshall’s leadership has been instrumental in the ongoing success of the Together Hawkeyes campaign, which the university launched in 2023, and continues to gain momentum and inspire generosity across the Hawkeye community.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Lynette Marshall Marshall (center) with Alison Traub (left), executive director of development and alumni relations, University of Cambridge, and Rhea Turteltaub (right), vice chancellor for external affairs, UCLA, at the 2024 Big Ten Fund Raisers Institute.A Legacy of National Leadership
With more than 40 years of experience in higher education advancement, Marshall’s contributions to the profession are vast. A highly sought-after speaker and mentor, she has served in leadership roles with the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, and the Big Ten Fund Raisers Institute.
CASE has recognized her contributions with two of its highest honors: the CASE Commonfund Award (2017), for best practices and distinguished service, and the Frank L. Ashmore Award for Service to CASE and the Advancement Profession (2020), for extraordinary leadership and mentorship.
“Her leadership, mentorship, and dedication to inclusive philanthropy have influenced not only her institution but the entire advancement community.” Sue Cunningham, president and CEO of CASE
Sue Cunningham, president and CEO of CASE, the global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement, has worked with Marshall for more than a decade.
“Lynette exemplifies the very best of our profession,” says Cunningham. “Her leadership, mentorship, and dedication to inclusive philanthropy have influenced not only her institution but the entire advancement community.”
PHOTO: UI Center for Advancement As she prepares for retirement in 2026, Marshall will spend the next year guiding a thoughtful leadership transition—ensuring the organization is well-positioned for its next chapter.Answering the Call
A national search for Marshall’s successor will begin in the coming months. In the meantime, she will continue to lead the organization while planning for her transition to retirement.
“Over the next year, I will work closely with board and university leadership on a thoughtful transition plan," says Marshall. “I'm grateful to support a university that transforms lives—including my own and those of my family. Advancement work has been more than a career for me these past 42 years—it has been a calling. And I can’t imagine a more meaningful one to have answered.”