W&L Names Susan Wood Cunningham Executive Director of University Development

W&L Office of Communications
December 2, 2020

Susan Wood Cunningham, director of leadership giving at Washington and Lee, has been selected to be the university’s new executive director of university development, effective December 1, 2020.

The executive director of university development leads the university’s Development Office and is a key partner in fundraising for W&L.

W&L Vice President for University Advancement Tom Jennings announced Cunningham’s selection following a national search.

“Susan was the clear consensus top choice among a strong pool of candidates that emerged during our search,” said Jennings. “I have great confidence in Susan’s knowledge and skills in advancement, her ability to lead the university’s development team and work with key donors and colleagues, and her understanding of and respect for W&L.”

Cunningham started her W&L career in 2001 as a capital giving officer, then served as director of capital giving and director of the public phase of the university’s Campaign for the Rising Generation from 2002-2006. She has served as W&L’s director of leadership giving since 2006. Prior to joining Washington and Lee, Cunningham held development roles at Georgia Southern University, the University of Kentucky, and Savannah College of Art & Design.

“W&L enjoys a long and distinguished philanthropic history thanks to the efforts of many devoted development officers who have come before me,” said Cunningham. “I look forward to working with the W&L community to help achieve the goals of the university’s strategic plan and to ensure future generations of students experience the best of W&L.”

Cunningham holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Education from Vanderbilt University.