Union Theological Seminary President Serene Jones announced the appointment of Rita L. Walters as Vice President of Development, effective July 1, 2019. Walters brings 20 years of fundraising and advancement experience in non-profit, faith-based and higher education sectors. Most recently, she served as the Chief Development Officer for Catholic Charities of Maryland and Vice President of Advancement for the Maryland Institute College of Art.
“Rita brings a wealth of experience in advancing institutional goals to this position and I’m looking forward to having her join our seminary family,” said Jones. “At a time when Union is continuing to pave the way with innovative programs in theological education, and the weight of student debt is increasing, we need a visionary and strategic leader who can help us grow our resources to meet our needs and aspirations.”
“I am excited to serve as the next Vice President of Development for Union to support the dynamic vision led by President Jones, her leadership team and the board of trustees,” said Walters. “We are at a seminal moment in history, where Union’s vision of expansive love and justice-seeking service is key to forming deeper relationships with alumni, donors and friends, as we harness our collective power to continue to be a light of hope in the world.”
A native of Newark, N.J., Walters began her career in New York City in finance before transitioning to advancement, where she worked as the Director of Development at The Baltimore Presbytery, followed by a position as Senior Associate Director of Development at The Johns Hopkins University Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and then Chief Development Officer at Washington National Cathedral. Walters holds a master’s degree of liberal arts from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
President Jones added, “I am grateful to Emily Odom for her leadership over the past several months as interim vice president and am pleased that she will continue her diligent work with alums as she returns to her former position as Director of Alumni/ae Relations.