Cassie Hunt named executive director of strategic analysis at W&L

Cassie Ritter Hunt, executive director of advancement operations at Washington and Lee University, has been named executive director of strategic analysis, effective Oct. 18.

She succeeds Tim Diette, who will join the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty as its executive director this month.

In her new role, Hunt will work on projects with colleagues across the university, including admissions, financial aid, student affairs, academic affairs, and advancement, collecting, analyzing and interpreting data to inform strategic decisions.

“I’m delighted that Cassie has agreed to serve the university in this new capacity,” said Jessica Willett, vice president for communications and strategic initiatives. “She brings over ten years of data strategy and analytics experience to this role and has proven herself to be a thoughtful and collaborative partner in that work. Her insight and ability to use data to drive good decision-making will be invaluable as we work to realize the ambitious goals of our strategic plan.”

Hunt, a 2001 graduate of Washington and Lee, joined the University Advancement staff immediately after graduation and was named director of annual giving in 2003. She became director of advancement operations in 2007 and served W&L in that capacity until 2010, when she joined the consulting firm Bentz Whaley Flessner as a senior associate, helping nonprofits develop data-driven strategies to increase their fundraising capacity. Two years later, she joined the Advancement staff at the University of Richmond and led Richmond’s advancement data and reporting operations before returning to W&L in 2015 as director of prospect development and analytics. She was named executive director of advancement operations, overseeing biographical and gift management, prospect research, analytics and reporting, in 2016.

She has served on the university’s Data Analytics Working Group and Strategic Planning Resource Task Force, and currently serves on the Data Governance Council. She is active in the Council for the Advancement and Support of Higher Education and the Association of Advancement Services Professionals, presenting at numerous conferences on topics including data-driven decision making, change management, and data integrity, and at Community School in Roanoke, Virginia, where she is currently chairman of the board.

A graduate of the American Council on Education’s Women’s Network Senior Leadership Seminar and Washington and Lee’s own Leadership Development Program, Hunt is currently pursuing a master’s degree in organizational leadership and change management at The George Washington University.

“Data analysis plays such an important role in the decisions that will determine the future of W&L,” Hunt said. “I’m honored to serve my alma mater in this role — It’s a wonderful alignment of two things that I care about deeply.”

The process for identifying Hunt’s successor in Advancement Operations will be announced soon.