Emily Best named Chief Development Officer

The School of Dentistry selected Emily Best, MPA, as Chief Development Officer, Dean Keith Mays announced in an email to the school last week. Best’s tenure in the role begins January 18. 

Best takes on this role with extensive experience in development and alumni relations at the university and at the School of Dentistry. She joined the University of Minnesota in 2001 as the alumni and external relations coordinator at the College of Biological Sciences. Since then, she has held various roles at the University of Minnesota and the School of Dentistry, including grassroots coordinator, major gifts officer, director of alumni relations and, most recently, acting director of development, a role she entered when former Chief Development Officer Fred Bertschinger retired in 2017. 

As acting director of development, Best capably led the school’s Development and Alumni Relations Office. Some of her accomplishments include leading the Driven. campaign to surpass our $27 million dollar goal, increasing annual fundraising by 178% and donors by 61% over the last three years, and stewarding a seven-figure individual gift to establish a named professorship. 

“Emily’s existing experience and credibility at the University of Minnesota, strong relationships with donors, demonstrated leadership of the development and alumni relations team and commitment to advancing dental education distinguished her as the right candidate to fill this role,” reflected Dean Keith Mays, DDS, MS, PhD, in his announcement of the role. “I look forward to continuing my work with her and hope you will join me in welcoming her into the role of the Chief Development Officer.”

“I am excited to lead fundraising initiatives for the School of Dentistry as Chief Development Officer,” Best reflected. “I look forward to continuing to work alongside Dean Mays, our outstanding donor and alumni community and our faculty, staff and students. Together, we will accomplish great things as Minnesota’s only dental school.”