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Executive Director of Development 

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Executive Director of Development 

Optica Foundation

Hybrid Washington, DC

Founded in 2002, the Optica Foundation has emerged as a transformative force in the advancement of optics and photonics research. With a mission focused on supporting early-career researchers addressing global challenges, the Foundation has built a reputation for fostering groundbreaking research and creating a vibrant community. Its influence extends globally, impacting over 140,000 beneficiaries through initiatives that span a diverse array of disciplines, including communications, environmental sciences, and healthcare.

The Foundation’s commitment to innovation is evident through initiatives like the Foundation Challenge, the Women’s Scholars Program, and the network of over 400 student chapters worldwide. As the Optica Foundation continues to shape the future of optics and photonics, its multifaceted approach to philanthropy underscores a dedication to not only supporting scientific breakthroughs but also nurturing a collaborative environment that empowers the next generation of leaders and innovators.

The Opportunity

The Optica Foundation seeks a strategic and visionary Executive Director of Development to lead fundraising and philanthropic efforts that support this growing global impact.

Reporting directly to the CEO of Optica, this individual will work with a small team to cultivate relationships and generate support from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Executive Director will partner with the Foundation Board and senior leaders to craft and execute strategies that grow giving, increase donor engagement, and ensure sustained investment in Optica Foundation programs. With Optica covering overhead expenses, every donated dollar goes directly to programming—making it a powerful case for support.

The Executive Director of Development will be the chief architect and relationship builder behind this mission, helping to shape a future where young professionals exploring the possibilities of optics and photonics are supported in their quest to improve lives around the world.

The salary range for this position is $180,000 to $210,000.

Optica Foundation

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    By admin|2026-09-23T21:25:12-04:00March 5, 2025|Comments Off on Executive Director of Development 

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    Terri Rutter brings a wide array of nonprofit, advancement, and communications and marketing expertise to Lindauer, excelling in placing top leaders and executing team builds in multiple sectors.

    Having served in various senior advancement and management roles, Terri is well-versed in the responsibilities of leadership. One of the firm’s most senior consultants, she is experienced in recruiting CEOs and Executive Directors, SVPs and VPs, National Directors, and high-level frontline fundraising, operations, and marketing and communications professionals for a broad range of world-class educational and medical institutions and national nonprofits. Past and current clients include AI2 (the Allen Institute for AI), JDRF, Boston Children’s Hospital, City of Hope, Massachusetts General Hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Geisel School of Medicine,  Moffitt Cancer Center, Fenway Health, George Washington University, George Washington University Medical and Health Sciences, Lehigh Valley Health Network, North Carolina State University, The Kaiser Family Foundation, The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, The Craig Newmark School of Journalism at CUNY, The Moth, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), The John F. Kennedy Library, Solar One, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Climate Central, Chautauqua Institution, Conservation Law Foundation, Institute for Advanced Study, King School, Phillips Academy, Colby College, Lyric Opera of the Chicago, Rhode Island School of Design, and The Washington State University Foundation.

    Early career positions at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health honed Terri’s experience working effectively with leading researchers, physicians, and academic medical administrators. She built and led creative integrated advancement communications and donor relations teams within major academic medical centers including Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and NYU Langone Medical Center. Each of these roles included developing and managing complex charity brands and models. Terri has also served as Editor of the Harvard Medical Alumni Magazine; Senior Editor at The Dana Foundation in Washington, DC; and Managing Editor at the consumer website Scientific Learning in Oakland, CA.

    As a consultant, Terri has directed multi-faceted, integrated marketing, communications, donor cultivation, and stewardship strategies for various Institutes and units at MIT, Alzheimer’s Association, UMass Medical School Department of Psychiatry, Children’s Hospital Boston, Tufts Medical Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, and the Betsy Lehman Center. She has a broad freelance writing portfolio for numerous publications, including Associated Press, Boston Herald, New Physician Magazine, and the British Medical Journal, as well as for digital channels.

    Terri holds a BA from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree from Northeastern University.

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