Elizabeth Mitchell

Biography

Elizabeth Mitchell serves as assistant dean of advancement at the Pamplin College of Business.

Mitchell is a senior advancement professional with 30 years of comprehensive experience in higher education, including campaign environments. She has nearly two decades of specialized experience as a senior leader at top-ranked business schools at public and private universities with expertise in navigating academic leadership organizational change management, impact to institutions and advancing cultures of philanthropy.

Her areas of expertise include executive management, strategic planning, staffing and representing university and college leadership domestically and internationally, principal and major gifts, planned giving, corporate relations, annual funds, alumni relations, academic center development, faculty-development relationships, and senior volunteer management to advance cultures of philanthropy.

Mitchell previously served as assistant vice president of development and alumni relations at the George Washington University School of Business. During her tenure at George Washington University, she contributed significantly to the funds raised and navigating leadership transitions. 

Mitchell was director of external relations at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, where she served for six years, including securing 7 figure commitments during the Great Recession.   She has also held development positions at Wheaton College (Massachusetts), Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and Harvard Law School.

Mitchell was nominated to participate in Higher Education Resource Services (HERS), the prestigious executive education institute for emerging women leaders in higher education. She is a member of The Quorum Initiative, a professional women’s leadership network for women working in business, education, and government, with chapters in New York; Washington, D.C.; and London.

She received a master’s in divinity from Harvard Divinity School, completing a self-designed program in nonprofit management, business ethics, and philanthropy, and a bachelor’s in government/international relations and religion from Smith College.