Advancement Team
Advancement
The Office of Advancement at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus works with alumni, friends, and donors to support students, faculty, research, and outreach initiatives at the university. Your gift of cash, property, or service plays a key role in the future development of academic programs, scholarships, and facilities and infrastructure support.
Donors and friends of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus are our most important asset. Whether you choose to make a single gift now, a multi-year pledge, or include the Sarasota-Manatee campus in your estate planning, we can help you meet your needs and make a difference to the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus.
Private philanthropy at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus is the engine for progress in scholarship, research, outreach, and more. Support for new and existing programs and initiatives made possible by our family of donors touches the lives of untold thousands here on campus and across the region, the nation, and the world.
As a donor to the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, you join thousands of others who have given their time, money, and talent to promote and sustain our mission; each and every one who gives to the campus becomes a partner in our enterprise of delivering higher education to desirous and deserving students.
Please consider helping us invent the future by making a gift to the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus.
For more information about ways to give, please contact:
University Advancement
University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus
8350 N. Tamiami Trail | Sarasota, FL 34243
Office: 941-359-4603
Meet the Team
Marrie Neumer
Associate Vice President, University Advancement
Marrie Neumer has spent her entire professional career in higher education and has an extensive record of success in building relationships with individuals and corporate partners to secure major gifts in support of university priorities. She also has experience developing and leading comprehensive fundraising campaigns, in addition to vast strategic management experience.
Prior to joining the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, Marrie spent 16 years at Cornell University, where she guided donors to provide annual support and endowment for faculty research, financial aid for undergraduate and graduate students, and the construction of new buildings. Notably, she managed the fundraising campaign for the new wing at Cornell’s Johnson Museum of Art while serving as the museum’s head of development. She also closed the campaign to build the Bill & Melinda Gates Hall for computing and information science.
Previously, Marrie spent two decades as a swimming coach at Springfield College, the University of Rochester, the University at Buffalo and Cornell. She holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from College of Wooster, where she was a four-time NCAA All-American swimmer, and a master’s degree in exercise physiology from Springfield College.
Clara Reynardus de Villanueva
Director of Development
As Director of Development, Clara Reynardus de Villanueva helps expand relationships within the community in support of the university’s fundraising efforts. Most recently, she served as development liaison with Sarasota-based CAN Community Health, where she worked closely with existing and potential donors to develop fundraising partnerships.
Prior to that role, Clara worked in sales and client-facing service roles in the Sarasota business community after relocating to the area from Massachusetts five years ago. She previously served for nine years as a product marketing manager for MCI WorldCom in Boca Raton. Additionally, she is a fine artist and Cuban art collector.
In addition to her professional experience, Clara has served in a leadership capacity in a variety of community volunteerism roles. She currently is a member of the Women in STEM Leadership Committee at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, a co-captain for the Child Protection Center 40-Year Initiative and a board member of the Cuban Art Alliance, Inc., of Longboat Key.
Clara is a graduate of Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and social relations.
Ms. Pam Gleason
Executive Administrative Specialist
Pam Gleason serves as an executive administrative specialist in the Office of Advancement. She has assisted the regional vice chancellor for advancement, as well as the directors of development, in the office’s day-to-day operations since 2005.
A Certified Administrative Professional, Pam maintains the office’s prospect, donor and event databases, assists in nearly all event planning, including commencement and major fundraising events, and supports the office’s search committees and work-study programs to benefit USF Sarasota-Manatee campus students.
Pam has been a Certified Administrative Professional since 1998 and previously worked
as an executive assistant and office manager at the not-for-profit Council on the
Study of Religion, Inc., in Valparaiso, Ind. She has attended business classes at
both State College of Florida (Bradenton) and Valparaiso University.
“I absolutely love working with our supporters. They are passionate, kind, generous
and really understand our unique mission in serving local students who want to become
just like them someday. It’s awesome to be able to match students with financial
needs with people who can help meet those needs.”
Phillip King
Development and Engagement Officer
Phillip King has been part of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus family for 10 years and serves as our Development and Engagement Officer.
He came to Sarasota 20 years ago to retire after having been a small business owner, but soon became an active member in the community. He served as a VISTA member with Volunteer Manatee working in partnership with the Friendship Volunteer Center and assisted with recruitment of volunteers, engaging new partners throughout both counties. He also assisted with fundraising and donor cultivation for the Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center where he served as the Executive Director. Phillip has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Anderson University in Indiana.
Carlos J. Moreira, M.B.A.
Director of Campus Engagement for Veteran Success and Alumni Affairs
In this role, Carlos serves as the USF Alumni Engagement Officer. He’ll develop engagement strategies for the Sarasota-Manatee Alumni Association. Connect with recent USF graduates to assess their interest in engaging with the campus. Plan and facilitate Alumni events to serve the Alumni needs, USF branding and connections.
Additionally, Carlos oversees the Office of Veteran Success at the Sarasota-Manatee campus in relations to operations, programs and personnel. He oversees the scholarship process and awards for student veterans in Sarasota-Manatee. He serves as the chair for SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society for all three campuses. Conduct induction ceremonies and events.
Prior to USF, Carlos served 15 years active duty in the United States Marine Corps and currently he is serving in the Marine Corps Reserve, totaling to 21 years of military service. He is a graduate of USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, where he earned two bachelors of science degrees and his Master’s in Business Administration.
Jay Riley
Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships and External Affairs
Jay Riley serves as Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships and External Affairs. In this expanded role, Jay while remaining a part of the External Affairs and Government Relations team, collaborates with University Advancement to design and implement an overarching strategy that serves and connects the campus to local community organizations and current and potential industry partners to identify mutually beneficial goals. In partnership with the USF Foundation’s Office of Corporate Partnerships, he also identifies and cultivates sources of funding to meet current and future corporate engagement needs and provides concierge-level support to companies interested in affiliating with our campus.
Taylor Wey
Scholarship & Stewardship Coordinator
Taylor Wey serves as our Scholarship & Stewardship Coordinator for the SM campus. She is responsible for coordinating all aspects of awarding and reconciling our scholarship funds. In addition, she serves as liaison to the Office of Financial Aid and the USF Foundation’s donor relations team. She leads our donor stewardship efforts, including donor acknowledgement and recognition for all giving to the SM campus. Taylor holds a master’s degree in College Student Personnel from Western Illinois University and most recently served as Internship Coordinator at the Washington Internship Institute. She was also the Tuition Coordinator in the Department of Tuition Planning at the University of Maryland Global Campus in Adelphi, MD.
USF Foundation
The USF Foundation is a not-for-profit entity authorized to accept, invest, and distribute private gifts on behalf of the University of South Florida. USF relies on private support–gifts from alumni, parents and friends, as well as grants from corporations and foundations–to support every aspect of its mission as a multi-campus, national research university strongly committed to the balanced pursuit of excellent teaching, significant research, and useful public service.
For more than 50 years, the USF Foundation has served as the fiduciary for the philanthropic support provided by alumni and friends to support USF as it touches countless lives in our community, region, and the world.
For more information about the USF Foundation, please contact:
University Advancement
University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus
8350 N. Tamiami Trail | Sarasota, FL 34243
Office: 941-359-4603