Finalists

SF Announces Finalists in VP Advancement Search

Gainesville, Florida – Santa Fe College’s Advancement Search Committee has recommended three individuals as finalists for the position of Vice President for Advancement and Chief Philanthropy Officer. The finalists are listed in alphabetical order with a brief bio on each candidate.

Sherry Houston

Sherry Houston is the Chief Executive Officer/Chief Development Officer at the Ronald McDonald House in Gainesville, Florida. Over nearly 10 years, she has overseen operations, budgets, and fundraising. Additionally, she led the effort to expand the Ronald McDonald House through a $3.4 million campaign into a 50-bedroom facility to accommodate 40% more families in need. Before the Ronald McDonald House, she served as Senior Vice President for Advancement at Meridian Behavioral Healthcare for four years after serving nearly two years as Director of Advancement at St. Francis Catholic Academy in Gainesville. Sherry earned her Bachelor’s in Sociology from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and her Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Pittsburgh.

Melissa Perkins

Melissa Perkins is the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships at the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), which is dedicated to expanding opportunities to individuals interested in the trades. Under her leadership at NCCER, where she has served since March of 2023, the organization has drastically increased donor giving, expanded the number of individual donors, and developed systems to increase targeted gifts. Prior to her arrival at NCCER, she was Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami and has held leadership and Advancement positions at the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, and Pomfret School. Melissa earned her Bachelor’s in History from the University of Maryland, her Master’s in Nonprofit Management, and her Ph.D. in Public Administration, both from Walden University.

Scott Rivinius

Scott Rivinius is the Associate Vice President for Development at Broward College where he has led annual, major, and planned giving to support the institution. In his six years at Broward, Scott has helped lead the institution to its five best fundraising years in the Foundation’s 52-year history and has established funds that enabled more than 3,000 students to earn credentials in addition to their degree. Before his time at Broward, he worked at the University of the Pacific for six years, including three years as Associate Vice President. He also spent more than a decade at Eckerd College which included leadership positions in all aspects of Advancement. Scott earned his Bachelor’s in Economics from Eckerd College and his Master’s in Higher and Adult Continuing Education from the University of Michigan.

The finalists will be scheduled for two-day visits to SF for their interviews as well as opportunities to interact with students, employees and the community. A detailed schedule for each of the finalists will be made available later this week. All updates will be posted on the college’s VP Advancement Search webpage, sfcollege.edu/hr/search/vp-advancement.