Monica Delisa, Ed.D.
Senior Consultant
Monica Delisa, Ed.D., brings to JGA a distinguished record of executive leadership in advancement and foundation management, with expertise in campaign strategy, organizational growth, volunteer engagement, and institutional partnerships.
Monica previously served as President and CEO of the University of Vermont Foundation, leading a team of 80. Working closely with the 34-member Foundation Board and 120-member Leadership Council, she strengthened volunteer engagement and institutional alignment. During her tenure, Monica and her team raised more than $208 million while fostering a culture of accountability and measurable philanthropic impact. She also launched two targeted campaigns at the University of Vermont and successfully concluded the SOAR and SOLVE initiatives. She has played a leadership role in campaign planning and execution at every institution she has served.
Monica has held senior advancement roles at leading public universities nationwide. As Vice President for Development at the University of South Carolina, she served as chief development officer for the flagship research campus and Palmetto Colleges, raising more than $85 million, reorganizing the fundraising enterprise, and implementing a strategic plan. As Vice President for University Advancement at Georgia College, she oversaw more than $140 million in foundation assets and contributed to a 31% increase in the university’s endowment.
Her earlier leadership includes serving as Assistant Vice President of Development at the Texas A&M Foundation, overseeing fundraising for AgriLife and the College of Science, and advancement roles at the University of Arizona and Arizona Health Sciences Center, where she helped secure funding for the College of Nursing’s first endowed chair. She was also a founding team member of San Miguel High School, helping launch the Cristo Rey model in Tucson. Across the arc of these professional and leadership experiences, Monica has cultivated deep listening and engagement skills with donors, teams, and leaders— capabilities she now brings to her JGA consulting work— skills that make transformational work possible.
Monica earned her doctorate in Higher Education Leadership with a Specialization in Non-Profit Leadership from City University of Seattle, where her research examined how student participation in high-impact practices influences major gift philanthropy.
She serves on the board of the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain and has participated in the AASCU Executive Leadership Academy, the Texas A&M Leadership Institute, the YWCA Women on the Move Leadership Program, and served on the AGB Council of Foundation Leaders.