Tacoma, Washington, United States
Motivated by the conviction that every student deserves a real chance at a life full of possibility and grounded in the belief that higher education is a powerful engine of prosperity, Dr. Amanda Walker Richardson serves as Vice Chancellor for Advancement at the University of Washington Tacoma. A transformative executive with more than twenty years of experience in higher education and the nonprofit sector, she is known for rebuilding organizational systems, architecting strategic initiatives, and aligning strategy with institutional mission. At UW Tacoma, Amanda has led a comprehensive revitalization of divisional strategy and infrastructure, strengthening performance, operational alignment, and institutional visibility. Before joining UW Tacoma, Amanda served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the Purchase College Foundation (State University of New York), stewarding more than $90 million in assets. Her leadership strengthened governance, modernized operations, and advanced mission‑aligned investment. Previously, as Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the Foundation at The Evergreen State College, Amanda led sustained organizational transformation across the division and the Foundation. Under her leadership, net assets tripled and the endowment quadrupled. She launched Evergreen’s first comprehensive campaign, securing $25 million in its initial two years and building on the college’s innovative, inclusive mission. Additionally, she led the development of campus-wide strategies, curated executive team meetings and retreats, and provided thought partnership to the President on board governance. Amanda’s expertise is grounded in her doctoral research at University College London, where she investigated higher education executive leadership in times of crisis—work that continues to shape her approach to leading teams and institutions through complexity and change. She completed the Institute for Educational Management at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and has contributed to national conversations on higher education leadership through her work with the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB).
-Vice President of Institutional Advancement -Executive Director of the Purchase College Foundation and Charitable Entities; Ex-officio Trustee -Ex-officio member of the Friends of the Neuberger Museum of Art Board -Ex-officio member of the Purchase College Alumni Association Board