20
PATHWAYS
SUMMER 2017
SBP PEOPLE
Q. How did you get started in philanthropy?
Connecting Individuals to Causes Andrea Davidson, the new vice president of Philanthropy, wants to ensure Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) has the resources to continue making discoveries that benefit human health. Andrea Davidson and her dog, Otis
A. M y mother worked in philanthropy and encouraged me to explore the field as a career. She loved connecting donors to causes. I’ve often felt that if my father and grandfather, who both died of heart disease when they were young, were alive today, they might have had access to more effective drugs that are now available, thanks to advances in medicine.
21
EVENTS
Bringing It
for SBP!
These experiences have colored my view of philanthropy—to me it’s all about connecting people with their passions and hopes for scientific discoveries that will improve human health. Q. What keeps you motivated to continue in the field? A. M any donors give because they’ve had a personal experience with a disease themselves or with a loved one, and they are driven to do what they can to eradicate a disease or improve the life of those afflicted with it. Listening to stories from donors about why they give is inspirational. Q. What attracted you to SBP? A. T here aren’t a lot of places like SBP. It’s unique because of the combined emphasis on making breakthrough research discoveries and then translating that science into meaningful preventions, diagnostics, treatments and cures that benefit patients. The breadth of research programs here—cancer, immunology, neuroscience, metabolism and rare diseases—is also a bonus because there is ample opportunity for scientific cross-talk that can spur “eureka” moments between scientists from different disciplines. Finally, the drug discovery capabilities at the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics (Prebys Center), probably the most sophisticated in the nonprofit research world, puts SBP in the top tier of institutions that can truly have an impact on human health. It’s an amazing place to be. Q. H ow will philanthropy support SBP’s work to translate discoveries for the benefit of patients? A. P hilanthropy plays an increasingly critical role in biomedical research as grant money gets tighter. I want to create a sustainable source of philanthropic funding for our scientists who are doing critical work to combat some of the most debilitating diseases. With the Philanthropy team, I’m going to be working to expand our donor base and build a future pipeline of supporters. Because SBP’s mission and vision are relevant worldwide, we have an opportunity within as well as outside of San Diego to raise funds. Q. W hat have you learned from your significant experience in fundraising that will be important at SBP?
Following an 11-year career at UC San Diego in development, Andrea joined SBP in February.
A. A t the end of the day, the connection to a cause flourishes when there is a strong relationship between an individual and a particular organization. Donors give to institutions they trust and have confidence in. The more connected an individual is with the organization, the more passionate they feel about supporting it.
Jermey Stallings kicks it up at Bring It!
In one of the most unique events in the San Diego area, nearly 300 people came together for “Bring It!”—a gameshow-style “fun-raiser” at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in April. The weird science-themed event raised money for our Institute and gave guests a rare opportunity to relive the 1980’s.