ASHBURN, VA – The George Washington University today announced the appointment of Joan Kelly Ozdogan, as director of advancement at GW’s Virginia Campus in Ashburn, Va.  This new position was created to promote strategic partnerships to enable the University to achieve its expansion of programs at the Virginia Campus.

Ozdogan, who brings more than 20 years of local and national advancement experience, is responsible for directing strategies to increase corporate, foundation and alumni philanthropic support and investments in education and research on the Virginia Campus.

“This is a pivotal period of growth for the Virginia Campus,” said Beverly Bond, vice president of advancement at The George Washington University.  “The Virginia Campus has become GW’s flagship research and technology campus, and is poised to dramatically expand its executive education for the Northern Virginia market and its leading-edge research in transportation safety and security, IT and telecommunications.  Joan’s extensive experience working hand-in-hand with the Northern Virginia business community and foundations will help the campus build relationships that leverage its successes and help take the campus to the next level of growth.”

Ozdogan joins GW from Inova Health System, where she served as director of community health resource development and director of corporate philanthropy and partnerships.  At Inova, Ozdogan stewarded a comprehensive major gift development program targeting national and regional corporations and foundations.  Her experience in higher education includes a stint at the national headquarters of the United Negro College Fund in Fairfax, Va.  On the local level, Ozdogan directed the Fairfax-Falls Church United Way for 15 years, where she raised more than $49 million in support of health and human service programs serving the Northern Virginia area.

A GW alumna, Ozdogan earned a master’s of art in special studies in social and organizational behavior and bachelors’ degrees in psychology and fine arts.  As an active community volunteer and a member of the board of directors of the Laurel Grove School Association, she is committed to preserving the Laurel Grove School House located in Franconia, Va., as a living museum and educational center.  Built by four former slaves in 1884, this single room schoolhouse served the first generation born to freedom in Fairfax County until the 1930s.

Ozdogan joins the Virginia Campus management team at a time of expansive growth. In 2002, the University launched several large-scale growth initiatives at the Virginia Campus.  In January, the University doubled the size of the campus to 90 acres with the acquisition of 40 acres along Route 7, which included a 204,000-square-foot facility previously owned by PSINet as its corporate headquarters.  In addition, construction is well underway for a new 72,000 square-foot facility to house the National Transportation Safety Board’s International Academy, scheduled to open next summer. 

“Joan’s appointment is an important step toward positioning the campus to realize its vision to become a world-class center of academic and research collaboration,” said John S. Wilson, executive dean of the Virginia Campus. “With Joan's help, we hope to enhance our mutually beneficial corporate and community relations, and attract more investments from our key partners."

Conveniently located in the Northern Virginia technology corridor near Dulles International Airport, the GW Virginia Campus is the University’s Research and Technology Campus.  The 90-acre campus houses a robust cluster of executive education and technology programs and world-class research initiatives in transportation safety and security, information technology and telecommunications.  Since opening in August 1991, the campus has increased its student base by 15% and grown annual research funding from $50,000 to more than $7 million.