He will oversee the UO alumni association, including membership, the annual giving and regional advancement programs

EUGENE, Ore. – (June 12, 2014) – The University of Oregon has named Paul Clifford its Associate Vice President of Advancement and Executive Director of the University of Oregon Alumni Association.

Clifford comes to the UOAA from East Carolina University, where he had served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations and the President and CEO of the East Carolina Alumni Association since 2004. While at ECU, Clifford oversaw the growth of the alumni association’s budget from less than $600,000 to more than $1.3 million, increased the fund balance from $650,000 to $2.3 million; managed the launch of a membership program designed to make the association self-sufficient; and developed corporate sponsorships that yielded more than $200,000 annually.

“This is an extraordinary time in the life of our university, and I couldn’t be more pleased that Paul is joining our team,” said UO Vice President for University Advancement Mike Andreasen. “He brings a tremendous level of enthusiasm, experience and innovation to one of our most exciting areas of Advancement.  His commitment to building an alumni-centered focus across the many programs in his portfolio reflects our shared commitment to building lifetime engagement opportunities for our alumni. Paul has already proven himself committed to the UO and the UOAA, taking the exceptional step of purchasing a joint life membership on the day he was offered this position.”

An 11-time CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) Award winner, Clifford has served on or chaired numerous CASE committees. He has written multiple papers and reports about alumni relations, and authored a chapter in John A. Feudo’s book "Alumni Relations: A Newcomer’s Guide to Success."

Clifford will serve as a member of Andreasen’s senior leadership team, evaluating department priorities and recommending strategies to meet university priorities. He will oversee the UOAA, including membership and branding, and the annual giving and regional advancement programs. In collaboration with the Vice President for University Advancement, Clifford will be tasked with developing an integrated model of coordinated outreach between the traditional annual and regional development with the UOAA membership and regional programs.

“I am honored and humbled to have been chosen for this important role at this critical juncture at one of our nation’s premier public institutions,” said Clifford. “We are looking forward to joining the UO family and living in a true college town like Eugene.”

Clifford received his bachelor of arts in history from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in 1996. Prior to East Carolina University, he served as the Director of Alumni Outreach at the University of Connecticut Alumni Association from 2000–04, the Director of Alumni Affairs at SUNY New Paltz from 1999–2000, and Assistant Director for Alumni Connections and Student Programs at James Madison University Alumni Relations from 1997–1999.

A native of Conyngham, PA, Paul Clifford and his wife Jenne have three children: Aidan (14), Avery (11), and Abbey (10).

About the UOAA
The University of Oregon Alumni Association has a membership of more than 22,500, and serves as a liaison between the university and its more than 195,000 alumni around the world. Launched in 1879 with five alumni, the UOAA is proud of its long history of keeping alumni connected to the university and offering alumni a wide array of services, from professional networking and mentoring to advocacy for higher education. For more information, please visit www.uoalumni.com.

Media contact: Damian Foley, foley@uoregon.edu, 541-346-6892

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