McDermott + Bull has successfully placed David Silver as Senior Director, Philanthropy and Partnerships at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF). In this role, David will help advance the ADDF’s philanthropic strategy, strengthening donor engagement and expanding support for the organization’s mission to accelerate Alzheimer’s drug discovery. He will work closely with the ADDF’s executive and Board leadership to support the organization’s continued growth and philanthropic impact.
David brings over a decade of fundraising experience spanning nonprofit development and higher education. Most recently, he served as Director of Development for Columbia’s Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, where he led a four-person development team and helped generate approximately $99 million in commitments against a $33 million cumulative goal, including a $54 million commitment to establish a new center for cognitive neuroscience. Earlier in his tenure at Columbia, David led major gifts efforts across Columbia College and Arts + Sciences, securing $26 million while managing a portfolio of high-net-worth donors and developing fundraising strategies for the Natural Sciences division. David earned his MBA from Columbia Business School and his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from The George Washington University.
Founded in 1998, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation is a vibrant, growing venture philanthropy foundation that funds academic institutions and biotechnology companies conducting breakthrough drug discovery and clinical research with the goal of curing Alzheimer’s disease. To date, the organization has awarded nearly $400 million to fund hundreds of drug development, biomarker, and prevention programs across more than 20 countries.
This executive search was completed by McDermott + Bull Partner Sue Waterbury, Director Mary Plum, and Executive Recruiter Bryan Carter.