Melissa Smith
Ms Melissa Smith
Director of Development
RMIT
Melissa Smith joined RMIT as Director of Development in May 2011, responsible for university-wide fundraising strategy in Australia and internationally. In 2011 Melissa was awarded the Fundraising Institute of Australia’s National Fundraising Professional of the Year Award, and with UTS, won FIA’s National Major Gifts/Capital Campaign Award.
Melissa was Development Manager at University of Technology, Sydney from 2008 - 2011. Melissa led the successful ask for $25 million gift from Dr Chau Chak Wing for a Frank Gehry-designed business school in 2010; the equal largest gift to an Australian university to date. Melissa has developed UTS’ international development strategy, focusing on China and worked on capital and faculty-related projects. Melissa project managed the UTS Australia-China Business Leaders Forum in 2009 in Sydney, and the 2011 Forum based in Beijing.
Prior to UTS, Melissa Smith has established philanthropy programs at the Sydney Opera House and Powerhouse Museum, and has worked across the fundraising areas of major gifts, capital campaigns, annual giving and trusts and foundations.
A Churchill Fellowship recipient in the area of international best practice in philanthropy, Melissa also completed the Sydney Leadership Program (2009) and is undertaking the 2011 Asialink Leaders Program. Melissa holds a Masters of Management (UTS), and First Class Honours in Art History, BA (USyd).