Job Title: Vice President, Development

Organization: Texas Biomedical Research Institute

Education: BA English, TCU

Sara Wise currently serves as the Vice President of Development at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. Sara leads the philanthropic operations for the Institute, which is the only independent, nonprofit infectious disease research institute in the U.S. to combine the highest-level biocontainment labs for infectious disease and biodefense research as well as a federally-designated National Primate Research Center. Sara has dedicated her career to the nonprofit sector, with over 26 years serving organizations in multiple sectors. Previously, she served as an Executive Consultant for Mission Advancement, a Texas-based nonprofit fundraising consulting firm and managed her own consulting practice as the President of Sara Wise Strategies. Sara’s in-house professional experience includes fundraising at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in Virginia, the Episcopal School of Dallas, American Red Cross Greater Houston Chapter, and the Houston Zoo. Beyond her work, Ms. Wise served the community as 2019 President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Houston Chapter, the 2018 and 2019 Chair of the Salvation Army’s Youth of the Year Scholarship event (Houston, TX), and as a member of the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary Executive Committee. Her passion for empowering nonprofit fundraising professionals has also extended to supporting the United Way Greater Houston’s Nonprofit Connection program and other speaking opportunities for professional development.