BERKELEY, CALIF.- The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive announced today the appointment of Kathryn Wagner as its Chief Development Officer. Wagner joins BAMPFA from Cal Performances, where she currently serves as the Major Gifts Officer for UC Berkeley’s internationally renowned performing arts presenter. She brings to BAMPFA more than a decade of leadership experience working in arts and educational nonprofits, including a successful tenure as Cal Performances’ Interim Development Director. Wagner will begin her role at BAMPFA on June 16.

In her new position, Wagner will oversee all aspects of BAMPFA’s fundraising program, ranging from donor stewardship and board engagement to institutional grants and fundraising events. As a member of BAMPFA’s senior leadership team, she will supervise a five-person development department and work closely with Executive Director Julie Rodrigues Widholm to advance a vibrant future for the museum that is grounded in robust and sustained philanthropic support. A key thought partner in BAMPFA’s long-term strategic direction, Wagner will collaborate extensively across the museum’s departments, as well as with Berkeley’s University Development and Alumni Relations team—building on her experience as a development officer at a fellow UC Berkeley arts organization.

During her tenure as the Major Gifts Officer at Cal Performances, Wagner launched new and expanded existing giving programs, increasing donor support for the organization’s $20 million annual operating budget. As a primary steward of Cal Performances’ high-level donor relationships, Wagner was deeply engaged with strategic fundraising initiatives, gift cultivation, trustee recruitment, and national and international travel programs to strengthen the organization’s relationship with its most generous supporters. She spent part of last year serving as the Cal Performances’ Interim Director of Development, during which she oversaw work with fundraising consultants on large-scale initiatives and contributed significantly towards meeting the organization's $7 million annual fund goal.

Prior to joining Cal Performances, Wagner spent nearly five years leading the Arts Everywhere Initiative at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she was instrumental in supporting a $350 million arts fundraising strategy at the University of North Carolina’s flagship campus. Working closely with the university’s chancellor and senior leadership, Wagner provided strategy for multimillion-dollar capital projects to advance a vibrant arts ecosystem at Chapel Hill, including renovations of performance spaces and the development of new interdisciplinary creative hubs. Under her guidance, the Arts Everywhere Initiative established new grant programs that distributed more than $100 thousand annually to support campus arts initiatives and student engagement opportunities, strengthening UNC-Chapel Hill’s national reputation as one of the United States’ most artistically vibrant public research universities.

In addition to her record of success as a fundraising professional, Wagner has held multiple leadership roles in marketing and communications—most notably as the Associate Director of Marketing and Communications at Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center, where she led a comprehensive rebranding effort that increased the music center’s public visibility and audience engagement. A classically trained musician who holds an advanced degree in vocal performance from Rider University, Wagner began her career in arts administration in New York City as a publicist, working with Shuman Associates as well as the New York Philharmonic.

“BAMPFA’s commitment to artistic excellence, community engagement, and bold interdisciplinary inquiry deeply resonates with me,” said Wagner. “As someone who has been proud to support the arts at UC Berkeley, I’m excited to join this extraordinary institution and help lead efforts to deepen donor engagement, expand philanthropic partnerships, and secure a vibrant and sustainable future for the museum.”

“I am confident that Kathryn’s experiences in higher education and arts fundraising, dedication to BAMPFA’s vision, and leadership skills will be great assets to our team,” said Widholm. “I look forward to our partnership to find creative ways to engage and grow our philanthropic community.”