Kristin Ghiggeri Burgarello Joins as Director of Advancement at DRI
LAS VEGAS (Sept. 2, 2021) – DRI is proud to welcome long-time education fundraising professional Kristin Ghiggeri Burgarello, who will serve as Director of Advancement. In her role, Burgarello will lead fundraising efforts for DRI in collaboration with the DRI Foundation.
Burgarello comes to DRI from the University of Nevada Reno (UNR), where she spent the last 17 years in development and alumni relations roles, including her last role as Executive Director of Development and previous role as Director of Development of the Reynolds School of Journalism. While at UNR, she helped secure major gifts to support buildings, student needs, faculty support, planned gifts, diversity initiatives, and many other key areas of support for the University. She also worked collaboratively with the deans and development directors in the College of Engineering, College of Science, College of Liberal Arts, Reynolds School of Journalism, Libraries, and Honors College to raise substantial funds to support their areas on campus.
“We are happy to welcome Kristin to our DRI family,” said DRI President Dr. Kumud Acharya. “Kristin’s expertise will be key in elevating DRI’s research, science-based results and their global implications to a broader support base. Our team of more than 450 scientists, engineers, and staff are currently conducting important environmental research aimed at preventing and fighting wildfires; the human health effects of air pollution and COVID; drought and the impacts to our drinking water levels and resources; and extreme weather. We look forward to expanding awareness of these and other imminent challenges through Kristin’s focused approach.”
In her role at DRI, Burgarello will focus on creating a culture of philanthropy that will direct awareness of critical environmental issues and the necessity to fund the life-saving research at DRI that aims to solve these and many other challenges affecting not only Nevada, but the Western region, country, and world.
“Kristin’s accomplishments in raising significant funds to support endowed scholarships, capital funds, planned gifts, and many other fundraising needs are impressive and equally impressive are the strong relationships she has built through the years both on and off-campus in Nevada and across the country,” said DRI Foundation Chair Mike Benjamin. “We are excited to have her expertise in-house as we broaden our outreach to address significant environmental challenges happening on a global scale.”
“I would like to thank President Acharya, Foundation Chair Benjamin, and the DRI Foundation Trustees for this amazing opportunity,” said Burgarello. “Also, I would like to personally thank DRI’s current donors and friends with whom I am eager to work to build upon their many contributions. I am thrilled to be able to combine my passion for DRI’s mission with my experience in fundraising and relationship-building, to create awareness for DRI’s work, not only at home in Nevada but across our nation, and beyond. Today more than ever as we face serious environmental challenges that threaten our very way of life, we need to invest in the critical research and ensuing solutions being developed at DRI right now. I look forward to connecting donors and friends with DRI to support our very timely and important environmental research.”
Anyone interested in making a gift in support of DRI may contact Kristin Burgarello at (775) 673-7386 or Kristin.Burgarello@dri.edu.
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The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is a recognized world leader in basic and applied environmental research. Committed to scientific excellence and integrity, DRI faculty, students who work alongside them, and staff have developed scientific knowledge and innovative technologies in research projects around the globe. Since 1959, DRI’s research has advanced scientific knowledge on topics ranging from humans’ impact on the environment to the environment’s impact on humans. DRI’s impactful science and inspiring solutions support Nevada’s diverse economy, provide science-based educational opportunities, and inform policymakers, business leaders, and community members. With campuses in Las Vegas and Reno, DRI serves as the non-profit research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education. For more information, please visit www.dri.edu.
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