University Advancement

Robert Nava joined SF State as Vice President for University Advancement in August 2010. He was formerly the associate vice president for Institutional Advancement at the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP). In his five years at UTEP, VP Nava led the development and alumni units and directed the University’s Centennial Campaign, which raised almost half of its $200 million goal before its public launch. VP Nava has an intimate knowledge of higher education in California, having worked for 19 years at the University of California, Riverside, most recently as Interim Vice Chancellor for University Advancement and President of the UC Riverside Foundation. He also served as the University's lobbyist in Sacramento and Washington D.C. during much of his UC Riverside career. VP Nava also taught as an adjunct faculty member in CSU Fullerton’s Chicano Studies program. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UTEP, a law degree from Western State University College of Law and was a member of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Institute of Management and Leadership in Education. He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a credential attained by demonstrating success in fundraising and supporting professional standards in philanthropy.