Sue Merrilees is a senior director of philanthropic advising at the Science Philanthropy Alliance. She works with members and advisees on customized science philanthropy strategies. Sue has more than 25 years of progressive development experience in institutions across the U.S. and abroad, including participation in successful billion- and multi-million-dollar campaigns at Barnard College, Stanford University, and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

At UCSF, she led teams focused on fundraising initiatives for the neurosciences, global health and infectious diseases, and quantitative biosciences, as well as numerous capital projects that compose the Mission Bay campus. Prior to joining the Alliance, Sue led strategic planning and fundraising at the University of Sydney’s Medical School where she played an instrumental role in the success of the largest fundraising campaign in Australia. Sue is a 21/64 certified philanthropy consultant and counseled numerous individual donors and family foundations on their giving.

Sue received a B.Phil. from Miami University of Ohio and a certificate in fundraising management from New York University.