Daniel Frezza Named New Chief Advancement Officer

College of Charleston President Andrew Hsu on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, announced the appointment of Daniel Frezza as the next chief advancement officer and executive director of the College of Charleston Foundation. He will officially join the College in February of 2023.

This senior-level position oversees the Division of Institutional Advancement and serves on the Senior Leadership Team and President’s Cabinet.

Frezza (pronounced FREZ-UH) is currently the associate vice president of strategic operations and annual giving at William & Mary and the chief strategic operations officer for the William & Mary Foundation. Frezza’s leadership was instrumental in many of William & Mary’s most recent philanthropic achievements in their billion-dollar For the Bold campaign, especially in the areas of alumni participation and days of giving. William & Mary is and has been the top-ranked public university for alumni participation for some time in the U.S. News & World Report. Before joining William & Mary in 2011, Frezza was the director of annual giving at Appalachian State University and, prior to that, assistant director of alumni programs at East Carolina University.

“Dan impressed me very much not only with his professional success, but also his perspective on philanthropy being a modern, data-driven field, augmented by the traditional art of relationship management,” says President Hsu. “That understanding of the head and heart is a critical trait for any top fundraiser, especially one in higher education. Dan is joining a very strong team of advancement professionals on campus, and I look forward to seeing what we can all achieve together.”

“Dan Frezza has been a remarkably successful and talented member of our senior leadership at William & Mary for the past decade,” says Matthew T. Lambert, vice president for university advancement for William & Mary and chief executive officer of the William & Mary Foundation. “He is an industry leader in the advancement profession and someone I have always trusted and relied upon as we built our culture of engagement and philanthropy. Few people are as exceptional in their work with people and programs as Dan, who is attuned to great human relations and strong operational abilities. While we will feel his loss greatly, we are delighted that the College of Charleston has appointed him as the chief advancement officer, and I am confident he will do equally great things at CofC.”

Frezza holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Western Carolina University and a master’s degree in higher education administration from North Carolina State University. A native of Wilmington, North Carolina, he currently resides in Williamsburg, Virginia, with his wife Emily, daughters Madalyn and Josephine, and their Labrador Bella.

“It is my honor and privilege to serve the College of Charleston in securing a brighter and bolder future – I will act as your most resolute advocate in advancing this historically special place,” says Frezza. “Leading universities recognize that sustaining levels of excellence requires a thriving and innovative advancement operation. At the core there must be a culture of both engagement and philanthropy. With the perfect combination of people, place and learning, we will accomplish the remarkable.”