Dr. Zeidenstein is senior vice president and chief development officer at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he was recruited in July 2019 to lead philanthropic fundraising efforts following an extensive national search. Motivated by the loss of close family members to cancer, he came to MD Anderson to help make a difference for others who face the devastation wrought by the disease. A proven leader in his field, Dr. Zeidenstein earned the 2019 Byron Welch Award for Lifetime Achievement in Fundraising from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Houston Chapter. He channels more than 25 years of development expertise as he drives MD Anderson’s fundraising strategy and execution. Prior to joining the institution, he was a longtime fundraising leader at Rice University, where he served as vice president for development and alumni relations and previously as associate vice president for development. During his 15-year tenure at Rice, he and his team nearly quadrupled the amount of philanthropic giving to the university. This included $1.1 billion raised during Rice’s Centennial Campaign, the largest fundraising effort in the university’s then 100-year history. Dr. Zeidenstein was the lead fundraising executive for this successful campaign, which concluded in 2013 after exceeding its $1 billion goal with gifts from more than 49,000 donors — Rice University alumni, faculty and staff, and special friends across the Houston community and well beyond. At MD Anderson, Dr. Zeidenstein is committed to furthering long-term relationships with existing donors and to engaging new contributors in support of lifesaving initiatives at the nation’s No. 1 cancer hospital. He plays a pivotal role with MD Anderson President Peter WT Pisters, M.D.,
and other executive leaders in executing the institution’s new Strategy and identifying future funding needs. Preparing to meet these needs through a comprehensive fundraising campaign, Dr. Zeidenstein and his development team leverage the knowledge and expertise of MD Anderson’s renowned faculty and staff, as well as its dedicated Board of Visitors and Advance Team. Inspired by MD Anderson’s mission to end cancer and honored to serve in support of it, Dr. Zeidenstein is dedicated to helping the institution grow philanthropic funding and progress on its path toward Making Cancer History® for patients in Texas, the nation and the world.
Sessions
NACCDO:CDO Panel