Zak Richards serves as Executive Director of Development & External Relations for the University of Texas at Austin College of Natural Sciences.

He was previously Chief Principal Gifts Officer for the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science in Charlottesville, VA. In that role, he led the major gifts team, worked with a global network of donors and leadership volunteers and supported strategic planning for UVA’s $5-billion-dollar campaign. In his previous roles of Senior Director of Advancement and Director of Development, he worked closely with alumni, Fortune 500 companies and foundations to secure major gifts to fund the school’s top research and education priorities. He began his higher education career at the Engineering School in 2007 as Senior Writer and Production Manager. His communications work supported student recruitment, national rankings and development initiatives for UVA’s “Knowledge is Power” $3 billion campaign.

Mr. Richards started his career as a reporter for the Charleston Daily Mail and then worked as Public Relations Coordinator for the Charleston Area Medical Center in West Virginia. He earned his B.S. in News-Editorial Journalism from the Reed College of Media at West Virginia University and his M.A. in Advertising from the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism at Marshall University.