California Academy of Sciences Announces New Chief Advancement Officer

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Dec. 10, 2024) — The California Academy of Sciences is delighted to announce that Mark Ruffo, an accomplished fundraiser with more than 20 years of experience, has been named chief advancement officer.

Ruffo has been instrumental in raising more than $200 million over the course of his career and brings a unique mix of experience in development, operations, advocacy, marketing, and communications to the position. He also has a strong science background, with a PhD in physiology and biophysics and an MBA, both from the University of Washington.

“Mark Ruffo has a wealth of experience working at international nonprofits as well as a top hospital with a research institute,” said Scott Sampson, executive director of the California Academy of Sciences. “His impressive track record expanding fundraising programs and making an impact through new science and education programs made him an ideal fit for the Academy’s chief advancement officer position.”

Before joining the Academy, Ruffo served as the chief of outreach, development, and communications at Landesa, where he transformed the international nonprofit’s funding base from a concentrated local network to a diversified global donor group and increased annual revenue by more than 50%.

Before Landesa, Ruffo worked at Malaria No More and Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Institute. During his time at Malaria No More, Ruffo launched a major giving program that increased donors by nearly 100%.

Mark started at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Institute as the marketing manager responsible for building a unique brand for the newly launched Research Institute, and for developing messaging and collateral in support of fundraising, marketing, and communications. He took a brief detour to co-found the institute’s Science Outreach Education Program and the Science Adventure Lab, a mobile teaching lab that served more than 8,000 rural students in its first four years. He then went on to become director of development for major gifts and corporate and foundation relations for the hospital and research institute, leading a team responsible for securing more than $20 million annually in private grants for the hospital and research institute.

Ruffo serves on the boards of the SF LGBT Center and the Golden Gate Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.