Chief Development Officer

The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sharon Stanczak as its new Chief Advancement Officer. Stanczak will officially begin her role on February 1, 2025, marking a significant step forward in MBL’s commitment to advancing its mission of exploring fundamental biology to improve the human condition. As Chief Advancement Officer, Stanczak will spearhead a comprehensive philanthropic strategy to elevate MBL’s fundraising initiatives, strengthen institutional partnerships, and ensure the laboratory's long-term financial sustainability.

Stanczak’s career spans leadership roles in fundraising and institutional advancement. Most recently, she served as vice president of external relations and secretary of the board of directors at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (WIBR), where she raised over $100M for major initiatives, including the Whitehead Initiative on Biology, Health, and Climate Change and the Whitehead Innovation Initiative, which integrates AI and biology.

Before her work at Whitehead, Stanczak contributed over a decade of service to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she led strategic fundraising projects, including the MIT Healthcare Initiative, the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, and the MIT.nano research facility. She also served as a member of MIT’s first Campaign office. Her earlier experiences include positions at the Smithsonian Institution, the University of Maryland, and the Folger Shakespeare Library.

Stanczak holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Houston and Master of Fine Arts degrees from the University of Maryland and Lesley University. She has held Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification since 2003. In addition, she was a founding member of the Strategic Initiatives Group for Advancement Professionals (SIGAP), and she served as President of The Friday Forum in Boston, MA. She is a member of the Association for Independent Research Institutes (AIRI).

Jack Gorman led this search with Ellen Egitton and Sandeep Kaur.