BETHESDA, Md., June 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation announced that Heather Culp will join the organization as its next senior vice president and chief development officer on Aug. 10, 2026.
“Heather has proven experience as an outstanding leader in philanthropy, bringing deep expertise in building and leading advancement programs for complex, mission-driven organizations like ours,” said Irena Barisic, executive vice president and chief operating and financial officer, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “She will play a critical role in achieving the Foundation's bold fundraising goals, in partnership with our remarkable community."
As chief development officer, Culp will lead the Foundation’s advancement organization, leading fundraising strategy and operations to fuel the Foundation’s mission. She will oversee a comprehensive development program and cultivate relationships with donors, volunteers, and the broader CF community in support of our shared goals to cure CF and improve the lives of everyone with the disease today.
“I have always been motivated by the opportunity to connect people to meaningful causes and advance work that improves lives,” said Culp. “I am honored to join the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and look forward to working with the team and community to support its important mission.”
Culp currently serves as chief philanthropy officer for University of Maryland Medicine, where she leads advancement strategy across a large academic medical enterprise that includes dozens of clinical and research departments, centers, and institutes. In that role, she has helped align fundraising efforts across clinical care, biomedical research, and medical education while driving exceptional philanthropic growth and transformational donor support.
Previously, Culp served as executive director of development for the Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine, where she led fundraising for the department of neurology and brain sciences. Earlier in her career, she held development roles at Washington College and the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, and before moving into philanthropy, she practiced law.
Culp earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Washington College and her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. She serves on the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore and was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women in 2024.
About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world's leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation funds more CF research than any other organization, and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. Based in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation also supports and accredits a national care center network that has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a model of care for a chronic disease. The CF Foundation is a donor-supported nonprofit organization. For more information, visit cff.org.
Contact Info
Dee Donavanik
ddonavanik@cff.org
+1 240-482-2857
