David Cave

David Cave, Ph.D., has been in institutional advancement for twenty-eight years. After ten years of teaching at several universities, Cave transitioned into development as a two-year development fellow at Children's Hospital Medical Center, a globally known research and clinical institution. There, he honed skills in all components of development, including event planning, annual funds, major and planned gifts, marketing, and trustee relationships. 

Following this, he accepted the position of Executive Director of Development and Public Relations for four years at Chatfield College. In 2002, Cave transitioned to become the Senior Director of Major Gifts in Central Development at the University of Cincinnati, serving all fourteen colleges and the President until 2007. This position overlapped with his 15 years as an Adjunct Faculty at various universities, during which time he taught a wide range of courses on world religions.

From 2007 to 2012, Cave was the Senior Regional Director for the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) at the University of Michigan. In his five years at the University, he was responsible for successfully raising six and seven-figure major, principal, and planned endowed and expendable gifts for the College of LSA and contributing heavily to Michigan’s $3.2B comprehensive campaign, The Michigan Difference.

In 2012, Cave was recruited to become the Director of Development of the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Boston College. In his six years at Boston College, Cave maintained an extensive network as an engaged member of the Dean’s leadership team, a collaborator with faculty and department chairs, and a guide to major and principal gift officers as they liaised with the university's philanthropic communities. He also directed Morrissey College's advancement efforts, leading the Dean, faculty, and advancement staff of University Advancement toward completing Boston College's $1.6B campaign, Light the World.

Before joining the MIT Media Lab in 2023, Cave was the Chief of Advancement at the Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, for three years and built a robust advancement program. Over the years, Cave has helped close billion-dollar campaigns and secured endowed professorships, scholarships, and support for front-line research. He has published internationally two books and book chapters in the interdisciplinary study of religion, incorporating the humanities and the social and physical sciences.