Leading advancement as an interim with Dale Wright

Can an interim advancement leader make lasting change, or are they just keeping the lights on?

In this episode of Alumless, Chris sits down with Dale Wright, Interim Vice Chancellor for Advancement and Senior Vice President of the University of Illinois Foundation. Dale shares how his early work in student and alumni engagement shaped his approach to leadership, and what it really takes to step into the top advancement role on an interim basis while still managing his ongoing responsibilities.

On the show, they unpack how to set priorities when time is limited, why credibility and internal relationships matter more than titles, and how the advancement and alumni engagement structure at Illinois operates. Dale also offers practical advice for anyone preparing to step into an interim leadership role.

In the bonus segment, he reflects on receiving the 2025 CASE Frank L. Ashmore Distinguished Service Award, what modern engagement should look like, and which traditional approaches may no longer serve the work.

FYI - Ryan had some technical difficulties during the livestream, so Chris went solo and took point for the first portion of this episode!

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

This episode is made possible by our season sponsors Protopia, AlumnIQ, and Givzey.