Whitehead Institute welcomes Margaret Fala as its new VP for External Relations

Margaret Fala will join Whitehead Institute on December 1 as the Institute’s new Vice President for External Relations. She is an accomplished administrator with a strong track record in academic and healthcare fundraising.

“We are excited for Margaret to begin a new chapter of external relations at Whitehead Institute,” says Whitehead Institute Director Ruth Lehmann. “Her strategic acumen and deep knowledge of the fundraising landscape will help to ensure Whitehead Institute’s long-term success.”

Fala comes to Whitehead Institute from Huron Consulting Group, previously Grenzebach, Glier and Associates (GG+A), where she was the Higher Ed and Healthcare Consulting Director. Fala also served at GG+A as Vice President, Consultant in Academic Medicine and Healthcare. These roles gave her a bird’s eye view of philanthropic organizations, allowing her to gather knowledge and perspective that she turned into key insights to assist those organizations in furthering their missions.

Fala’s past leadership roles also include Associate Vice President for Advancement at Emory University’s Woodruff Health Sciences Center, where she managed a team responsible for raising approximately $200 million a year for key units including the Emory School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Institute, and Emory Healthcare. During her tenure, the team regularly exceeded ambitious fundraising goals.

Before her time at Emory University, Fala was the Assistant Vice President, Office of Institutional Advancement at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. Fala holds an MBA from Villanova University and a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) designation.

Fala brings with her significant experience in relationship management and leadership, strategic planning and implementation, marketing and communications, and building teams to oversee long-term, sustainable philanthropic growth. Under Fala’s expert leadership, the external relations team will expand support for Whitehead Institute’s mission: to train generations of scientific leaders and make biomedical discoveries that advance scientific understanding and improve human health.