Meet your Rootstock Team.
Rootstock Philanthropy provides creative and impactful solutions to meet our client’s fundraising aspirations. We offer practical, best-in-class client service and real-time fundraising advice anywhere, anytime.
“Choosing a Rootstock determines tree size and time to first harvest, helps young scionwood develop and shapes the nature of the tree—and the orchard—for generations to come. Growing an advancement program requires very similar choices, and it’s how we approach our work here at Rootstock.”
In early 2020, Brad founded Rootstock Philanthropy, a fully virtual fundraising advisory firm, delivering practical, world-class strategic advice to nonprofit clients worldwide. Brad’s early career in fundraising included Major Gift Officer Roles at Colby College and Tulane Law School, but after Hurricane Katrina relocated his family to New England, Brad joined MIT’s Office of Leadership Giving in 2005. Over the next 11 years, Brad worked to help secure over $100M in individual gifts, lead the development and implementation of MIT’s first Talent Management Program for The Office of Leadership Giving, and eventually assumed the role of Director of Strategic Initiatives for MIT.nano, the largest basic research project in MIT history, leading to several signature initiatives, including the MIT-IBM Intelligence Initiative, a $240M partnership.
In late 2016, Brad joined the American Technion Society (ATS) as Associate Vice President for Development. While at ATS, Brad lead collaborative fundraising efforts between The Technion and Cornell Tech, earning a promotion to Executive Director of Development, leading a team of 20 fundraisers, and helping the Technion achieve record fundraising results in FY’18 and FY’19.
Today he lives outside of Portland, Maine with his wife, Peg and two daughters, Elle and Eve. And when not working on Rootstock, he can be found tending to his heirloom apple orchard, cooking, exercising, and being outdoors with his family.
“Building a culture of philanthropy requires a practical and focused approach informed by real-world experience. It also means going beyond the transactional expectations of fundraising, and it’s how we approach all client engagements at Rootstock.”
Prior to joining Rootstock, Chris served as the Executive Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the College of Charleston Foundation. There, he lead a coordinated, campus-wide approach to university development, alumni relations, stewardship, and advancement services. Chris was also responsible for overseeing institutional funds management and growing the endowed funds held for the College of Charleston by the College of Charleston Foundation, working in close partnership with the President, executive team and volunteer boards.
Tobin joined the College of Charleston in November 2009 as Vice President of Development, where he lead BOUNDLESS, the College of Charleston’s largest-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign. BOUNDLESS surpassed its $125M goal by raising more than $138 million.
Prior to The College of Charleston, Chris worked at Tulane University, where he served as the Associate Dean for Alumni and Development at Tulane Law School, and as Assistant Vice President for Development, directing the university’s major gifts department after the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster. During his tenure, Tobin and his team rebuilt the frontline major gifts program, provided development leadership to 12 principal schools and units, and expanded the overall major gift prospect and donor pipeline. These efforts helped Tulane successfully complete a $700 million comprehensive campaign, and secure an emergency $100 million drive for unrestricted hurricane recovery support.
Prior to Tulane, Tobin worked for Goizueta Business School at Emory University as a Senior Associate Director of Development and Director of Major Gifts. He has also held positions in development and client relations for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, SCANA Energy, and Korn/Ferry International. He lives outside of Charleston, SC with his wife Caitlin, son Pierson, and his daughter, Garnet.