Menotti Named Walton College Senior Director of Development

Photo by Brandon Ngo

Anne Menotti

Arkansas native Anne Menotti has been appointed senior director of development for the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Menotti joined University Advancement to help lead the Walton College’s fundraising efforts with Mark Power, assistant dean for philanthropy.

“I am so excited to have Anne join the Walton College development team,” Power said. “A servant-leader, Anne excels at working to achieve goals. Her driving passion is supporting initiatives that create positive, profound and meaningful change. Anne is a difference-maker, and alumni and friends will really enjoy their relationship with her.”

Menotti brings more than 30 years of fundraising and strategic planning experience across higher education, nonprofits, government and political campaigns. In her new role, she will focus on principal and major gift fundraising for the Walton College, advancing the university’s philanthropic priorities and deepening relationships with alumni, donors and friends.

“I am honored and excited to utilize my skills to help foster meaningful relationships with alumni and friends of the Walton College,” Menotti said. “I value the partnerships with Dean Williams, Assistant Dean Power and Vice Chancellor Varady and look forward to ensuring that the Walton College has the funding needed to continue to educate the next generation of business leaders at the highest levels.”

Before joining the U of A, Menotti served as director of strategic engagement at the Aspen Institute, where she developed and launched the institute’s first individual major gift program and secured $1.5 million in new gifts from first-time donors. Previously, she served as senior adviser for education, marketing and outreach with the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Reception Rooms, where she led and completed a $20 million endowment campaign in just 14 months and managed principal, major and planned giving initiatives.

“We are thrilled to welcome Anne to the University Advancement team because she exemplifies the caliber of thoughtful leadership and dedication that advances the mission of the University of Arkansas,” said Scott Varady, vice chancellor for advancement. “Her deep experience and commitment to higher education will strengthen our ability to ensure the Walton College continues to thrive and shapes the future of business in Arkansas and beyond.”

Her career also includes leadership positions at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and American University’s School of Communication, where she built the school’s first fundraising and alumni relations program. She has also managed fundraising for prominent state and national political campaigns.

Menotti is a native of Harrison and earned a B.A. in political science from Hendrix College and an M.A. in public communication from American University.

About the Sam M. Walton College of Business: Founded in 1926, the Sam M. Walton College of Business stands as one of the largest colleges at the University of Arkansas, serving over 10,000 students across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs. The college holds AACSB accreditation and consistently ranks among the top business schools in the United States. Walton College ranks 25th for its undergraduate business program among public colleges and 24th for its M.B.A. program among public colleges in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 national rankings. In addition, its undergraduate supply chain management program is recognized as the No. 1 program in North America by Gartner and the entrepreneurship graduate program is ranked 22nd for 2025 by Princeton Review.

About University Advancement: University Advancement advances the mission of the University of Arkansas by raising private gift support from alumni, friends, parents, foundations, corporations, and other institutional supporters. Working in philanthropic partnership with academic leaders and volunteers, Advancement team members are determined to advance the people, work, and impact of the greater whole at the University of Arkansas.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy  through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.