Boonshoft School of Medicine announces directors of major gifts

The Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine has promoted Nicki Crellin and hired Delores James to positions as directors of major gifts. They will be responsible for growing, managing and sustaining a major gift portfolio for the medical school.

Nicki Crellin

With more than 17 years of experience in fundraising, relationship building, volunteer recruitment and special event planning, Crellin has served the medical school for more than six years as the associate director for advancement. Previously, she was the district director for the Tecumseh Council, Boy Scouts of America. She also was an individual giving manager at the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra.

Crellin earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from Wright State University. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Institutional Advancement and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. She also is a volunteer fundraiser for the Central and Southern Ohio Chapter of the ALS Association.

Delores James

With more than 20 years of nonprofit management fundraising experience in annual giving, major giving, strategic planning and special events, James comes to the university having served most recently as executive director of planned giving for the University of Dayton. She also served as director of development for North Carolina Central University of Law. In addition, she was the assistant general manager of the University of North Carolina Statewide Public Television Network.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the Ohio State University.
James is a member of Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Institutional Advancement and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

The Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine is a community-based medical school affiliated with seven major teaching hospitals in the Dayton area.

The medical school educates the next generation of physicians by providing medical education for more than 440 medical students and 445 resident physicians and fellows in 13 medical specialties and 10 fellowship subspecialties in several areas, including surgery, family medicine and emergency medicine. Its research enterprise encompasses centers in the basic sciences, epidemiology, public health and community outreach programs. More than 1,500 of the medical school’s 3,229 alumni remain in medical practice in Ohio.