School of Cities / People / Staff

Trish McGrath

Director of Development

Trish McGrath has joined the Faculty of Arts & Science as Director of Development, School of Cities. With twenty years of fundraising experience spanning higher education, arts and culture, and health, we are thrilled to have Trish onboard to lead advancement activities for School of Cities, one of the university’s Institutional Strategic Initiatives. Previously, Trish was Associate Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations for eight years at the University of British Columbia, where she led multi-interest donor strategies and relationships spanning arts, science, business and equity opportunities. Prior to UBC, Trish led the Development and Communications team for the Vancouver International Film Festival and VIFF Film Centre where she successfully increased fundraising results across corporate, individual giving and public sector pillars. In her hometown Toronto, Trish was founding Vice President, Development for the Luminato Festival of Arts & Creativity for the first three seasons. In this role, she worked with leadership and Board executive to establish and grow philanthropy, public sector investment, and corporate sponsorship revenue, including the record-breaking arts sponsorship with L’Oreal. Trish is a graduate in Philosophy from McGill University, earned a post-graduate certificate in Marketing Communications, and completed an international fellowship in Arts Management at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She is passionate about urban issues, sustainability and living lighter.