Adam Gerdts – Senior Vice President for Philanthropy at Yeshiva University

Adam Gerdts serves as Yeshiva University’s Senior Vice President for Philanthropy. In this capacity he oversees all philanthropic efforts at the institution including major gifts, annual giving, endowments and scholarship fundraising as well as creating strategies and plans for efficient operations. Adam currently resides in Raleigh North Carolina.

Early Life and Education

Adam Gerdts serves as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Yeshiva University and directs all fundraising efforts on its behalf. Prior to that he led multiple annual and capital campaigns at UNC Chapel Hill.

He grew up in Indiana and attended both Wabash College in Crawfordsville and South Kensington School of Art in London for art study.

When her students struggled with basic classroom skills such as sharing materials and sitting still for long periods, she implemented what worked. She put up colorful “zoning charts” for each of their classes and created a “movement shelf” complete with yoga mat, wobble board and little weights for bicep curls – she found that moving their bodies helped regulate.

Professional Career

Gerdts began his fundraising career at Manhattan Theater Club, managing their annual fund and participating in a successful campaign to refurbish Broadway’s Biltmore Theatre. Since 2006 he has held several key fundraising roles within higher education. These have included working at American Friends of Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he led multiple major gift campaigns while expanding their endowment.

Joining UNC in 2007 as Director of Young Alumni Programs for the Carolina Annual Fund in the University Development Office, he transitioned into UNC Kenan-Flagler as Major Gifts Officer before eventually taking on executive Director duties of Development by 2010. Later named Associate Dean for Advancement.

At Yeshiva University, he currently oversees all philanthropic endeavors at the institution including major gifts, annual giving programs, endowment funding and scholarship fundraising. Furthermore, he established tools (technology, policies and procedures) for advancement that have allowed him to establish clear performance metrics while prioritizing effective strategies.

Achievement and Honors

Adam Gerdts serves as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Yeshiva University and oversees all fundraising programs. This includes leading their annual giving program, endowments fundraising, scholarship fundraising efforts and planning and developing strategies to maximize philanthropy efforts of the institution. Adam has led successful capital campaigns restoring Broadway’s Biltmore Theatre while setting policies, procedures and protocols to facilitate efficient operations while speaking frequently on fundraising topics.

Personal Life

Gerdts currently serves as Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Yeshiva University and oversees all aspects of its philanthropy – major gifts, the annual giving program, endowments, scholarship fundraising efforts, Hanukkah Dinner and Giving Day events – for this institution. Previously he held leadership roles at Manhattan Theater Club where he led annual fund campaigns and successfully restored Broadway’s Biltmore theater as well as American Friends of Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he served as Senior Director for Development Higher Education for both institutions.

He and his family reside in Raleigh, North Carolina where he is well known for his generous nature and charitable acts. He has donated to numerous local and national charities. His address is 8501 Southampton Dr, Raleigh NC 27615-1853. Nicknames include Ndam Z Gerdts or Adam Z Gerdts.