Skip to content

Oakland Museum of California Appoints New Director of Philanthropy

(OAKLAND, CA) February 2, 2017—The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) announces Rehana Abbas as its new Director of Philanthropy, effective January 2017.

Abbas joins OMCA with nearly 15 years of experience in cultural and healthcare organizations, with significant success in fundraising and individual giving at world-renowned museums across the country. Prior to joining OMCA, Abbas led a team of 10 to raise $10 million of annual support from individuals as the Senior Director of Individual Giving at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Abbas was also actively involved in SFMOMA’s expansion campaign and fundraising strategies to increase support in the midst of the museum’s three-year closure. In her role, she was responsible for leading the implementation of the reenvisioning of SFMOMA’s upper level membership and engagement groups.

In addition to her work at SFMOMA, Abbas has held senior development positions at the University of California, San Francisco and Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, as well as a public relations role at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. During SFMOMA’s On the Go program, she worked with OMCA on the exhibition Fertile Ground: Art and Community in California.

“We are extremely impressed by Rehana’s strong and demonstrated experience with direct donor cultivation and solicitation,” says OMCA Director and CEO Lori Fogarty. “Rehana has shown that she has a personal desire to work for an organization and a community for which she can make a real difference, and we’re so fortunate to have her as a part of OMCA’s team.”

In her new role at OMCA, Abbas will be responsible for cultivating a vibrant mix of contributed income to support OMCA, managing all fundraising, membership, and special events with her team, with a particular focus on cultivating and attracting new sources of support.

“I am very excited to be joining an institution that is so focused on social impact,” says Abbas. “OMCA is presenting exhibitions that are bold, creative, and inspiring. I look forward to working with Lori, the board, and the staff to increase philanthropic support of the Museum, so we can expand our impact in the community.”

Rehana Abbas can be reached at 510-318-8501 and [email protected].  

ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) brings together collections of art, history, and natural science under one roof to tell the extraordinary stories of California and its people. OMCA’s groundbreaking exhibits tell the many stories that comprise California with many voices, often drawing on first-person accounts by people who have shaped California’s cultural heritage. Visitors are invited to actively participate in the Museum as they learn about the natural, artistic, and social forces that affect the state and investigate their own role in both its history and its future. With more than 1.9 million objects, OMCA is a leading cultural institution of the Bay Area and a resource for the research and understanding of California’s dynamic cultural and environmental heritage.

VISITOR INFORMATION
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is at 1000 Oak Street, at 10th Street, in Oakland. Museum admission is $15.95 general; $10.95 seniors and students with valid ID, $6.95 youth ages 9 to 17, and free for Members and children 8 and under. There is a $4 charge in addition to general admission pricing for special exhibitions. OMCA offers onsite underground parking and is conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station, on the corner of 10th Street and Oak Street. The accessibility ramp is located at the 1000 Oak Street main entrance to the Museum. museumca.org

 

* * *