Nicole Wagner named assistant vice president of gift planning

Longtime Virginia Tech fundraiser Nicole Wagner has been named the university’s new assistant vice president of gift planning. 

In this role, Wagner oversees the Office of Gift Planning, a 10-person team responsible for collaboratively securing a quarter of the university’s overall annual fundraising. She will lead the team during what is expected to be a key moment as the number of prospective planned gift donors is projected to rise significantly. 

Wagner will work to increase the university’s new gifts and commitments coming from bequests, life income gifts, and complex outright gifts.

She assumed the role on Dec. 10 and reports to the associate vice president for engagement. 

Wagner has worked in the Office of Gift Planning since 2012 and most recently served as the senior director of gift planning. In that role, she supervised four major gift officers to promote stewardship, solicit gifts, and manage estate gifts, charitable gift annuities, and charitable trusts.

“Nicole has been an essential member of Virginia Tech’s gift planning team, bringing deep expertise, sound judgment, and a strong commitment to our donors and mission,” said John Torget, associate vice president for engagement. “Her collaborative leadership will be an extraordinary asset to the university as we continue to grow and strengthen our planned giving program.” 

Prior to her time at Virginia Tech, Wagner served in various roles providing legal counsel and guidance to a number of clients on business initiatives and transactions, risk management, impact assessment, and other operational matters.

Wagner has served as a member of numerous industry groups, including the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, the Montgomery-Radford Bar Association, and the Western Virginia Charitable Gift Planners.

“It’s an honor to step into this role at such a pivotal moment for Virginia Tech,” she said. “Planned giving reflects the deep trust our alumni and friends place in the university, and I’m excited to work alongside this talented team to help donors shape legacies that advance Virginia Tech’s mission for generations to come.”

Wagner has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from William & Mary and Virginia Commonwealth University, respectively, as well as a law degree from the University of Richmond.