Duquesne Appoints Executive Director of Major and Planned Giving

Mary Frances Dean has been appointed the new executive director of major and planned giving at Duquesne University, effective Aug. 6.

Prior to her role at Duquesne, Dean served as vice president for development at the Baptist Homes Foundation, which operates two retirement communities in Pittsburgh's South Hills. She also served as vice president for development for the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and was director of gift planning at The Pittsburgh Foundation.

Before Dean's career in development, she held legal positions at several of Pittsburgh law firms, including Eckert, Seamans, Cherin & Mellott LLC; Reed Smith LLP; and Sherrard, German & Kelly P.C. Dean's legal practice focused on estate and trust planning/administration, and charitable planning.

In addition to her professional work, Dean volunteers with several Pittsburgh charities and is the president of the Executive Women's Council of Pittsburgh. A long-time member of St. Lucy's Auxiliary to the Blind, which raises funds for the blind and visually impaired, Dean served as president of St. Lucy's in 2011. She also promotes volunteerism in high-school girls, works with the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, the Pittsburgh Planned Giving Council, and the Blind and Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh.

Dean has been published in the University of Pittsburgh Law Review; American Arbitration Association Journal; Smart Business-The Management Journal for Corporate Growth; and Lifelines-Monthly Publication of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Pittsburgh Chapter.

Dean received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Carnegie Mellon University and her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

She resides in Franklin Park.