Meet Our Team

Contact Us

For specific inquiries, please see our team members below to learn who can support your work.

General inquiries can be directed to:

Our Address

Office of Philanthropy, University of Maryland, Baltimore
220 Arch Street, 14th Floor
Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Team Members

Al Essien 
Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations

Al Essien

Email: aessien@umaryland.edu

Phone: 410-706-2418

Al joined the UMB Office of Philanthropy Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) in 2016. Before coming to UMB, he was Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Coppin State University. Prior to higher education, Al was an executive director for HOPE worldwide Baltimore Chapter.

Connect with Al on LinkedIn

Liaison to:

  • Top University prospects and proposals
  • Francis Carey School of Law
  • Graduate School
  • School of Dentistry
  • School of Social Work
  • School of Nursing
  • Community Engagement Center
  • UMB CURE Scholars Program

Melissa Bresnahan 
Associate Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations

Melissa Bresnahan

Email: mbresnahan@umaryland.edu

Phone: 410-706-5988

Melissa has dedicated her work to the UMB Office of Philanthropy since 2013, and in 2022 became the Associate Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. Melissa has over 15+ years of development experience and fundraising success in higher education and nonprofit environments, including ArtHaus, Daytona State College, and Maryland SPCA.

Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn

Liaison to:

  • Top University prospects and proposals
  • Presidential Initiatives
  • Graduate School
  • School of Pharmacy
  • School of Social Work

Dianna Vass, MBA, Ph.D. 
Associate Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations

Dianna Vass

Email: dvass@umaryland.edu

Phone: 410-706-2349

Dianna joined UMB Office of Philanthropy on November 2022. Prior to UMB, she was the Director of Sponsored Programs and Research and Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Coppin State University. She has also served as Director for Corporate and Foundation Relations at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s College of Engineering.

Connect with Dianna on LinkedIn

Liaison to:

  • School of Dentistry
  • School of Nursing
  • Francis Carey School of Law
  • School of Social Work

Lois Warner 
Senior Program Specialist, Corporate and Foundation Relations

Lois Warner

Email: Lwarn002@umaryland.edu

Phone: 410-706-3912

Lois has been with UMB within the Office of Philanthropy since 2007. She manages the internal pre-proposal process and supports the award management for proposals released to UMBF. In addition, she provides pipeline reports to reflect fundraising activity and totals.

Connect with Lois on LinkedIn

Sarah E. Bradley 
Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Sarah E. Bradley

Email: SBradley@SOM.umaryland.edu

Phone: 410-706-0107

Sarah is a dedicated resource for all School of Medicine faculty with the goal of increasing their private foundation, association, and society grants. Before coming to the SOM, Sarah was the Executive Director of a Continuing Medical Education company, as well as a medical writer responsible for a broad range of topics and disease states. Sarah has been with the SOM for 12 years and has assisted many faculty members in securing private foundation funding.

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Emily Boydston, MBA 
Assistant Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Emily Boydston

Email: eboydston@som.umaryland.edu

Phone: 410-706-8258

Emily is an experienced corporate and foundation relations professional with a development, editing, and donor engagement background. She combines her attention to detail, organizational, and forecasting skills to maximize grant potential and find funding opportunities for School of Medicine faculty. Successful grant application areas include: Continuing Medical Education, basic and clinical science research, and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy community engagement and outreach programming in Baltimore city and the state of Maryland.

Connect with Emily on LinkedIn