Edward J. Lewis III Named Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Edward J. Lewis III Named Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement Lewis has more than 20 years of industry experience, leading fundraising initiatives at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts and UNC's School of the Arts.

By

Daniel Pesquera

April 16, 2025

Edward J. Lewis III

Berklee has announced Edward J. Lewis III as its new senior vice president of institutional advancement, effective May 15. Lewis brings over 20 years of experience in higher education and the performing arts to the position, having led major fundraising initiatives and long-term financial strategies in a multitude of roles. He will work closely with Berklee's senior leadership team on strengthening and achieving institutional advancement goals while ensuring the success of a cohesive global fundraising and engagement program.

As a musician and lifelong advocate for the arts, I'm excited to join Berklee at such a dynamic time under President Lucchese's leadership, said Lewis. Berklee's mission to educate and empower the next generation of artists and creative leaders deeply resonates with me, both personally and professionally. I look forward to working with this entire community to build support for Berklee.

Since 2021, Lewis has served as president and CEO of the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, New York. In his four-year tenure, he established the first major gifts program in the centers 79-year history, successfully implemented an ambitious five-year strategic plan that helped the center navigate COVID-19, and revamped recruitment practices to diversify staff and board membership while creating a more inclusive representation of artists across all presented genres.

Ed has an incredible track record as a mission-focused, data-driven strategist and dedicated performing arts advocate, said President Jim Lucchese. His extensive leadership and fundraising expertise, coupled with his community-focused approach, will help us realize our ambitious institutional advancement priorities across our campuses. We are honored to welcome Ed to the Berklee community.

Prior to Caramoor, Lewis served as vice chancellor for advancement at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), where he implemented a multi-award-winning fundraising initiative that raised over $75 million for new programs, student scholarships, faculty endowments, facilities improvements, and community engagement initiatives. He also led fundraising efforts that grew the school's endowment from $35 million in 2015 to over $70 million in 2021. Before UNCSA, Lewis served in development leadership roles at the University of Maryland's Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and College of Arts and Humanities in College Park.

Lewis has extensive experience as a professional violist, performing with the Dallas Chamber Orchestra, Spoleto Festival Orchestra, Santa Fe Pro Musica, the Toledo Symphony, and Aspen Chamber Symphony, among other ensembles. He holds a Master of Music from the University of Michigan, a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University, and completed his doctoral program postgraduate studies at the University of Maryland School of Music.

Related Categories

News

Most Popular

Toto in the recording studio from Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary.

Photograph by Jim Hagopian/HBO

The Best Music Documentaries on Every Streaming Platform Explore groundbreaking music documentaries streaming across Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, and more. From intimate artist portraits to legendary concert films, discover the stories behind your favorite artists and iconic moments.

Latest

Yukai Yang

Image by Sussie Su

Berklee Student Yukai Yang Named 2025 Yamaha Young Performing Artist The drummer secured a spot among the elite winners in this years competition.

Tatianna C rdoba as Ana Garcia in Real Women Have Curves.

Avery Brunkus

Boston Conservatory Alums Bring Real Women Have Curves to Broadway The Latin American immigrant community takes center stage in a new musical featuring Tatianna C rdoba and Christopher Ramirez, produced by Jack Noseworthy.

Gabe Palacio

Edward J. Lewis III Named Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement Lewis has more than 20 years of industry experience, leading fundraising initiatives at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts and UNC's School of the Arts.

Read All

Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.

LINK:	https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-now/news/edward-j-lewis-iii-named-seni...
	See more stories from berklee

North America Stories