Development staff directory

Magnus Johnsson joined VCU in 2007 as executive director of external relations and development for the School of Education before taking on his current role in February 2015. 

Johnsson brings more than 20 years of fundraising experience and has served volunteer leadership roles as past president of the Virginia Association of Fundraising Executives and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Central Virginia Chapter. His work experience includes senior leadership roles at UMFS and the United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg. Johnsson received his Certified Fund Raising Executive credentials in 2004 and is a member of the 2015 Class of Leadership Metro Richmond. 

He earned a M.P.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University and a B.S. in public administration from James Madison University. 

As senior associate vice president for development, Johnsson oversees the areas of principal giving, regional giving and corporate and foundation relations.

Brian Campbell joined VCU in 2018 as the leader of the fundraising program for the VCU College of Engineering, coordinating major gift and annual fund strategies. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Averett University and a master’s from the University of Virginia.

During his lengthy career in higher education administration, Campbell has served in similar roles at the North Carolina State University, the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Pennsylvania, the Nevada System of Higher Education, Iowa State University and the University of Virginia.

Campbell was a member of the Virginia State Board of Social Services from 1994 to 2001. He also served as a member of the 1^st Tactical Fighter Wing of the United States Air Force from 1980 to 1986, participating in contingency operations in Egypt, Panama, Germany and Honduras.

Ariana Bracalante has been with VCU since 1987 and a part of Development and Alumni Relations team since 1998.

She has worked in corporate and foundation relations for nearly 20 years, focusing on grant development and management, identifying potential funding matches for university priorities and building relationships with corporate and foundation partners. Her greatest joy is working with faculty and colleagues to develop and craft successful corporate and foundation proposals. She hails from the College of William and Mary but calls VCU her home team.

Chad Krouse joined VCU in 2012 as a regional major gift officer after several years of annual giving and major gift work at Hampden-Sydney College. In 2015, he was promoted to oversee VCU’s regional giving program for the university in conjunction with the Make It Real Campaign for VCU.

Krouse earned his Bachelor of Arts from Hampden-Sydney College in 2002, and a Master of Divinity from Sewanee: The University of the South in 2010. In 2018, Krouse earned his Doctor of Education in Leadership from the VCU School of Education. Krouse serves on the advisory boards for the VCU Rams in Recovery program as well as the CX Certificate program at the School of Professional and Continuing Studies at the University of Richmond. Krouse is an adjunct professor at the William & Mary School of Education and the VCU Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs.

Before joining VCU's University Development team, Joycelyn Mahone was assistant director of leadership annual giving at the University of South Florida. Mahone earned a B.A. in legal studies from the University of Central Florida and a master's in organizational leadership from Brenau University.

Before joining VCU's University Development team, Nick Georges served as the assistant director of athletic development at the College of William & Mary. Georges received a bachelor's in biology from Roanoke College, where he played soccer, and a Master of Sports Leadership from VCU.  

Before joining VCU's University Development team, Ashley Hanel served as an annual giving officer at Virginia Tech. She received a bachelor's in public health from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Master of Arts in higher education from the University of Mississippi.   

Corey Humphrey holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the College of Wooster in Ohio. Prior to joining the University Development team, he worked as a leadership annual giving officer at the VCU School of Education, and from 2014-17 as the director of development for MENTOR Virginia.

Before joining VCU's University Development team, Emily Starks served as the manager of corporate relations for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. She received a bachelor's in economics and politics from Washington & Lee University.

Before joining the University Development team, Rich Spain (M.Ed.'13/E) worked primarily with the VCU Honors College leading the development and alumni relations efforts. Before coming home to VCU, he worked at Rice University and University of Virginia. Spain earned his B.S. in business administration from East Carolina University, where he ran track, and a Master of Sport Leadership from VCU.