Development staff directory

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.

Devin Wilson joined VCU in April 2016 as project coordinator for principal giving. She previously worked for four years at the University of Richmond as administrative coordinator in the major gifts office. She holds a bachelor's of web development (2012) with a concentration in computer science from ECPI University and earned a certificate in information systems (2016) from the University of Richmond.

James T. Parrish Jr. has more than 24 years of development experience in both higher education and the nonprofit sector. He currently serves as director of foundation relations for Virginia Commonwealth University.

Parrish has a total of 13 years of service to VCU, including 8½ years as director of development of the VCU School of Nursing and three years as director of corporate and foundation relations (1997-2000).

On occasion, he serves VCU in a very different way: as an adjunct faculty member, teaching undergraduate classes in filmmaking and film history for the VCUarts Department of Photography and Film and the School of World Studies. In addition to being a performer and filmmaker, Parrish is co-founder of the Richmond-based nonprofit James River Film Society, and he is currently leading an effort to establish the Bijou Film Center, an independent art house cinema, café and nonprofit film center, in the heart of Richmond’s downtown arts and cultural district. In recognition for his commitment to the arts and independent film, Parrish was selected as a Professional Development Fellow for the 57th Robert Flaherty Film Seminar in 2011, was selected as one of Style Weekly’s “Top 40 Under 40” in 2006 and received the Theresa Pollak Prize for Photography/Film in 2005.

Parrish has been married for more than 25 years, has two children, loves Eastern North Carolina barbecue and is a proud alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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 more than 16 years, focusing on grant development and management, identifying potential funding matches for university priorities and building relationships with area 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.

Ashley Hanel was previously an Annual Giving Officer at Virginia Tech.  She received her B.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.   

Nick Georges served as the Assistant Director of Athletic Development at the College of William & Mary.  Nick received his B.S. in Biology from Roanoke College where he played soccer and a Master of Sports Leadership degree from VCU.  

Joycelyn Mahone was assistant director of leadership annual giving at the University of South Florida. Joycelyn earned her B.A. in legal studies from the University of Central Florida and a master of science in organizational leadership from Brenau University.

Emily Harlan served as the manager of corporate relations for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. She received her B.A. in economics and politics from Washington & Lee University.