IAALS Continues to Grow with New Senior Director of Development

IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, is pleased to welcome Barbara Blackwell as its Senior Development Director. In this role, Blackwell will be responsible for developing and implementing a strategic fundraising plan for IAALS' short and long-term sustainability.

Blackwell joins IAALS after a 25-year career in fundraising for nonprofits and higher education institutions, including four years as the Vice President of Advancement at Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania, where she led a $93 million campaign, and eight years managing her own consulting firm. She was also the Vice President of Donor Relations at The Pittsburgh Foundation—a $500 million community foundation. Blackwell received her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1994.

“We welcome Barbara to IAALS and are eager to tap into her ability to develop strategic fundraising plans in both academic and nonprofit settings—a blend of talents uniquely suited to IAALS,” said Rebecca Love Kourlis, co-founder and Executive Director of IAALS. “As IAALS continues to grow and cement its position as a leading voice in the movement to improve the civil justice system, Barbara will be there to keep the momentum going and drive our ability to make lasting impacts.”

IAALS is a national, independent research center dedicated to continuous improvement of the process and culture of the civil justice system. By leveraging a unique blend of empirical and legal research, innovative solutions, broad-based collaboration, communications, and ongoing measurement in strategically selected, high-impact areas, IAALS is empowering others with the knowledge, models and will to advance a more accessible, efficient, and accountable civil justice system.