Penny Hawkins

Penny Hawkins is Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Philanthropy Officer at UNC Charlotte, where she leads philanthropic strategy for Charlotte Athletics while also serving as Associate Vice Chancellor for Development. She has additionally served as Interim Executive Director of the Athletic Foundation since November 2025, guiding a period of accelerated growth in donor engagement and athletic fundraising. Since joining UNC Charlotte in 2021 as Senior Director of Development for Strategic Planning and Gifts, Hawkins has quickly become a central leader in the University’s advancement enterprise. In 2022, she was appointed Associate Vice Chancellor for Development, where she has helped shape and execute some of the institution’s most ambitious fundraising efforts. Her leadership has been instrumental in advancing the For the Love of Charlotte campaign, a $500 million initiative that has already secured $400 million in commitments and continues to build momentum toward its goal. Hawkins has played a key role in UNC Charlotte’s record-setting philanthropic achievements, including contributing to the University’s first-ever $100 million fundraising year in FY25 and helping secure transformative gifts such as a $23 million commitment from the Mebane Foundation in support of literacy education. During Niner Nation Gives 2026, she helped lead Charlotte Athletics to a historic performance, more than doubling its previous record with $2.2 million raised through 1,852 gifts. Before joining UNC Charlotte, Hawkins served as a senior consultant with PMA Nonprofit Leadership and held development roles with organizations including Novant Health, KinderMourn, and the Council for Children’s Rights. A Certified Fundraising Executive and graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, she is also an active leader within the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Across her career, Hawkins has been recognized for building strong donor relationships, aligning philanthropic strategy with institutional vision, and helping organizations translate momentum into long-term impact—particularly in support of student success and community advancement.