The following message is from the Chief of Staff:
Campus Colleagues,
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Zachary Hatcher, former executive director of development at UMW. Zach and his partner Chris Kucera died Monday night in a single-engine airplane crash at Long Island MacArthur Airport. News is just being shared after this tragedy, and we’ll update our campus on ways to connect and remember our former colleague as services are scheduled. For those seeking additional support, please remember that the Employee Assistance Program, which is available at no cost with state employee health insurance plans, may be accessed through the Human Resources website. Any students coping with this news can access TimelyCare from anywhere they are this summer.
Zach had recently been appointed CEO of the Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region after many years as senior director of development for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. He previously worked in the Fredericksburg region, for six and a half years at UMW and as executive director of the Fredericksburg Area Health and Support Services (FAHASS) prior to his work on campus. In each role, his leadership and enthusiasm advanced so many important initiatives and organizational missions.
At UMW, Zach served as senior director of corporate, foundation and individual giving – a program he helped to build. He advanced into the role of executive director of development, where he led fundraising efforts for Arts & Culture initiatives and was instrumental in the development of the Beyond the Classroom endowment. He’s known for being an expert in volunteer leadership, and his colleagues recall how he strived to leave a place better than he found it. Thanks to this approach, his impact at UMW will live on for decades to come.
Zach and Chris also renovated historic properties, known online and by many colleagues and friends for their hospitality at their White Plains Farm in King George County. His voice is recognizable and resonates with many as co-host of the Art Snap podcast.
Our sympathies and support go to his family, as well as members of our campus community who worked closely with him and benefitted from his work and generosity. He will be dearly missed.
Jeff McClurken
Chief of Staff
