Nancy Bussani
About Nancy Bussani
Nancy Bussani serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer at CommonSpirit Health, where she guides the national foundation to secure investments for health justice initiatives. With over 30 years of experience in fundraising and administration, she has held various leadership roles in healthcare and academia, including positions at Dignity Health and San Jose State University.
Current Role at CommonSpirit Health
Nancy Bussani currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer at CommonSpirit Health. In this role, she guides the national foundation to secure investments for system-wide initiatives focused on health justice. She has been in this position since 2023, working in a hybrid capacity.
Previous Experience at CommonSpirit Health
Before her current role, Nancy Bussani worked at CommonSpirit Health as the Senior Vice President of Strategy and Governance from 2019 to 2023. During her four years in this position, she contributed to strategic planning and governance initiatives within the organization.
Educational Background
Nancy Bussani holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Accounting from the University of Idaho, where she studied from 1980 to 1984. She also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Washington State University, completing her studies from 1985 to 1986.
Philanthropic Leadership Experience
Nancy Bussani has over 30 years of experience in fundraising, grants development, and administration across academia, healthcare, and research. She previously served as Vice President of Philanthropy at Dignity Health from 2012 to 2018, where she established the first system foundation and built its inaugural Board of Directors. Additionally, she has worked with 80 local fundraising foundations nationwide, providing strategic vision and leadership.
Teaching and Thought Leadership
In addition to her professional roles, Nancy Bussani has served as an adjunct professor, teaching Organizational Development in the College of Business at both San José State University and the University of Nevada, Reno. She frequently presents on philanthropy, establishing herself as a thought leader in the field.