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With an advancement career spanning more than three decades, Royal Govain provides clients with a comprehensive understanding of educational, health and nonprofit organizations throughout Canada and the United States. Through his experience with diverse nonprofits across North and South America, he provides strategic counsel that is individually tailored to client and cultural needs. Adept at working in international environments, he speaks French and some Portuguese.

Before joining GG+A, Royal was executive director, external affairs, of the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital at McGill University. As chief advancement officer, he guided the Institute through a campaign for the Brain Tumour Research Centre and oversaw all private gift support, media and community relations, as well as worldwide alumni/alumnae relations. Previously, he was founding executive officer and chief development officer at the NeuroScience Canada Foundation, a national organization committed to advancing neuroscience research in 18 universities across Canada through private philanthropy.

As a senior management consultant for Centraide du Grand Montréal (United Way), Royal advised in the creation of a major donors program. He served as a member of the United Way-Centraide Canada National Task Force on Major Donors, charged with designing and implementing best North American professional practices in local programs across Canada. He has also lived and worked in Brazil as a voluntary advisor in university advancement planning.

A graduate of Princeton University, Royal has also worked at two major American universities, Harvard and Cornell. He was the Associate Dean for Development at The Divinity School of Harvard University and worked at Cornell University in senior development posts, both on the Ithaca campus and at the Metro New York regional office in Manhattan.

Selected GG+A client work includes:

– Emory University, counsel for Emory’s first university-wide, comprehensive campaign

– University of British Columbia Okanagan, work with the University in the creation of a new development program and the University’s first campaign for the Okanagan campus

– Fundación Instituto Leloir (Buenos Aires), counsel on development and external relations operations for the organization’s Buenos Aires headquarters and advising on the creation of a fundraising operation in North America

– Université de Montréal, École Polytechnique, HEC Montréal, counsel on structuring a federated campaign integrated across three schools

– Fondation de l’Hôpital Sainte-Justine, guidance in establishing permanent philanthropic support structures and a sustained major donors program

– University of California, San Diego Health Sciences, analysis of advancement functions for medical research and clinical care combined operations

– Mercersburg Academy, guidance in establishing a sustainable advancement operation and planning the next campaign