Denise Marica has spent nearly twenty years building philanthropic programs for mission-driven organizations across San Francisco, with deep expertise in board development, team leadership and cultivating cultures of giving that are inclusive, strategic and grounded in shared purpose.

Denise most recently served as Chief Philanthropy Officer at Bay Area Discovery Museum, where she led the organization’s philanthropic strategy across annual, capital, endowment and event fundraising, partnering closely with the CEO and Board of Trustees on organizational strategy, governance and financial sustainability. Previously, she served as Director of Development at Founders Pledge, where she built infrastructure and global pipeline strategy to support the organization’s growth. From 2012 to 2020, Denise held progressively senior fundraising roles at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, most recently as Director of Growth Initiatives, where she helped guide key donor relationships through the museum’s landmark capital campaign and 2016 museum reopening. She began her career at the San Francisco Symphony, where she collaborated with civic leaders and the Volunteer Council on major institutional fundraising events and affinity group engagement. Denise holds a 21/64 Philanthropic Advising Certification and a BA in History and History of Art from Haverford College.

As a parent of two young children who attended centers that partner with Children’s Council, Denise has seen the organization’s impact on San Francisco families firsthand. A longtime San Francisco resident, she also serves on the Board of Directors at Pacific Primary School, chairing the Board’s Development Committee and sitting on its Executive Committee.