Lori Houlihan, 1967-2021

A vice-provost who led a major fundraising campaign and offered crucial support to women seeking leadership roles has died.

Lori Houlihan was born in Aberdeen in 1967 and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School before going on to a degree in business studies at Robert Gordon University. She worked as a director of marketing within the NHS (1992-99) and then as director of external affairs at the University of Aberdeen (1999-2011), where she spearheaded a £200 million fundraising campaign to mark the institution’s 600th anniversary. In 2011, she moved on to UCL.

Initially appointed executive director of development and alumni relations (2011-16), Ms Houlihan later became vice-provost for development (2016-18) and then for advancement (2018-20), taking on overall responsibility for marketing and communications.

In 2016, she devised and led the “It’s All Academic” fundraising campaign, one of the largest ever by a European university, to support research, teaching, scholarships and other student assistance, and to forge a committed community of global alumni. The campaign hit its ambitious £600 million target in 2020, a year ahead of schedule.

Deeply committed to diversity and integrity, Ms Houlihan was UCL’s first interfaith champion, and she devoted considerable efforts both to mentoring women for leadership roles and to the cause of ethical fundraising. She also came up with the idea for The Queer Tapestry exhibition, designed to “uncover the rich histories and voices of UCL’s LGBTQ+ community from the past 50 years and beyond”, and featuring the stories of alumni, students and staff, from poet and classicist A. E. Housman to artist Maggi Hambling.

Dame Hazel Genn, vice-provost (international and advancement) at UCL, recalled how “Lori brought vision, supreme professionalism, a sense of fun and some disruption to all that she did for UCL. Her impact on UCL’s advancement work was extraordinary, but her contribution to the institution was much wider and deeper, not least in promoting equity and inclusion…I was in awe of Lori’s strength of character, courage and concern for others as she faced the challenge of her condition.”

Diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in 2019, Ms Houlihan was forced to retire the following year. When she realised “how little change there has been to treatment options for this cancer over the last two decades”, she set up the UCL Lori Houlihan Glioblastoma Fund to raise funds for innovative research on immunotherapy.

Awarded an honorary doctorate by UCL last November in recognition of her “exceptional and dedicated service”, Ms Houlihan died on 19 April and is survived by her husband Dominic, a daughter and three stepchildren.

matthew.reisz@timeshighereducation.com