James M. Brasher III
James M. “Jim” Brasher has served for more than 35 years as an innovator, strategist and successful implementer in the fields of advocacy, communications, partnership building, philanthropy and resource mobilization.
His career has involved him in a series of significant historic developments in global health, conflict resolution, human rights, peacemaking and global philanthropy. Particularly, his service for more than 12 years as Special Assistant to US President Jimmy Carter, cast him in an important role. In this capacity he development The Carter Center and secured resources, communicated and advocated for its' work on peace marking and disease eradication.
Executives of global corporations, heads of government agencies, major foundations and leading philanthropists have sought his help in translating visions into realities. In 2008, Jim begun his frequent collaboration Project Resource Group (now Development Vision), reuniting him with a team of people he had previously worked with at The Carter Center. Since that time, he has worked with the officers and directors of clients such as icddr,b, the International Vaccine Institute, mother2mothers, the Touch Foundation, Religions for Peace and The Pew Charitable Trusts, among others. Previously, Jim served as the Chief Development/External Affairs Officer of global institutions including, the Touch Foundation, the Synergos Institute, Religions for Peace, The Carter Center, The Carter Menil Foundation and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Working with members of the Rockefeller family, Jim pioneered the development of experiential learning for philanthropic families by founding the Global Philanthropists Circle at the Synergos Institute. There, he worked with more than 300 high net worth families from over 40 countries helping them become strategic in their philanthropy and leading learning journeys for philanthropists to deeply investigate and develop solutions to problems of poverty, health and inequities. Member families had the opportunity to learn and work with each other and then visit diverse stakeholders throughout the world that ranged from local farmers and Heads of State to global heroes like Nelson Mandela.
Jim also served as Director of Programs and Special Assistant to the Secretary General for Religions for Peace, as well as an Officer and Director of Marts & Lundy and President and CEO of the Troy University Foundation. Throughout his career and in these positions he variously organized and managed the fundraising operations; designed and conducted historic capital and special cause campaigns; built new donor constituencies; met challenging fundraising goals to enable dynamic institutional growth and provide for major programmatic expansion; developed high performing staff teams; built partnerships among unlikely and diverse donors and organizations; and conceived and created groundbreaking fundraising and communications strategies. He holds an M.B.A. in Management and B.B.A. in Marketing from the University of Memphis and completed coursework for a Ph.D. in Economics and Finance at the University of Alabama.