Jay Sanders

Executive Director, Undergraduate Transportation Design

Biography

The executive director of the undergraduate Transportation Design Department since 2013, Jay Sanders originally joined ArtCenter in 1994 and has since supported the College in various capacities.

A graduate of the University of Southern California with a BS in aerospace engineering, he had worked briefly in the aerospace industry before turning his attention to social service and nonprofits. He joined the Hollywood Urban Project in 1989 as the director of development and interns, where he handled all fundraising, external communications, and supervised a team of college interns working with underserved families.

After five years, he joined ArtCenter as the associate director of Corporate Relations. It was the first of several fundraising roles, with Sanders serving in succession as the director of Annual and Special Giving, the director of Institutional Advancement and the senior major gifts officer, where he was responsible for individual gifts with solicitations totaling over $10 million. In 2006, Sanders became the director of the Transportation Design Department, a role which involved supervising faculty, mentoring students and partnering with other departments. He also helped establish and directed all aspects of the annual ArtCenter Car Classic, a high-profile concours covered by major media.

After 16 years, he left ArtCenter to again pursue his desire to work with underserved families and at-risk children. Sanders became the vice president of advancement for PUENTE Learning Center and then the chief advancement officer for Five Acres, overseeing the strategic planning, fundraising, and marketing and communications efforts for those organizations.

The ArtCenter community welcomed him back two and a half years later. As the executive director of Transportation Design, Sanders works on developing strategies for fundraising, marketing and recruitment, alumni engagement, curriculum development and career development.  He continues to play a key role with the ArtCenter Car Classic and also serves on the College’s Diversity Council.