Merle Brodie

Merle Brodie has been a leader in the San Diego philanthropic community for 40 years.

Merle is recognized for bringing dynamic insights, in depth knowledge and effective leadership and experience that embraces a team empowering approach to every project she undertakes.

She has extensive background in all aspects of development with significant achievements in planning and directing major gift, planned giving and capital campaigns.

With a development career that began with the Scripps Foundation in La Jolla, CA, Merle was highly effective in securing numerous major gifts as a part of Scripps $100 million capital campaign. After Scripps, she served as vice president at The San Diego Foundation, where she led the North County business development initiative and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, where she revitalized the community presence. Other organizations where Merle held senior development positions include the Jewish Community Foundation, where she conceived and helped implement the Endowment Leadership Institute and the Palomar Health Foundation. Before her retirement in 2021, Merle provided major gift and gift planning services to Girl Scouts San Diego.

As a sought-after consultant, Merle assisted clients with development audits, feasibility studies, board development, specialized major gift, capital campaign and planned giving programs. These include the ARC of San Diego, San Diego Center for Children, Neighborhood Health Centers, North Coast Repertory Theatre, Heritage Pointe and the University of California San Diego Extension’s Fundraising and Development Certificate Program, Rady Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House.

Through her career, Merle demonstrated a strong commitment to community service as well as to guiding, educating and mentoring young professionals. Merle is past president and a current executive committee member of Women Give San Diego; and served on the the Advisory Board and faculty of UCSD’s Fundraising Certificate Program. She also served on the boards of the Alzheimer’s Association and Girl Scouts San Diego.

In service to her profession, Merle was a board member and past president of the Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP) which recognized her with their highest award, Development Executive of the Year. Merle also served on the boards of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning and the North County Philanthropy Council and was a member of the Estate Planning Council.