Bethany McFarland Leslie ’12 serves as Vice President for Advancement at Marietta College, where she leads the College’s philanthropic strategy, alumni and parent engagement, and donor relations. A member of the President’s senior leadership team, she plays a central role in advancing the College’s strategic priorities, strengthening relationships with alumni and supporters, and securing philanthropic investments that will shape Marietta’s future for generations to come.
Since assuming the vice presidency in November 2024, Bethany has led Marietta’s advancement team through two consecutive record-setting years of philanthropic giving, including more than $19.3 million received in fiscal year 2026—the largest annual total in the College’s nearly 200-year history. She has also helped lead the development and launch of The Campaign for Marietta College: More History to Make, an ambitious effort to advance the College’s strategic vision through transformational philanthropy. Her leadership has been instrumental in cultivating significant philanthropic partnerships, including the historic $55 million commitment from Joe and Linda Chlapaty, the largest in Marietta College history.
A proud Marietta alumna, Bethany returned to her alma mater in 2021 as Director of Major Gifts, overseeing the College’s major and planned giving programs. In that role, she helped bring the historic $100 million This Is The Time campaign to a successful conclusion, strengthened donor engagement strategies, and more than doubled the College’s planned giving program. Her work helped establish a strong foundation for the philanthropic growth and transformational investments that have followed.
Bethany brings extensive experience in higher education advancement, with a career spanning major and planned giving, comprehensive campaigns, donor stewardship, and advancement leadership. Before returning to Marietta, she served as Director of The Mount Union Fund and later as Director of Planned Giving at the University of Mount Union, where she expanded deferred gift commitments and developed strategies to deepen alumni and donor engagement. Her career also includes development roles at Northeast Ohio Medical University and Lakeside Chautauqua.
Known for her collaborative, relationship-centered approach to leadership, Bethany believes that meaningful philanthropy begins with understanding what matters most to people and connecting their passions with opportunities to make a lasting difference. She is equally committed to building strong teams, mentoring advancement professionals, and fostering a culture of philanthropy rooted in trust, gratitude, and shared purpose.
Bethany holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in communication studies from Kent State University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in public accounting from Marietta College. She is also actively engaged in volunteer leadership, including serving as the inaugural president of the Alpha Xi Delta Beta Xi Foundation.
For Bethany, the opportunity to serve her alma mater is deeply personal. Having experienced firsthand the transformative power of a Marietta education, she is passionate about connecting alumni and friends with opportunities to ensure future generations of students have the same chance to discover their potential, pursue their ambitions, and make their own history.