(BOSTON) – The Concussion Legacy Foundation has announced the hiring of Alec Elbert as its vice president of development. Elbert will be responsible for steering the Foundation’s strategic vision and managing its development initiatives, fundraising and growth. He will report directly to Chris Nowinski, whose Foundation title has changed from executive director to president.

Elbert was most recently chief strategy and development officer for Autism Speaks, where he managed all fundraising across the U.S. and Canada. In that role, he was responsible for the development of a fundraising leadership strategy, progression of regional field operations and chapters, management of existing fundraising initiatives, and implementation of new revenue channels.

Prior to his role at Autism Speaks, Elbert spent 11 years at the New England Sports Network (NESN), where he specialized in advertising and affiliate revenue, forecasting and business analysis. He was responsible for revenue strategy, reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and working with the Ownership Group associated with the Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, and Liverpool Football Club. 

“We are excited to welcome Alec Elbert to our team to spearhead the growth of the Foundation,” said Nowinski. “He brings outstanding leadership experience and a history of success at a well-respected nonprofit similarly focused on a brain-related cause, as well as in a corporate sports media setting.”

“This organization’s passion about the work it does has been evident from the very beginning,” Elbert said. “As a sports fan and father myself, I’m extremely proud to be part of the team leading to a safer future for all athletes and helping our kids protect their most important asset, their brains.”

The Concussion Legacy Foundation is a nonprofit organization located in Boston. It aims to solve the concussion crisis by advancing the study, treatment and prevention of the effects of brain trauma in athletes and other at-risk groups through education, policy and research. The Foundation is a collaborator with Boston University’s CTE Program and serves as the outreach and recruiting arm of the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank.

Elbert resides in Brookline with his wife, Veronika, and daughter, Sophia.