Vice President, Philanthropy, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

Sandy Liarakos is vice president of philanthropy at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, overseeing the strategic philanthropic plan for the institute, building strong relationships with donors, corporations and foundations. Liarakos joined Sanford Burnham Prebys in 2024, coming from the University of California, Riverside, where she served as Senior Director of Gift Planning, overseeing legacy philanthropy programs for the university and the UC Riverside School of Medicine. Prior to UC Riverside, Liarakos was senior director, external relations at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where she managed the cancer center's fundraising and collaborated with national cancer foundations. She has also been part of leadership teams at UC Davis, UC San Diego, San Diego State University, Point Loma Nazarene University, Scripps Health Foundation and Sharp HealthCare.

Liarakos is a second-generation San Diegan and graduated from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. She has served in numerous leadership roles within the nonprofit community, including Chair of San Diego's National Philanthropy Day, is a member of Certified Fund Raising Executive International since 2008; and a Certified Specialist in Planned Giving. Sandy served as a presenter at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Group on Institutional Advancement and the National Association of Cancer Center Development Offices (NACCDO).