National Alumni Board Election

My desire to serve as NAB President comes from a place of deep gratitude for the community that shaped me. Saint Joseph's University didn't just provide me with an education – it gave me a lifelong mission to be a person "With and For Others." This principle is the heartbeat of my life's work, and I feel a profound responsibility to give back to the institution that instilled these values in me.

Co-founding the Lancaster Alumni Chapter was a turning point for me. I witnessed firsthand the spark that ignites when Hawks come together. I want to serve because I am passionate about nurturing those connections. While my professional background in organizational development allows me to build the systems we need for a sustainable future, my true motivation is the people. I want to lead the NAB with a heart for service, ensuring that every graduate feels the warmth of the SJU family and the power of a community that truly champions one another.

I'll know we've succeeded when I hear alumni say, "I feel like I truly belong to this community." Success isn't just about numbers on a spreadsheet. It's about the stories we create together. I want to see NAB chapters thriving as vibrant hubs where alumni naturally turn for connection, mentorship, and support. I want young alumni to feel the same sense of belonging and possibility that I felt as a student, knowing there's a network of Hawks ready to champion their success. I'll measure success through the relationships we strengthen – between alumni and students, between chapters and the university, and among alumni themselves across generations and geographies. Ultimately, success means creating a culture where every Saint Joe's graduate, no matter where life has taken them, feels they have a home in our Hawks family and a meaningful role in advancing our shared Jesuit mission.

My first measure of success at the end of my tenure would be to determine how well we have welcomed and engaged the entire community from the University of the Sciences and the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences while continuing to offer great experiences for all of our alumni base. Second, I would consider an annual and sustainable 10 to 15 percent increase in overall alumni engagement and participation to be successful. Lastly, I would hope that we have established an active pipeline of alumni leaders in place to lead our various chapters, programs, and initiatives to ensure their continuity and success. 

I have volunteered to serve SJU because I want to give back to the University that has given me so much. Not only had the university prepared me academically to succeed in my career, but I also learned to become a well-rounded person and was instilled with the sense of serving others above oneself.

With the recent expansion of the University through mergers and increased enrollment, SJU is seeing a significant increase in the number of students and alumni from outside of the Greater Philadelphia region, as evidenced by the growing number of Alumni Ambassador Groups in cities outside of the traditional Northeast Regional Chapters.  The biggest opportunity for the Alumni Association would be to continue to build upon the incredible programs and events within these Ambassador cities and help to grow them into full-fledged Regional Chapters.  This would not only increase Alumni engagement but would also assist in raising the profile and presence of the University on a national scale.

I would of course measure success by maintaining sustainable and consistent growth in alumni engagement and involvement, with the increased inclusion and involvement of our fellow alumni from University of the Sciences and Pennsylvania College of Health.  In addition, I would also measure success by continuing to build and maintain the number of active alumni leaders involved in all aspects of the National Alumni Board.

I want to continue serving the Alumni Association of Saint Joseph’s University because I have benefited significantly, as has my family and friends and colleagues, from the education and experiences we have been provided by the University. It is important that we, as alumni, do our part to ensure future success. Anything I am able to do to continue in service to the University I find extremely valuable and warranted.

The biggest opportunity the Alumni Association has is to bring together as many alumni as possible to serve in whatever capacity works best for them for the betterment of the University. This includes alumni from all three entities (now all SJU) and areas all over the country.  Engaged alumni will enhance the university and will help ensure its future. I will work to include alumni from different majors, different colleges, different time periods, and those who had varying experiences as a student. Engaging alumni from legacy institutions will be critical to our collective success. Every graduate has benefited from their experiences and education at Saint Joseph’s University and the Alumni Association can work to bring them back or to increase their engagement and dedication. 

At the end of my term as President, if alumni engagement has increased and the University is benefiting from alumni involvement and the work of the Alumni Association, then my tenure will have been successful.  In addition, I would measure success by how well the alumni community feels welcomed by the University and is engaged in support of the University.  

SJU is like one large family, and that includes our alumni. I’ve encountered so many alumni who are willing to help out fellow alumni as they set out on their career and life journeys, and this is a testament to the broad base of SJU alumni that we’re all willing to lend a hand. For me, Hawk Hill has been a massive part of my life, and when something has given as much to you as SJU has given to me, it’s only natural to want to pay it forward to support the next generation of Hawks. Further, SJU’s Catholic, Jesuit mission instills in us the value of service, a value that should persist even after becoming an alumnus of the university.

The alumni association has a opportunity to engage its alumni at all levels. This year, we’re poised to engage our largest group of alumni yet, but with more than 112,000 living alumni, we still have plenty of opportunity to increase this. Our current alumni leaders have been hard at work laying the groundwork for this, and our past NAB Presidents and Vice Presidents have kept us aligned through new challenges over the last several years. High-quality, holistic programming allows alumni to engage in the way that they want to with the University, and a more engaged alumni base will enable us to identify the next generation of alumni leadership.

To know what success is, you have to start with a vision and goals. My vision is that SJU has an active and robust alumni base to help current and future Hawks become not just well-educated members of society, but also be men and women with and for others. In line with this vision, my goal is to increase our alumni engagement by working with our next NAB President and the rest of the NAB so that Hawks can benefit from the vast swath of experiences and knowledge our alumni bring to the table. Based on that, if we increase alumni participation in whatever way our alumni want to engage with SJU, I will know that we have succeeded.

I am deeply committed to ensuring this university is around for generations to come. My creative vision and strategic drive will be brought to the leadership table through dynamic programming and forward-thinking fundraising. 

The Saint Joseph’s University of tomorrow requires fresh, innovative ideas to remain competitive in today’s rapidly evolving higher education landscape. This doesn’t mean letting go of cherished traditions, but rather boldly reimagining the most effective ways to keep alumni engaged and involved. Thinking long-term, intentional alumni stewardship is what turns engagement into future transformative major gifts. But regardless of philanthropic level, including those who do not or cannot give, all alumni deserve access to strong, exclusive perks to enjoy.

My proven track record during my time on the NAB has shown why I am ready for this moment. Some of my accomplishments include:

• Spearheaded a fundraising campaign leveraging peer-to-peer and social media strategies, engaging 81 donors and raising over $12,000 for the 2025 Day of Giving. I was recognized as the top Day of Giving ambassador, lovingly dethroned 10-year reigning champion Don DiJulia, and proved vocal skeptics wrong (smirk face emoji).
• Organized Women Roll Together: A Sushi Social. Its success was driven by researched understanding of young women’s interests. Attendee feedback showed a clear desire for more events of this kind. Relatedly, this was the first alumni event for 25% of attendees.
• Coordinated discounted ticket access for Unrivaled. On short notice, over 40 tickets were purchased for this night of 3x3 pro women’s basketball. Deciding to do this event was informed by, fun fact: a 430% increase in women’s sports viewership in the U.S. since 2021 – and growing (McKinsey & Company).

In addition to traditional annual events, the Alumni Association deserves to benefit from more events and ticket discounts tailored to the interests of key communities. Three of those communities, in my eyes, are:

• Alumnae - Women make up the majority of the SJU alumni base at 55%. Based on that statistic, more programming should authentically serve this audience with data-driven preferences in mind.
• Alumni with young children - SJU alumni events rarely focus on creating experiences unique to the needs of families with young children. This is a no-brainer opportunity for the Association to be presented with fun events that parents and children are excited to attend.
• Young alumni - Young people seek connection and purpose that extends beyond alcohol-centered gatherings, research shows. It is imperative to continue offering valuable and affordable/free events that inspire community.

Success at the end of my tenure will be measured by these anticipated outcomes:

• 5% year-over-year (YOY) increase in engagement from previously inactive alumni
• 5% YOY increase in engagement from lapsed alumni
• Lower the Office of Alumni Relations’ cost per event attendee YOY without compromising programming quality
• Attend at least 12 alumni events per year
• Grow alumni opt-ins for text message communications