Team,

I am pleased to share that Patty Kokesh will be promoted to the role of Executive Director, IT and Financial Administration effective Monday, March 3. In this role, Patty will lead the strategy and deployment behind the technology, analytics, and financial resources for our division in support of our fundraising goals. This promotion makes permanent the oversight Patty has provided to the IT and Analytics team on an interim basis since Carleen Quinlan’s retirement in early December. In addition, Patty will continue to provide leadership to the Financial Administration and Strategy team.

We are blessed to have Patty as a member of our Advancement Services and Development leadership teams, and grateful to her for so eagerly taking on this new opportunity. Patty joined University Relations in June 2017 as Associate Director of Data and Analytics in support of the Annual Giving team. Since that time, she has built strong partnerships with leaders throughout the division and the university while taking on roles of increasing responsibility. Patty was promoted to the role of Senior Director of Financial Administration and Strategy in February 2023. She and her husband, Ryan, are the proud parents of two young sons, Marty and Jamie.

Additionally, I’d like to thank the leadership of the IT and Analytics teams (Andrew Yocum, Dean Ernzen, Rose Michalski, Matt LaFlash, Mayuri Changede, and Tracey Mulherin) for their leadership during this interim time and for their input and feedback as we evaluated the future of this critical team and function. They and their teams provide incredibly impactful work for our division and they each will be an asset to Patty as she moves forward in this role.

Please join me in thanking Patty for her continued leadership and congratulating her on her new role!

Brian

Hello! I’m writing to share a few updates for the Annual Giving Programs team:

• We are renaming the team Annual Giving Campaigns & Initiatives to better describe the work this team accomplishes and align with industry standards. 

• Meredith Sharwarko, the current Director of the team, has decided to move on from her position. Her last day will be February 28th. Meredith has served in this position for two years and in that time has led every one of the 12 programs and initiatives on this team to see incredible growth! Two of her most notable accomplishments include achieving record-breaking numbers on Notre Dame Day two years in a row and leading our most successful Calendar Year-End campaign ever this past December. Meredith is a very strategic thinker and we will greatly miss her wisdom and leadership. We wish you the best, Meredith!

• Wendy Garcia Sigala has been promoted to Associate Director! Her expanded responsibilities include leading ND Listens while continuing her work with peer-to-peer outreach. Additional responsibilities include ND Loyal Student Ambassadors, student philanthropy education, stewardship campaigns for Annual Giving donors, and senior class giving. I can’t imagine a more perfect person to lead our ND Listens students. Congratulations, Wendy!

• Leslie Curry will take on an expanded role leading and executing our large-scale campaigns. Still leading our Notre Dame Fund, Renewals, and Matching Gifts strategy.

We are in the middle of the hiring process for the Director, Annual Giving Campaigns & Initiatives position and will soon post Wendy’s former role of Assistant Director, Annual Giving Campaigns & Initiatives. 

Please reach out to Katie Kerby if you have any additional questions. Thank you!

Dear Team –

I’m excited to announce that Kamil Kosidlak will be joining the NDAA IT team as our new Data and Systems Specialist on Monday, February 24.  While he’s new to the NDAA, Kamil has been working on campus since 2017, spending time in Development, OIT, and his current position supporting IT in Mendoza College of Business.

Originally from Poland, Kamil grew up in the South Bend area.  He completed his Bachelor’s degree from IUSB and this past December completed his Masters in Data Science from IU-Bloomington.  He thrives on the thrill of the challenge and loves solving complex problems and navigating unique situations.

While Kamil’s first day with the team isn’t until the 24th, you may see him around before then as we work on his onboarding.  When you see him, make sure to give him a great, big NDAA welcome!

John

It is with heartfelt sadness that I share the news of the passing of Alex Servin’s brother, Adam Jesus Servin “A.J.”.  Please keep Alex and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this very sad time.

A visitation will take place Saturday, February 15, from 1-7 p.m. central time at the Elmwood Chapel Funeral Home in Chicago.  

Adam’s obituary can be found here.  Alex, we are sorry for you and your family’s loss.

Dear Colleagues,

The first spring renewal mailing (renew #1) dropped in mailboxes on Friday, February 7, to our unrestricted and giving society benefactors. As a reminder, this mailing is sent to all assigned and unassigned benefactors whose annual giving is less than $25,000, asking them to renew their previous calendar year gift by their respective fund owner. This mailing was sent to over 10,000 households and will be followed by an email reminder this week. If you have any questions regarding our renewal strategy, please reach out to the appropriate fund (Sorin, Rockne, Law, etc.) owner on the annual giving team, and they will assist you.

Thanks!
Annual Giving Team

Please be courteous to your colleagues by booking your hot desk when you are in the office. If you do not reserve the space where you are seated and the individual who has booked the space arrives, they can ask you to find a new work space. As a reminder, you can access Tango Reserve a few different ways  — go.nd.edu/ndrtango or via the Tango Reserve by AgilQuest mobile app. The full set of instructions can be found here. Please contact Patty Kokesh with any questions.

UR Friends,

I’m very excited to share the news that Sarah and Erick Wodrich welcomed their second child, Bowen Charles Wodrich, at 12:21 pm on January 27! Sarah and Bowen are doing well, and Cal is loving his new role as “big brother”.

While Sarah is on maternity leave, I know she would welcome your prayers and well wishes! Congratulations to the Wodrich family!

Jessica

New AI Tool DeepSeek and What You Need to Know

⭐ What’s new?
DeepSeek refers to a new set of frontier AI models.
DeepSeek is not a University-approved AI tool.
It was recently reported that a vulnerability in DeepSeek’s website left data exposed, including user chats.

👥 Who is affected?
We advise that end users (students, staff and faculty) avoid using deepseek.com or DeepSeek’s mobile app.
Developers or researchers interested in experimenting with the AI model itself, contact AI Enablement for information on how to access DeepSeek securely.
Do not build Deepseek’s open source model into production services.

❗Why it matters:
This new tool is receiving a lot of media attention, and is causing disruption in the AI space.

🐋 Go deeper:
For more about DeepSeek and its implications for the AI landscape, read DeepSeek Explained at ai.nd.edu. You can learn more about approved AI tools for campus at AI@ND.

For 24/7 self-service assistance including the virtual agent, go to servicenow.nd.edu or contact the Service Desk during business hours at 574-631-8111 or oithelp@nd.edu.

University of Notre Dame
Office of Information Technology

Dear Team,

It is with deep sadness that I share the news of the passing of Bob Morton’s mother, Debra Morton Cook, on January 10, 2025.

Let us come together to extend our condolences to Bob, Heather, and their family, and continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

A visitation to honor Debbie’s life will be held on Friday, February 7, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM at Brown Funeral Home, 521 E. Main Street, Niles.

Memorial contributions in Debbie’s memory may be made to the Debra Morton Cook Memorial Fund at the University of Notre Dame. Gifts can be made:

• Online: giving.nd.edu/morton-cook-memorial
• By Phone: (574) 631-5150
• By Mail: University of Notre Dame, Department of Development, 1100 Grace Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556

In lieu of a contribution, Debbie would have deeply appreciated your support for your local humane society.

To read the full, beautiful obituary written by Bob, please visit this site.

Thank you, for your prayers and support.

With gratitude,

Nadia

Below, you will find a personal note from Bob in memory of his beloved mother, Debra:

“Friends, It is with immense pride in a race well run that I share that at 11:50 PM on January 10th, my mother, Debra Morton Cook, crossed the threshold between Heaven and Earth and went home to Jesus. Her final breath came upon the end of the first verse of Go Rest High Upon the Mountain, fitting as she chose that very song to say goodbye to my father just over 18 years ago. She will be remembered as a loving wife, a devoted mother, a fun and rebellious grandmother, a rambunctious youngest sister, a doted-upon third child, and a special lady to all who met her. Just yesterday, she was visited by dozens of the staff at Brentwood, arriving on their days off or staying late after their shift, to share stories and express their profound love for her. In a life cut undeservedly short by the devastatingly long goodbye of dementia, she still found a way to leave her mark on friends, her family, and anyone else who found her as irresistible as the rest of us. And it was my absolute honor to help her transition from this life to the next.”