Dear Colleagues,

Please join me in welcoming Austin Gammage to the East Coast Region as a Regional Director serving the Atl/Car market.

Prior to joining the East Coast, Austin was an Associate Director for our Annual Giving team. Austin also previously served as the Manager of Business Development for the City of South Bend where he worked on projects such as the new Turbomachinery facility and Innovation Park. He grew up in South Bend, graduated from Ball State University in 2012, and received his Master’s from Bowling Green State University in 2017.

Austin and his wife, Katrina, have two children Kyra (11) and their newest edition Oakley (9 months). We are so excited to have Austin and his family join our team! The best is yet to come!

Thanks,
George W.

Dear Friends,

I am excited to announce that, effective August 9, Ashley Bennett will assume the role of Sr. Director of Special Events. Reporting to me and Heather Christophersen (Associate Vice President, Advancement Services) and serving on the University Events leadership team, Ashley will strategically lead our very talented Special Events team and oversee event planning and execution efforts with our key partners in University Relations as well as our Executive Officers, PLC, Deans, Board of Trustees and Advisory Council members.

Ashley has served as the Associate Director of Events and Guest Services at DeBartolo Performing Arts Center for 10 years. In this role, she coordinated all aspects of DPAC’s special events, creating a unique and personalized experience for over 500 events annually. During this past year’s COVID period, her leadership was on full display as she designed, facilitated, and executed all aspects of the TutorND program alongside partners from the Institute for Educational Initiatives, Robinson Community Learning Center and Alliance for Catholic Education.

Ashley is a proud graduate of Indiana University. She and her husband Dave, a Mishawaka fireman and paramedic of 25 years, reside in Mishawaka. They have two amazing children Maria and Phillip. Maria will be a freshman at Indiana University this fall pursuing a degree in nursing, and Phillip will be a freshman at Marian High School.

Please join me in congratulating Ashley and welcoming her to our University Events family!

Lee Sicinski
Associate Vice President
University Events

Please join me in congratulating Colleen Cross and fellow Double Domer and ND employee Joe Quinn, who were married in a ceremony at the Basilica on July 30. Colleen and Joe were the model of patience and persistence during a long year of pandemic-related reschedules, and the Foundation Relations team couldn’t be happier that the two finally got to celebrate their big day with family and friends.

Best wishes to the newlyweds on starting their next adventure together!

-Amanda Retartha

It is my pleasure to welcome Caitlyn Clinton and Leslie Curry to the Giving Programs team!

Caitlyn is a 2020 graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a BA in American Studies and a Minor in Business and Economics. Prior to starting her role with University Relations, Caitlyn was a Marketing and Social Media Specialist for Operation BBQ Relief. While at the University, Caitlyn was involved in Student Government, Ryan Hall leadership, Fighting Irish Media, and most importantly, the University Relations Internship! Caitlyn will oversee ND Listens, the Class of 2022 Notre Dame Pledge, and other student focused initiatives. I’m so excited for the good work Caitlyn will do with our students.

Leslie graduated from Valparaiso University with a BS in Business Administration, and additionally, she has a Project Management Professional certification. Prior to coming to University Relations, Leslie was the Director of Annual Giving at Valparaiso University. She is well-versed in the world of Development, and more specifically, Annual Giving. Leslie will manage our Annual Giving renewal process, drive revenue for the Notre Dame Fund, and increase the total number of recurring Annual Giving donors. I have full confidence that Leslie’s experience and skill set will elevate the work we do on the Giving Programs Team.

Please join me in welcoming both Caitlyn and Leslie!

-Katie Kerby

Happy Birthday to all our colleagues celebrating their special days in August! We hope you have a great day and a wonderful year!

8/2 – Colleen Cross
8/4 – Jim Small
8/10 – Tara Gilchrist
8/12 – Katie Edel
8/12 – Melissa Medina
8/13 – Sean Carroll
8/14 – Lauren Dolzan
8/16 – Brian Benedict
8/17 – Jennifer Pratt
8/18 – Tim Kelly
8/19 – Brent Henningfeld
8/19 – Julia Sama
8/23 – Amanda Retartha
8/23 – Shaheen Goldrick
8/27 – George West
8/30 – Abbey Johnson
8/30 – Michelle Varda

Colleagues,

I write to share that Ashley Baranowski has accepted a new role as Program Director with the Inspired Leadership Initiative here at Notre Dame starting on August 9th.

We are very grateful for Ashley’s many contributions these past 2 years to our team and the Cavanaugh Council and President’s Circle programs including: her incredible work on our annual impact report, especially this past year as we transitioned to a digital format; coordination and relationships with students including our CCPC scholars; her work with our mentorship program; and her partnership with the Central and Illinois regions.

Please join me in congratulating Ashley on her new role and wishing her all the best in this next chapter!

If you were working with Ashely on any projects or have any questions, please contact me or Jen Odell.

Thank you,
Mary Jane Añón

It is with mixed emotions that I share Julia Onghetich’s decision to devote her energies to being a full time mother to her sons Tim and Nile. You may know that Julia and her husband Bob, who graduated from the Notre Dame Law School in 2020, have already relocated to Indianapolis. I say mixed emotions because we are happy for Julia to be able to spend more time with her family, but will miss her leadership and dedication dearly. Under her leadership, stewardship communications have evolved greatly. She and her team were responsible for quickly making acknowledgments from Fr. John Jenkins and Lou Nanni electronic when COVID required remote work. She was the creator of the latest versions of the Stewardship Report, enhanced financial aid stewardship communications and many other impact communications and reporting significantly. She has also served as an incredible stewardship partner for both Corporate and Foundation Relations.

Julia’s last day on the Stewardship & Donor Relations team will be September 3. If you are interested in learning more about this role as Director for Stewardship Communications, please let me know. We plan to post as soon as possible. Julia is also happy to discuss her role with interested colleagues.

Katherine Lane