Hello,

We’re gearing up for our 2022 Commencement event for our giving society members and wanted to ensure you had the list of registrants and their assigned primaries for your review.

As of Monday, 5/9, we still have limited room available, so if members in your portfolio wish to attend, please ask them to give us a call at 574-631-5198.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via donorexperience@nd.edu.

Thank you!
-Donor Experience Team

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great sadness that I share the news of Betty Russo’s passing. Those who knew Betty, loved Betty. She was a wonderful friend and colleague to many of us in University Relations.

Betty will always be remembered as a classy, positive, fun-loving person who genuinely cared for people.

Rest in peace dear friend.

A link to Betty’s obituary can be found here.

Dear Colleagues,

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of a longtime member of the Gift Planning Team, John Butkovich ’63. John was a generous, kind, and trusted member of the Notre Dame family. John’s love for Notre Dame was on display everyday in the incredible work he did for Our Lady’s University. We will miss him greatly. On behalf of the entire Gift Planning Team, we send our sincere condolences to his wife, Mary Ann, daughter, Annie Geary, and their entire family.

Please find John’s obituary and funeral details here.

Dear Colleagues,

As I referenced at our March Blueprint gathering, we have been exploring how to best position our talented and dedicated Gift Planning team to deliver even greater success for Notre Dame. I am pleased to share a newly structured Gift Planning team, which we are confident will optimize the time and talent of this high-functioning team and enable efficient and strategic growth.

Effective this week, Gift Planning will consist of two teams: Gift Planning Operations and Strategy, and Gift Planning Advancement.

Gift Planning Operations and Strategy

Responsibilities will include drafting proposals and illustrations (in collaboration with gift planning officers), creating planned gift agreements, oversight of the CRT, CGA, and DAF programs, executing distributions, processing gifts, and partnering with the Gift Planning Advancement team on training and educational efforts.

Rich Naponelli will serve as the Sr. Director of Gift Planning Operations and Strategy team. In addition to leading this team, Rich will also:

● serve as a key collaborator on complex gifts across the development team, including with the UR exec team, in a similar fashion as Greg Dugard;
● remain assigned to Tom Molnar, Kim Biagini, and Michael McLaughlin (even though he will transition off of other RD assignments, he should remain involved with the cultivation of planned gift conversations that are in process);
● maintain responsibilities with key University partners and processes including the Transformational Gift Committee, General Counsel’s Office, Gift Acceptance Committee, and the Fiduciary Committee.

RaeLee Rea has been promoted to Program Director, and will oversee a team consisting of Carolyn Hardman, an additional staff attorney (priority hire), and a development associate.

Gift Planning Advancement

Responsibilities will include engaging in donor-facing gift planning cultivation, oversight of our Gift Planning Advancement Committee (GPAC) and LTND2, and partnering with Gift Planning Operations and Strategy team on training and educational efforts.

TJ Pillari has been promoted to the Sr. Director of Gift Planning Advancement, and will lead a team consisting of our gift planning officers and Anne Wieber. TJ will be reviewing GPO-RD assignments over the next couple of weeks to determine where strategic adjustments are needed.

Please join me in thanking our gift planning team for their steadfast commitment, professionalism, and patience as we determine our path forward. Finally, thanks to our entire development team for your partnership with our gift planning colleagues as we advance the impactful mission of Notre Dame.

Gratefully,
Marty

Dear colleagues,

I’m thrilled to share that we have hired Matt Greene ’16 for the role of Clubs Program Manager. Matt‘s career has been in Admissions – working at his high school alma mater in Detroit, then at Notre Dame, and most recently at Holy Cross College. During his time with Notre Dame Admissions, he worked closely with ND club leaders to host college fairs, spoke with prospective students and their families, and helped students navigate the admissions process. Matt graduated from Notre Dame in 2016 and was a proud member of the Band and Keough Hall Council. In his free time, he writes blogs/articles for One Foot Down and enjoys checking out local breweries.

Please join me in welcoming Matt as he begins today, May 2.

Sincerely,

Abbey

Colleagues,

Please join me in welcoming Monica May to the Gift and Data Management Team as the Communication and Data Analyst. Monica will be primarily responsible for sending tax acknowledgments, pledge update communications, and memorial notifications. Monica joined the team on Monday, April 25.

Prior to joining the team Monica spent more than 8 years at Press Ganey, most recently as a Survey Designer.

A longtime resident of the Michiana area, Moncia, her husband Tyler, and daughter Moriah (age 12) reside in South Bend with their dog, Rocko. Moriah is an 8 year member of the Girl Scouts, where Monica has volunteered and has served as the lead counselor for the Community Girl Scout Summer Day Camp for several years. Monica fully embraces the mission of the Development team and I am eager to see her thrive in advancing the University through service to our benefactors.

Please introduce yourself to Monica when you see her.

-Amy Schell

Happy birthday to all our UR employees celebrating their special days in May! We hope you have a beautiful year!

5/4 – Tashana Kenny
5/6 – Erin Thornton
5/7 – Courtney Mattison
5/7 – Grace Prosniewski
5/9 – Barbara Josenhans
5/9 – Gavin McGuire
5/10 – Michele Wolff
5/11 – Amy Walter
5/14 – Josh Flynt
5/15 – Kathryn Valenti
5/15 – Laura Marks
5/15 – Mary Flynt
5/18 – Ron Linczer
5/19 – Lori Rush
5/21 – Terrell Robinson
5/21 – Kiran Mistry
5/21 – Isabel Dance
5/22 – Andy Mason
5/22 – Stephanie Washington
5/24 – Kevin McMannis
5/26 – Kate Mueller
5/29 – Amelia Ruggaber
5/31 – Jennifer Powell
5/31 – Patrick Charles