Dear Colleagues,

I’m happy to share that Angie Palsak has been promoted to an Assistant Program Director on the Development Administration Team. In this role, Angie will join forces with Kristin Schoenfeld, Samantha Checkley, and Roz Palusci in partnering with the ERD’s and SRD’s. With the addition of Angie, a few partnerships are moving to better align the ERD with the SRD and regions who work most closely.

Beginning March 18, the following partnerships will be in place:
Kristin Schoenfeld will work with George West, Tim Kelly, and Nadia Erickson
Samantha Checkley will work with Ryan Brennan, Jason Scarlett, and Shelby Carroll
Roz Palusci will work with Jerry Barca, Ashley Gerard, and Sean Sharpe
Angie Palsak will work with Erin Newkirk, Joe Dietz, and myself.

Angie joined the Development team in December of 2022 as a development coordinator. Angie has been supporting fundraisers and co-leading the efforts to create training modules for new development coordinators. Angie came to Notre Dame with a host of experience after spending time at a financial institution and another higher education institution where she served for eighteen years.

Erin, Joe, and I are eager to begin working with Angie on a daily basis.

Thank you,
Amy

Dear colleagues,

In light of previous organizational changes, we conducted an assessment of how to best provide professional development opportunities within University Relations and that has led to the difficult decision to discontinue the UR position: Program Manager, Learning & Leadership Development, effective March 7, 2024.

I want to thank Bryan Reaume, who has faithfully served in this position for the past 8 years. Bryan’s commitment to our team and our mission has been evident in everything he accomplished during his tenure, including the launching of our UR CASE internship program, the monthly Learn and Lead sessions, and several cohorts of the Burns Leadership program. I am grateful to Bryan for his service in this role, and wish him well as he continues to serve the University outside of University Relations.

Over the coming months, I will collaborate with the UR Senior Leadership team and partners in NDHR to evaluate the current and future needs for professional development programs within University Relations and develop a long-term strategy in this area. Our people are the most critical component to our success as a division, and our investment in your continued learning and growth is of utmost priority. I welcome your participation and feedback in this process, and will offer times and forums for you to provide this feedback in the near future.

Moving forward, Stephanie Washington, Associate Director of Learning and Leadership Development, will continue to lead the execution of our onboarding efforts, and will report to Adria Logan. Additionally, Adria, Stephanie, and the Talent Acquisition team will provide oversight for the 2024 UR Summer Intern cohort. I am grateful to each of them for being willing to take on these efforts this year.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Brian

Many of you have received emails from me about various huddle rooms that you have booked on the third floor of ESC in the coming weeks. I wanted to send a more comprehensive update about these rooms as well as what options exist for small meetings and calls over the next few weeks. The following rooms will be impacted by various furniture swaps just after the dates shown below:

• Leahy (offline after February 28th)

• Cavanaugh (offline after February 28th)

• Badin (offline after February 28th)

• 3777 (offline after March 8th)

• 3778 (offline after March 8th)

• First-come first-served huddle rooms next to George West’s current office and Anne Overly’s former office (not available after February 28th)

At the upcoming Blueprint, we will be going through an updated floor plan and instructions for booking newly created huddle rooms where the vacated Annual Giving and Prospect Management offices existed. Until then, we ask that you use the following rooms on a first-come, first–served basis for small meetings and calls:

• Office #3121, Katie Kerby’s vacated office, will remain available throughout construction

• All other offices lining the Annual Giving area have furniture swaps taking place February 29th and March 1st but are available for drop-in meetings/calls starting the week of March 4th

• The two huddle rooms near the Family Room in the “Blue Room” area will remain available throughout construction

• Cavanaugh Room has furniture swaps taking place February 29th and March 1st but is available for drop-in meetings/calls starting the week of March 4th

• Badin Room has furniture swaps taking place February 29th and March 1st but is available for drop-in meetings/calls starting the week of March 4th

• The Family Room, when not in use, can be a great place to have an impromptu meeting with a colleague

And then there are still a couple of currently bookable rooms available that are ideal for smaller meetings as well, both of which will remain available throughout construction:

• Rockne Room

• Hammes Room

• Holy Cross Room

During this transition period, we understand that finding a space for a small meeting may be more difficult but we appreciate your patience as we work through this. Please reach out with any questions or concerns!

Patty Kokesh

I want to alert you of a texting data issue that impacted several assigned benefactors yesterday. We intended to send a text alerting unassigned, undergraduate alumni of their dropped/missing 2024 football ticket lottery status and the text mistakenly went to certain individuals who do qualify for the 2024 Football Ticket Lottery, some of whom are assigned. I am very disappointed by this because our team should never reach out to assigned benefactors for things of this nature. Our communication with assigned benefactors is primarily restricted to stewardship and engagement based on their level of giving (Giving Society stewardship, etc.).

Everyone who received the text incorrectly also received an apology text 20 minutes later. Our team has been responsive to all inquiries and people have been very understanding, but I wanted to share a list of assigned benefactors who were impacted in case you also wanted to reach out to them.

Here is the list of people who are impacted >

I am really sorry about this issue. Please know how committed I am to ensuring this does not happen again.

-Katie Kerby

If you received an email from Development devhelp to upgrade to Windows 11, your action is required!  The upgrade can take up to 2 hours so please install the Windows upgrade on your computer at your convenience and a time that will not interfere with your work schedule prior to Friday, March 1, 2024.  

If you do not perform this upgrade by Friday, March 1, 2024 the Windows 11 upgrade will automatically be installed when you login to your computer on or after Monday, March, 4, 2024, preventing you from working until it is complete.

If performing the upgrade from home, please be sure you are connected to the VPN!

Dear UR Team,

I wanted to let you know that Sean Sharpe informed Lou, Sara, and the Executive Directors that he will step away from leading the Northwest Team and become a fundraiser in regional development.

In his own words, Sean said, “This decision comes not only with mixed emotions, but with gratitude and excitement; I have truly enjoyed being a part of and leading the Northwest region, and am thankful for the opportunity. I am eternally grateful for the dedication, hard work, and collaboration among our team and the broader UR family. Our ERD/SRD team is the best in higher education, and I am grateful to be a part of it. I am also excited to contribute in a different capacity, as I feel at this time in my journey it is the best use of my skills and experience, and the most effective way for me to serve Our Lady and drive philanthropy for Notre Dame.”

I want to acknowledge Sean for giving everything he had to lead the Northwest Team. I am inspired by his commitment to serve Notre Dame and by the courage it takes to make this call. I have great admiration for both. Sean will remain the leader of the Northwest Team until the next Senior Regional Director is selected.

Though he will be in a new role, we will count on Sean to continue to be a leader in our department. With his energy, excitement and dedication to Notre Dame, I know success will follow for him in this next role.

For the Northwest team, we will begin discussions for that next leader shortly. More details to follow.

In Notre Dame,

Jerry

Please note that the Women Owned Business Market mentioned in today’s souNDoff is being held on Monday, March 4th, not the 14th. The corrected blurb will run again next week and read:

Women Owned Business Market
In celebration of Women’s History Month, join South Bend vendors to shop and learn more about local women-owned businesses. The event will take place Monday, March 4, from 3-7PM in the Dahnke Ballroom. 

We apologize for any confusion.

Congratulations to Rachel and Greg Schaefer and big sister, Caroline, on their new arrival! They welcomed Audrey Kathryn Schaefer into the world on Friday afternoon (2.16.24). From Rachel — they are overjoyed and a little under-slept!

-Patty Kokesh

Dear Colleagues,

The first spring renewal mailing (renew #1) dropped in mailboxes Friday, February 9, to all 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 is being sent to over 11,000 households and will be followed by email reminders in the weeks to come. 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 can assist.

Thanks!
Annual Giving Team

Colleagues,

Please join the Leadership Events and Internal Engagment teams in offering your prayers and condolences to our friend and colleague Blake Rodman. Blake’s father passed away unexpectedly this week. Services are still pending.

Geni Holmes and Lana Taylor