Colleagues,

I am delighted to share that Diana Elia is joining University Relations as the Senior Office Coordinator in 405 Main Building. In this role, she will serve as the first point of contact for University Relations and Public Affairs & Communications guests in Suite 405 while also providing administrative support for Drew Buscareno. Sharon Rankert, who previously supported Drew, will now be fully dedicated to the Advisory Council program.

A Michiana native and 2019 graduate of Saint Mary’s College, Diana earned a degree in communications with a minor in advertising and public relations. She spent the past five years in Chicago as a Client Solutions Team Support Manager for The ABIS Group. Bilingual and passionate about travel, she enjoys immersing herself in different cultures and building meaningful connections with others both professionally and personally.

Diana accepted this position just before the University’s hiring freeze took effect, and her first day is Monday, March 31. Please feel free to stop by 405 Main Building to introduce yourself and extend a warm welcome to Diana.

My best,
Julia Sama

UR Team,

I am so excited to announce that on 3/15, Kate and her husband Wynn welcomed Seamus John Brown! He was born at 12:58 am, 7lbs 14oz, and 21in. All are doing well!

If you’d like to join their meal train, you can do so here.

-Conor Montijo

Dear Colleagues,

I write to share the bittersweet news that Jessica Brice, our Senior Director of Gift Planning Advancement, will be resigning from her role at the University on April 11th to begin an exciting new chapter.

Since 2019 Jessica has been a cornerstone of the Gift Planning team, playing a vital role in its growth, success, and culture. Her dedication as a fundraiser has resulted in over 150 leadership gifts, totaling an impressive $166M secured in partnership with Regional Development. Since the start of FY24, her leadership as Senior Director has propelled the team to achieve over $637M in planned gift production.

Of course, Jessica’s impact extends far beyond the numbers. She embodies collaboration with her positive, selfless, and servant-hearted approach, always ready to support colleagues and connect with benefactors. Jessica’s presence has consistently brought optimism and encouragement to all who have had the pleasure of working with her. She will be dearly missed.

Jessica’s passion for the outdoors and family will lead her and her husband John to relocate to Utah, near her godchildren and the beauty of the Mountain West. As her last day approaches on Friday, April 11th, please join me in expressing our deepest gratitude to Jessica for her extraordinary contributions to Notre Dame’s mission and wishing her great joy in her next adventure.

TJ

Dear University Relations Team,

We are thrilled to announce that starting Monday, March 24th, Elivet Quijada-Navarro will be joining us as our new Alumni Groups Coordinator!

A recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a Master of Nonprofit Administration in 2023, Elivet also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication/Public Relations with a Minor in Human Resource Management from Indiana University South Bend. Before joining our team, Elivet served as the Deputy Chief of Staff/Director of Policy for the City of South Bend, bringing valuable leadership and strategic expertise to the table.

Elivet is excited to return to her alma mater. She resides in South Bend and has spent her career in public service. Outside of work, she keeps busy with her family—her husband, their son, two golden retrievers, and their two cats. She loves nature and wildlife, and spends her free time birdwatching, gardening, or capturing photos of wildlife. She looks forward to meeting all of you very soon.

Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Elivet! We are excited to work alongside her and are confident that her passion and experience will be a great asset to our team and organization.

Let’s make Elivet feel right at home as she starts her journey with us!

Best,

Angeline

Team,

Gift Planning has worked with our partners in the Controller’s Office to update our DTC (gifts of securities) instructions. Moving forward, please replace all previous versions of these instructions with the attached version.

The following disclaimer has been added to the instructions:
If you or your broker have reason to believe that the securities you intend to transfer will be subject to any restrictions on public sale, including restrictions imposed by Securities and Exchange Commission Rules and Regulations, please contact the Office of Gift Planning at giftplanning@nd.edu or 574-631-7164 before initiating the transfer.

This disclaimer will allow our Gift Planning team to address atypical gifts before the transfer has been initiated. We are optimistic that this will lead to more efficient processing and receipting!

In gratitude,
Alyssa

DTC Instructions 2025

Colleagues,

I am excited to share that Andrea Swanagan, who has served as our Senior Director of Prospect Strategy and Research since September 2021, has accepted the position of Assistant Vice President of Total Rewards in NDHR. In this role, she will oversee the compensation and benefits strategy and execution for all Notre Dame faculty and staff.

Andrea has been a tremendous leader for our team, providing meaningful insight and change management in the prospect strategy space, along with hiring and developing a highly effective (and growing) prospect management and research team. While she will be sorely missed by this team and our broader UR division, I am excited about the impact she will have on our entire campus community through her new role in NDHR.

Please join me in congratulating Andrea and thanking her for her service in Development and University Relations.

Brian

Greetings UR Family!

It is my pleasure to welcome Kelly Courington to the Southern Team as a Regional Director of Development! Kelly’s first day on our team will be Wednesday, March 12th.

Kelly is no stranger to the UR team, having served on the Academic Advancement Team since 2019, most recently as the Academic Advancement Director of the College of Engineering. We’re incredibly grateful to welcome her hard work and expertise to our team!

Kelly recently attained her M.A. in Theology from Notre Dame and holds a B.A. from Saint Mary’s College and M.B.A. from Bethel University. She also worked in development at both institutions before joining us in 2019.

Please join me in welcoming Kelly!

Tim Kelly

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to welcome Mary Coghlin to the East team as a Regional Director. Mary will have the privilege of working with our incredible Notre Dame families in North Carolina and South Carolina.

As a Double Domer, Mary earned both her undergraduate degree and MBA from Notre Dame and brings a deep passion for the University, along with a strong commitment to building meaningful relationships.

She joins us from Mendoza, where she served as a Director of Career Coaching and Development, guiding students through their professional journeys. Her experience, dedication, and love for Notre Dame will make her an incredible addition to our team.

Mary’s first day will be Wednesday, March 12. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Mary as she embarks on this new chapter with Regional Development.

Many thanks,
Nadia

Dear Colleagues,

I write to share the news that Michael Stark will be leaving his role as Regional Director to pursue other opportunities at the University. Michael has served as a Regional Director in the Bay Area. We are grateful for his service and wish him the very best.

– Shaheen

Well-Being Warriors: The University Relations HR wellness communication team is here to keep you informed about the latest University wellness benefits while ensuring you don’t miss out on the ones you already have! Keep an eye out for updates in upcoming editions of the souNDoff and around the office.