Please join me in welcoming TJ Alford. He is joining the Development team as a Regional Director on the Chicago Team. Prior to his arrival at Notre Dame, TJ served as the Assistant Athletics Director for Development at the University of Illinois Chicago. He oversaw all fundraising efforts for the athletic department. Prior to UIC, TJ spent five years in the Sunshine State working as the Director of Sales at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, the premier multi-purpose facility at Florida State University and home to the men’s and women’s basketball programs. In his role, he generated significant revenue while overseeing all premium sales and arena sponsorships. Prior to starting at the Tucker Center, TJ spent two years as a Service & Retention Consultant for FSU Athletics and Seminole Boosters. He oversaw sales, marketing, and solicitation of new business opportunities for group sales while serving as the primary contact for more than 1,500 donors, season ticket holders, and boosters. TJ is an alum of Southern Illinois University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Sports Administration. He and his wife, Ashton, live in Granger with their two children. His first day at Notre Dame will be August 2.

– Jerry Barca

Prospect Management and Research is thrilled to welcome back Elicia Dennis to University Relations! Starting Monday, July 24, Elicia will serve the NY Metro Region as our newest Prospect Management Consultant.

Elicia joins us from the College of Arts and Letters and their Office of Communications, where she managed a portfolio of over 100 websites and led web strategy, including multiple award-winning site redesigns. Prior to this role, she was an intern in University Relations, first with Annual Giving and then with Stewardship. Elicia also currently serves as President of Notre Dame’s Black Faculty and Staff Association.

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Elicia earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and a Master of Science in data science from Notre Dame. She and her boyfriend, Raymond, now reside in Mishawaka with their two dogs: Hope and Buckley.

Please join me in welcoming Elicia to our team!

Jonathan Retartha

Colleagues,

Please note that as of July 7th, Anna McKeever will no longer be with the Annual Giving team. If you were working with Anna on any projects, please contact Katie Kerby for a transition plan. The role of Associate Director, Law and Graduate Business Annual Giving will be posted on jobs.nd.edu shortly.

We are grateful for Anna’s many contributions to our team, including breaking all-time unrestricted fundraising records for the Notre Dame Law School and the Mendoza College of Business. Anna will assume the role of Advisor to Fr. Dan Groody, Vice President and Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education. Please join us in congratulating Anna on her move and wishing her success in this next chapter in her life and career!

Thank you,
Katie

Dear Colleagues,

I am excited to announce that Erin Newkirk will serve as the Fundraiser Training Specialist. Prior to joining Development, Erin worked for Notre Dame’s Institute for Educational Initiatives (IEI/ACE). At IEI, she supported the Institute director in day-to-day operations and strategic planning efforts as well as supporting the Institute’s stewardship efforts. During her time at IEI, Erin also worked as a member of the ACE Teaching Fellows pastoral team, managing the programmatic and formation efforts of the Teaching Fellows program while working closely with ACE teachers across the country. As an ACE teacher, she taught middle school math and science at Sacred Heart Catholic Schools in Oklahoma City, Okla. She graduated from Notre Dame in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Pre-Med. She earned her master’s degree in education in 2015. She and her husband, Will, live in South Bend – though they find their way up to Lake Michigan as often as possible! Her first day with Development will be July 17.

Please join me in welcoming Erin to the Development Department.

– Jerry Barca

A warm and enthusiastic welcome to Scott Berry, who joined the Storytelling & Engagement team on June 12! Scott comes to us most recently from La Lumiere School, where he was an English teacher. Prior to that, he was Associate Director of Gift Agreements and Acknowledgments and Grant and Development Writer at Miami University; Director of Community Outreach and Engagement and Grant Writer at Fitton Center for Creative Arts in Hamilton, Ohio; Volunteer Coordinator at Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly; and Teaching Assistant at Perkins School for the Blind in Boston.

Scott graduated magna cum laude from Notre Dame in 2006 with a BA in English, and he holds an MA in English from Wake Forest. He also participated in Notre Dame’s IRISH Seminar in 2011.

Scott and his wife, Kelly, live in Mishawaka with their three daughters. They love doing things as a family, including playing board games, going on bike rides, eating Indian food, and taking long road trips.

Friends and Colleagues,

I write to you all today to share the truly bittersweet news that Ray Herring will leave Notre Dame on July 17th to take on an incredible new opportunity at Rutgers University as their Assistant Vice President for Athletics Development and Senior Associate Athletics Director. In this role, Ray will lead a team of 12 and will oversee the University’s athletics fundraising efforts.

Ray and I started together as Tier 1 fundraisers six years ago, and he’s been a phenomenal fundraiser, teammate, leader, and friend every step of the way. In service of Our Lady, he’s raised over $43M, and his efforts will leave a legacy for years to come.

Please join me in congratulating Ray on this exciting new opportunity and in expressing my gratitude for all he’s done for our department and the University at large.

Riley

I’d like you all to welcome our new Law School Academic Advancement Director, Jason Stoller! Jason is local to the Mishawaka area and joins us from LaVine Restorations in Nappanee, Indiana, where he has worked for the past 8 years as co-owner, automotive restoration advisor, and in-house counsel.

He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Notre Dame in 2008 while at the same time getting his B.S. in Math and Physics from Bethel College. Jason went on to get his J.D. from Indiana University’s Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2012. His background in international law (including time working in Germany) and client experience will serve him well in this role.

As the Law School AAD, Jason will be responsible for driving philanthropy to the Law School, working closely with Joseph A. Matson, Dean and Professor of Law, G. Marcus Cole. This position has been vacant since Kate Mueller began as the AAD for ND Research, the Graduate School, and the IDEA Center in November 2022. Jason’s first day in Development will be Wednesday, July 5, 2023. We have space reserved for him in the AAD Huddle Rooms at ESC (3262 & 3264) for his first few weeks, so please stop by and say hello.

We are thrilled to have Jason join the team! And I do mean thrilled!!!

KO

Dear Colleagues,

I’m excited to announce that Molly Cosby will be our new Program Director, Athletics Advancement. In this role, Molly will oversee the strategic development and implementation of our marketing collateral, stewardship programming, donor experiences (events & tours), and – in conjunction with myself – will help partner with and serve our field fundraising team.

Molly has been with Notre Dame since 2021, working as a Program Director for University Enterprises & Events. In her role, she served as the lead events partner for the Athletics Advancement team, playing an instrumental role in both Sports Summit events and countless others.

We could not be more thrilled to have her as a full-time member of the Athletics Advancement Team and I know you will all enjoy partnering with her in the weeks and months to come.

Athletics Advancement Contact Cheat Sheet:

• Donor Strategies, Proposals, Priority questions, etc. = Riley AND Molly
• Stewardship = Molly
• Donor Experiences, Events, & Tours = Molly
• Rockne Athletics Fund = William Mitchell AND Shannon Longo

Note: You can reach out to any of us above with any questions and we’ll always get you pointed in the right direction and help however we can.

Riley

Friends and Colleagues,