Friends and Colleagues,

I am excited to announce that Christine (Chris) O’Brien is joining Academic Advancement as the team’s Development Associate. She will be a great first point of contact for colleagues who are looking to learn more about academic fundraising priorities.

With more than 30 years of higher education experience, Chris brings a breadth and diversity of experience that I am confident will serve our team well. For the last 10 years, she has worked at Notre Dame, most recently as a Senior Administrative Assistant in the Division of Student Affairs.

Her first day in the office will be January 6. Please feel free to stop by and introduce yourself in the new year!

Sincerely,
Matt Gelchion

Dear Team,

I look forward to all of you meeting Mikaela Pieri when she joins the NDAA team on Monday, January 6. Mikaela is our new Professional and Alumni Education Programs Coordinator. She will support IrishCompass, Game Changers, ThinkND, Hesburgh Lecture Series, and Reunion Alumni Ed programming, among other projects and initiatives.

Mikaela has two degrees from Ball State University and has worked most recently as the Community Engagement Specialist for the Mishawaka Penn Harris Public Library. There she honed her skills planning and executing library programs for all ages — virtually and in community. She enjoys working with data, reports, and metrics. Mikaela has also held roles in academic advising and counseling.

Mikaela loves to read, bake, and craft. Her husband, Kendall Smith, works at the University as an analyst and consultant in the Institutional Research, Innovation, and Strategy team. They hope to have pets soon but for now, they tend to lots of indoor houseplants!

Please join me in welcoming Mikaela to the NDAA!

Sharon

Please join me in welcoming Erica Dolcini,who will serve as a Regional Director of Development on the Southern Team! Her first day was Monday, December 16th.

Since her graduation from Notre Dame’s two-year MBA program, Erica has spent six years in the technology and impact space in sales roles. Erica will be relocating from Atlanta, GA, to South Bend for the role. She previously lived in the Bay Area of California, where she grew up. She graduated from the University of Southern California in 2011 with a degree in urban planning and still considers herself an architecture nerd. 

Erica’s family is located across the US, but is excited to bring her senior rescue pup Rocco with her on this exciting adventure and move. Erica is excited to reactivate her old email at edolcini@nd.edu. Feel free to reach out with recommendations for Thai food, beach volleyball courts, or any other advise

Tim Kelly

We are thrilled to have Christy join the Southwest Team! Her first day will be December 16th. She comes to us with more than 25 years of professional experience. She spent the first 13 years of her career with First National Bank of Valparaiso and the last 11 years in numerous roles in development at Valparaiso University. She enjoys creating and building relationships with donors and most recently held the position of Executive Director of Planned and Principal Giving at Valpo.

In her personal life, Christy loves spending time with her family and friends including her husband Derek, daughter Alyssa (senior in high school), and son Tyler (sophomore in high school). Favorite family activities include playing tennis, riding roller coasters, sledding, and playing board games. She also has a spirited black lab mix named Maggie.

Please join me in welcoming Christy!

Deanna Gumpf

It is my pleasure to welcome Tom Yemc to the Northwest team as a Regional Director. He will be cultivating relationships with members of the Notre Dame Family in the Bay Area. Tom’s first day will be December 16th.

Tom is a proud graduate of the Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business with a BBA in Finance. Tom was a former resident of Flanner Hall and is a parent to three Notre Dame graduates. Before joining the University, he built a career in information technology at Accenture, in Chicago, rising to the role of a Managing Director. Most recently, he was the Global Alliances Lead at Sutherland Global Services. Additionally, Tom is a volunteer firefighter in his community during his spare time.

Please join me in welcoming Tom!

Shaheen

It is my pleasure to welcome Molly Stark to the Northwest team as a Regional Director. She will be cultivating relationships with members of the Notre Dame Family in the Bay Area. Molly’s first day will be December 9th.

Molly is a proud graduate of Notre Dame and a former volleyball player. After graduating with a degree in Psychology, she spent 10 years playing professional volleyball in the United States and Europe. Prior to joining the University, she spent 15 years as an owner and director of a highly successful elite volleyball club in Phoenix, AZ.

Please join me in welcoming Molly!

Best,
Shaheen

Team,

I am delighted to share some wonderful news! Tim Kelly and his wife, Colleen, have welcomed their second child, a beautiful baby boy, Kendall Antas Kelly, born on December 1, 2024. Kendall is their first son and joins his proud big sister.

Both mom and baby are doing well. Please join me in extending our warmest congratulations and best wishes to the Kelly family during this joyful time.

GW

Dear Team,

It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of Colleen’s loss of her father. Thomas Doyle, class of 1975, passed away on November 22, 2024. We extend our deepest condolences to Colleen and the Doyle family during this difficult time.

As Colleen takes time to grieve, let’s offer our support in any way that feels appropriate. Services will be held today Monday 2, 2024. For more information please see the following link: https://www.airsman-hires.com/obituaries/Thomas-Doyle?obId=33864094#/obituaryInfo

Sincerely,
GW

Team,

As I previously shared, Careen Quinlan is retiring on December 6 after 13 year as a leader on our IT team. I am now pleased to share that Patty Kokesh has agreed to serve as the interim leader of this team for the next few months. Patty has been a member of our Development team since 2017, spending the majority of that time in data analytics roles on the IT team prior to assuming her current role as Senior Director of Financial Administration and Strategy in 2023.

Patty is well positioned to lead this team during this time of transition, and is inheriting a skilled and talented team who continue to evolve our IT processes and data analytics functions. Over the next several months, I will work with Patty and the leadership of the ITS team (Andrew Yocum, Dean Ernzen, Tracey Mulheirn, Mayuri Changede, Rose Michalski, and Matt LaFlash) to ensure we have the right structure in place before undertaking the task of identifying a permanent leader of this important team, which we hope to have in place before the end of this fiscal year, if not sooner. During the transition time period, Patty will also maintain oversight of the Financial Administration and Strategy team.

Please join me in thanking and congratulating both Carleen and Patty for their leadership during this time of transition.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Brian

Hi team,

I am ecstatic to announce that we have a new colleague, Bob Patzer! Bob starts as the Marketing Program Manager at the NDAA on Monday, December 2nd.

Bob is excited to join the NDAA marcom team. Born and raised in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, Bob brings a diverse background in creative strategy, project management, and brand development. He has successfully led cross-functional teams and managed projects across industries including manufacturing, retail, and marketing and advertising agencies. Bob excels at building dynamic relationships, turning complex challenges into innovative solutions, and driving impactful results that foster brand growth and customer engagement.

Outside of his professional life, Bob is passionate about cooking, grilling, baking, and gardening, and enjoys spending quality time with family and friends. He also enjoys long walks on the beach, collecting beach glass and Indian beads. Bob’s creative eye extends to his appreciation for art and architecture, which influences both his personal and professional pursuits. He is eager to bring his expertise, creativity, and enthusiasm to contribute meaningfully to the Notre Dame community.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Molly