We are excited to celebrate the promotion of Annie Geary to the President’s Office, where she will work as an Advisor to the Vice President and Chief of Staff, Ann Firth. Annie has been an invaluable contributor to the Development Coordinator Team in University Relations and, most recently, to the University’s Covid Response Unit in the testing center and as a contact tracer. Please join us in wishing our friend and colleague every success as she approaches her 25th year of service to Our Lady’s University. Thank you, Annie!

 

Lori Ehrman Tinkey

 

Great news to share…Nancy Cole will return to University Relations on Monday, August 16 as the new Resource Strategy Coordinator on our Resource Strategy and Administration team.

Nancy will play a critical role in helping to move forward the abundance of hiring going on in the division and will support the financial management of the division as well. For those who do not know, Nancy brings with her a wealth of institutional knowledge, operational chops, and strong relationships from her six years in Mendoza, five years in NDAA as Dolly’s Sr. Administrative Assistant, and most recently four years in the President’s Office as Operations Advisor to Ann Firth. We’re so excited that Nancy is sharing her many talents with our team.

Thanks for helping to warmly welcome Nancy back to UR!

Kathryn Valenti

It is my pleasure to welcome Andrew Owens to the Academic and Athletic Annual Giving team as an Associate Director, Leadership Annual Giving. Andrew’s first day will be Monday, August 16th.

Andrew is a 2013 graduate of Notre Dame and 2019 of Notre Dame Law School. Andrew is joining us from Honigman LLP in Detroit, Michigan, where he served as an Associate in the firm’s Real Estate Law department.

Please join me in welcoming, Andrew, home to Notre Dame. We are thrilled to have him as the newest member of our team!

Kasey O’Connor

Dear colleagues,

With thanks for 10 years of dedicated ND service, we announce the departure of Noell Stohler for a position as Recruiter for TalentSource Staffing. Noell’s last day with UR in the role of Assistant Manager of the DC Team will be 08.19.21.

We are grateful for Noell’s contributions to Development throughout the last campaign, particularly her dedication to the team throughout the pandemic. While she will be missed, please join us in wishing Noell all the best on her new career path.

Note that the position will be posted shortly; if interested in knowing more, feel free to contact me at ltinkey@nd.edu.

Lori Ehrman Tinkey

It is with mixed emotions that I write to share the news that Michael Loungo will be leaving the University. Michael recently accepted a position as Senior Vice President for Development at the Augustine Institute, a Catholic education and media company based in Denver. Michael has been part of the Development team for eight years and has played a pivotal role in leading the Academic Advancement team and in cultivating benefactors who live outside the United States. He feels fortunate to be part of Notre Dame both as an alumnus and as an employee, and will take what he has learned to try to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

Michael shared, “I have been surrounded by exceptional professionals here at Notre Dame, and I am grateful for everyone who helped me grow and accepted me despite my shortcomings.”

Michael’s last day is expected to be in early September. He and his family will continue to reside here in South Bend.

Please join me in wishing Michael all the best.

Best,
Stu

Hello again,

Jeff Arnold, our Academic Advancement Director for the College of Engineering, recently announced his intention to retire. Jeff joined the University nearly 10 years ago, after finishing with Honeywell a 30-year career in the engineering industry. His experience as an engineer and his commitment to Notre Dame engineering students is evident in how Jeff has approached his work. He has played an integral role on our Development team and we are grateful for his decade of service to the University. We will miss his professionalism and kindness.

What Jeff calls hobbies most would call advanced manufacturing, and I know that together with his commitment to his family and aspiring engineers, there is more to come in this new chapter of his life.

In the period between early September and his retirement, Jeff will transition to a research role in Corporate and Foundation Relations.

Join me in wishing Jeff all the best.

-Michael Loungo

It is my pleasure to welcome Sarah Wodrich, pronounced Woodrich, to the Gift Planning team as our newest Gift Planning Officer. Sarah’s first day is Monday, August 9, and she will be partnering with fundraisers in the Northwest and Southwest Regions.

Sarah is an alum of Indiana University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Criminal Justice and earned her Juris Doctor at the University of Kentucky.

Sarah comes to Notre Dame from a successful career at Sanders Pianowski LLP in Elkhart. At Sanders Pianowski LLP, Sarah focused on estate planning, estate administration, and labor and employment laws. She lives in Osceola with her husband, Eric, and their son, Calvin.

 

Rich Naponelli

 

Dear Colleagues,

Please join me in welcoming Austin Gammage to the East Coast Region as a Regional Director serving the Atl/Car market.

Prior to joining the East Coast, Austin was an Associate Director for our Annual Giving team. Austin also previously served as the Manager of Business Development for the City of South Bend where he worked on projects such as the new Turbomachinery facility and Innovation Park. He grew up in South Bend, graduated from Ball State University in 2012, and received his Master’s from Bowling Green State University in 2017.

Austin and his wife, Katrina, have two children Kyra (11) and their newest edition Oakley (9 months). We are so excited to have Austin and his family join our team! The best is yet to come!

Thanks,
George W.

Dear Friends,

I am excited to announce that, effective August 9, Ashley Bennett will assume the role of Sr. Director of Special Events. Reporting to me and Heather Christophersen (Associate Vice President, Advancement Services) and serving on the University Events leadership team, Ashley will strategically lead our very talented Special Events team and oversee event planning and execution efforts with our key partners in University Relations as well as our Executive Officers, PLC, Deans, Board of Trustees and Advisory Council members.

Ashley has served as the Associate Director of Events and Guest Services at DeBartolo Performing Arts Center for 10 years. In this role, she coordinated all aspects of DPAC’s special events, creating a unique and personalized experience for over 500 events annually. During this past year’s COVID period, her leadership was on full display as she designed, facilitated, and executed all aspects of the TutorND program alongside partners from the Institute for Educational Initiatives, Robinson Community Learning Center and Alliance for Catholic Education.

Ashley is a proud graduate of Indiana University. She and her husband Dave, a Mishawaka fireman and paramedic of 25 years, reside in Mishawaka. They have two amazing children Maria and Phillip. Maria will be a freshman at Indiana University this fall pursuing a degree in nursing, and Phillip will be a freshman at Marian High School.

Please join me in congratulating Ashley and welcoming her to our University Events family!

Lee Sicinski
Associate Vice President
University Events

Please join me in congratulating Colleen Cross and fellow Double Domer and ND employee Joe Quinn, who were married in a ceremony at the Basilica on July 30. Colleen and Joe were the model of patience and persistence during a long year of pandemic-related reschedules, and the Foundation Relations team couldn’t be happier that the two finally got to celebrate their big day with family and friends.

Best wishes to the newlyweds on starting their next adventure together!

-Amanda Retartha