Staff

For general inquiries, please contact [email protected].

Photo of Laura E. Day
Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement
Mears House
413-597-4535
Photo of Akinyemi K. Blackshear
Assistant Director for Digital Engagement
Mears House
413-597-4613
Photo of Veronica Bosley
Assistant Director of Alumni Events
Mears House
413-597-4152

Areas of Expertise

  •  Direct the planning, organization, and execution of on-campus events designed to cultivate, sustain, steward, and strengthen alumni ties to Williams and to each other.
  • Create and deploy systems for project management of the many steps and partners involved in producing complex events.
Photo of Caitlin Brown
Digital Engagement Manager
Vogt House
413-597-4676

Areas of Expertise

  • Manage digital communications with alumni body
  • Maintain online presence for alumni-facing websites
Photo of Jordan Cahill
Event Coordinator
Mears House
413-597-3545

Areas of Expertise

  • Ensure a welcoming, inclusive, and comprehensive in-person event experience for alumni.
  • Support, coordinate and execute event plans for alumni gatherings like Bicentennial Medals, Alumni Golf Tournament, Homecoming among others,
Photo of Zorelly C. Cepeda Derieux
Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Mears House
413-597-4187

Areas of Expertise

  • Lead alumni identity networks and support of other historically minoritized
    alumni populations including: Williams Asian and Asian American Alumni Network (WAAAAN), Williams Black Alumni Network (WBAN), Williams Firsts Alumni Network (WFAN), Williams Latinx Alumni Network (WLAN), Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Alumni Network (BiGLATA)
  • Create opportunities for connection between and among alumni networks.
Photo of Wendy W. Coakley
Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement for Career Connections
Mears House
413-597-3058

Areas of Expertise

  • Oversee programs – in-person and virtual – for alumni to connect with one another around professional endeavor.
  • Build online resources to enable alumni to thrive at every stage of their careers.
  • Create opportunities for alumni to serve as professional resources for students and one another.
Photo of Raquel Cuéllar-Parajón
Affinity Programs Manager
Mears House
413-597-4111

Areas of Expertise

  • Support and sustain communities forged as students on campus, including through athletic teams, student organizations/clubs/activities, majors/departments, and residential life (entries, neighborhoods, specific res halls).
  • Build sustainable systems to support intergenerational connections between student groups and affinity alumni
  • Promote opportunities for lifelong engagement to young alumni
Photo of Leila T. Derstine
Director of Alumni Engagement Programs
Mears House
413-597-4011

Areas of Expertise

  • Manage the Alumni Engagement Programs team
  • Curate and direct (in-person and virtual) alumni lifelong learning programs
  • Direct the Alumni Travel Study Program and communicate with alumni travelers
  • Build collaborative relationships with faculty and academic units
  • Support DEI initiatives for alumni constituencies
Photo of Jacqueline M. Fallon
Alumni Engagement Program Coordinator
Vogt House
413-597-4164

Areas of Expertise

  • Execute production of appeals, invitations, and other class-based collateral and communications.
  • Ensure volunteers and donors are stewarded appropriately and in a timely manner.
Photo of Brooks Foehl
Executive Director of Alumni Relations and Secretary of the Society of Alumni
Mears House
413-597-4408

Areas of Expertise

  • Deepen connections between and among alumni, and between alumni and the college, through events and communications
  • Provide leadership and essential support for the Society of Alumni in order to further meaningful and ongoing relationships between alumni and the College, represent the interests of Society members to the college, and building closer bonds between and among alumni
  • Provide connection, and facilitate cross-fertilization and the sharing of ideas and information between and among colleagues
Photo of Ryan J Ford
Director of Milestone Reunion Programs
Vogt House
413-597-2845

Areas of Expertise

  • Oversee, develop and expand the college’s leadership giving program, Purple Mountain Association
  • Lead and manage strategic solicitation process.

 

Photo of Emil R. Ghitman Gilkes
Data Analytics Coordinator
Mears House
413-597-4264

Areas of Expertise

  • Manage and optimize data collection and processing systems
  • Track, analyze, and report on alumni engagement
Photo of Tim G. Goggins
Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, Classes of 1998-2012
Vogt House
413-597-4313

Areas of Expertise

  • Identify, recruit, onboard, retain, motivate, and manage the work of the volunteer leadership team for classes of 1998-2012
  • As class manager facilitate class reunion planning and execution for 1998-2012
  • Manage class-based communications and solicitations for 1998-2012.
Photo of Kimberly Hogue
Alumni Engagement Operations Manager
Vogt House
413-597-4356

Areas of Expertise

  • Coordinate administrative tasks for Alumni Engagement office.
  • Lead AE Operations Working Group.
  • Collaborate with the Director of Class Engagement and the Alumni Fund on fund-wide appeals, solicitations, and stewardship.
  • Organize and coordinate end of year and end of fund solicitations to all non-donors.
  • Ensure that gifts made in memory / in honor of an individual receive recognition
Photo of Erin Malloy
Alumni Engagement Program Coordinator
Vogt House
413-597-4432

Areas of Expertise

  • Execute production of appeals, invitations, and other class-based collateral and communications.
  • Ensure volunteers and donors are stewarded appropriately and in a timely manner.
Photo of Sheila Mason
Director of Class Engagement and the Alumni Fund
Vogt House
413-597-3737

Areas of Expertise

  • Lead staff responsible for class-based engagement and peer-to-peer fundraising.
  • Lead volunteers and class managers in developing and implementing strategies to reach class-based dollar, donor, and participation goals, along with goals for class notes submissions and reunion attendance and other class-based events.
Photo of Sean McGrath
Post-50th Program Director; Associate Director of Alumni Engagement, Classes 1968-1982
Vogt House
413-597-4681

Areas of Expertise

  • Lead  post-50th program including events + creation of new milestone: 60th reunion.
  • Identify, recruit, onboard, retain, motivate, and manage the work of the volunteer leadership team for classes of 1968-1982
  • As class manager facilitate class reunion planning and execution for 1968-1982
  • Manage class-based communications and solicitations for 1968-1982.
Photo of Julia S. Melnick
Alumni Engagement Programs Coordinator
Mears House
413-597-4128
Photo of Heather O'Brien
Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, Classes of 1940-1967
Vogt House
413-597-4040

Areas of Expertise

  • Identify, recruit, onboard, retain, motivate, and manage the work of the volunteer leadership team for classes of 1940-1967.
  • As class manager facilitate class reunion planning and execution for 1940-1967.
  • Manage class-based communications and solicitations for 1940-1967.
Photo of Kelan R. O'Brien
Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, Classes of 2018-2026
Vogt House
413-597-4576

Areas of Expertise

  • Identify, recruit, onboard, retain, motivate, and manage the work of the volunteer leadership team for classes of 2018-2026.
  • As class manager facilitate class reunion planning and execution for 2018-2026.
  • Manage class-based communications and solicitations for 2018-2026.
Photo of Wendy Skavlem
Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, Classes of 1983-1997
Vogt House
413-597-4685

Areas of Expertise

  • Identify, recruit, onboard, retain, motivate, and manage the work of the volunteer leadership team for classes of 1983-1997.
  • As class manager facilitate class reunion planning and execution for 1983-1997.
  • Manage class-based communications and solicitations for 1983-1997.
Photo of Rob Swann
Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement for Regional Programs
Mears House
413-597-4056

Areas of Expertise

  • Regional Associations
  • Regional Off-Campus Events and Activities
  • Send-Off Parties
  • Williams Book Awards
Photo of Patti Thompson
Leadership Giving Coordinator
Vogt House
413-597-4305

Areas of Expertise

Provide administrative support to leadership giving division including

  • External communications and correspondence
  • Event planning both in-person and virtual
  • Meeting management both in-person and virtual

 

 

Photo of Lenora Volkmer
Alumni Engagement Programs Coordinator
Mears House
413-597-4116