Ava is a faculty and leadership coach with more than 25 years of experience in higher education. Drawing upon nearly a decade of experience as an on-air television news reporter, she brings a keen awareness of communication and presentation skills. She helps clients work through major transitions in their professional and personal lives by focusing on the little things that lead to big successes. Ava believes it’s important to minimize distractions to maximize YOUR agenda. She earned her coaching certification through Coach Training EDU. Ava leads a faculty mentorship program at Northwestern University. She is particularly adept at addressing the unique challenges and opportunities facing women and faculty of color. Ava is author of Ladies Leading: The Black Women Who Control Television News; and director of “Mandela in Chicago,” a documentary film about the city’s anti-apartheid movement. She is currently working on another film about the history and experiences of Black Women Faculty at Northwestern. In addition to teaching, she has held several administrative posts including associate dean for curriculum, department chair, co-curator for the nationally recognized Ida B. Wells award and co-director of the South Africa Journalism Residency Program. Ava holds both a Ph.D. in African American Studies and […]
Nick is a mission-driven, innovative, and supportive leader who promotes collaboration, teamwork, achievement, and success. Proficient in building teams by developing people, processes, and systems to drive efficiencies and results. Nick has over ten years of experience working with individual, corporate, and foundation donors. And an additional six years of experience within the music industry, leading a team that identified, created, and produced a spectrum of events from live performances, festivals, marketing activations, and hospitality events on a global scale. Nick currently serves as the Executive Director of Colleges and Schools at The University of Alabama, where he is responsible for establishing best practices, strategic direction, vision, and leadership for the fundraising and constituent engagement for six of the eleven colleges and schools at UA. He’s also the co-architect of a strategic approach to fundraising that has seen the University re-shape its approach to developing and sustaining fundraising success. Nick earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wolverhampton in England and has held fundraising positions at The University of Virginia and The University of Southern Mississippi.
Through an eclectic approach to leadership, Hawken prioritizes context, culture, and ethics. He channels the power of authentic relationships to align tools and talent in a manner that transforms goals into realities. He is the co-architect of a strategic approach to fundraising that is based in tried and true fundraising best practices. This holistic approach to fundraising is bolstered by dynamic analytics, intuitive tools, optimized portfolios, streamlined processes, transparent expectations, and robust coaching—all of which have contributed to professional competency building and improved fundraising performance at The University of Alabama. Hawken has provided strategic leadership for annual/regular giving, major giving strategies, parent/family philanthropy, prospect development, and records maintenance. Prior to a career shift to higher education philanthropy, he served in various counseling, student life/services, and instructor roles at Clemson University and The University of Alabama. These prior experiences shaped his understanding of the pivotal role philanthropy plays in forming the ideal conditions that allow students, faculty, and staff to flourish. Hawken earned his PhD from The University of Alabama, his master’s from Clemson University, and his bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University.
Wendi develops and delivers innovative, relevant, and sustained programs designed to maximize individual and institutional effectiveness. She recently served as the Director of Columbus State University’s Center for Servant Leadership, which houses the undergraduate Servant Leadership Program, as well as the Internal Leadership Development department. Wendi holds a Doctor of Education Degree from Columbus State University, an Educational Specialist Degree in Instructional Technology from the University of West Georgia, a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education/English from Columbus State University.
Sarah oversees the Marquette University Alumni Association National Board of Directors and assists in alumni communication efforts on behalf of the university. Most recently, Sarah led the launch of Beyond MU virtual life-long learning programing to engage alumni, parents, and friends. In her role, she manages a team of alumni engagement professionals who educate alumni on ways to become advocates and ambassadors, inspire a culture of philanthropy, mobilize alumni for networking, recruitment, and volunteerism. They also organize in-person and virtual events that result in meaningful connections and philanthropic support, as well as coordinate college, regional, and affinity group programs that help expand Marquette’s engagement footprint. For Sarah, the most inspiring part about her work are the opportunities that emerge from the engagement team’s work in relationship building, cultivation, and stewardship with alumni, parents, and friends, which sustain connections to Marquette and ultimately result in philanthropic support. Sarah previously served on the Donor Relations team at Marquette and transitioned to the corporate world for a few years before returning to Marquette in 2016. She earned both her bachelor’s and MBA degrees from Marquette University.
Lorena engages with university leadership to build and direct a central program that establishes and fosters successful partnerships with industry and foundations to support university priorities. Her experience in Corporate & Foundation Relations includes roles at Carnegie Mellon University and University of Washington. Lorena has been involved in the Network of Academic Corporate Relations Officers (NACRO) since its formation in 2007, including committee roles, conference host, and facilitating mastery sessions. She served a three-year term as Vice President, President, and Past President from 2010-2013. Lorena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Central Washington University and a Master’s degree in Education from Western Washington University. Lorena was born and raised in the Seattle area. Lorena McLaren joined NC State in November 2015 as Executive Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations. Lorena engages with university leadership to build and direct a central program that establishes and fosters successful partnerships with industry and foundations to support university priorities. At Carnegie Mellon University, she served as Interim Director where she led a team of Associate Directors, each managing a portfolio of companies for the university. Lorena developed strategic corporate relationships aligned with university and school priorities in partnership with university leadership and […]
Todd previously served as Dean of the LSU College of Music & Dramatic Arts and Penniman Family Professor of Music, a position he held from 2014 – 2021. His unique combination of teaching, directing and performing experience has allowed him to travel the world as an educator, stage director, singer and arts leader. During his time at LSU, Todd worked with the faculty to modernize the undergraduate curriculum to meet the needs of the 21st century artist. New courses included instruction in technology, marketing, entrepreneurship, and arts leadership. As an avid fundraiser, he led the college in a $60 million fundraising campaign, which included a $4 million gift in 2018, the largest gift in the college’s history. Additional significant gifts included two new endowed chairs, the lead gift for a recital hall renovation, and the naming of the John G. Turner and Jerry G. Fischer Center for Opera. Prior to Todd’s appointment at LSU, he served as Professor of Voice and Chair of the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance in the College of Liberal Arts at Colorado State University. During his time at CSU, Queen established ten new endowed scholarships for the department and formed the Charles and Reta […]
As Dean of the College of Health Sciences at Texas Woman’s University, Dr. Christopher T. Ray oversees five departments, two schools, and five on-site clinics across three campuses. He has spearheaded the expansion of research, enhanced clinical learning opportunities for students, and capitalized on the many synergies across programs. Most notably, his leadership has resulted in the launch of new innovative academic programs in occupational therapy, nutrition, and kinesiology and more than $2 million in advancement funds. Research productivity and external funding have doubled during his four years as Dean. An innovative and trusted institutional leader, Christopher believes strongly in socio-economic neutral outcomes for students, especially those from underserved populations, and has dedicated much of his advancement efforts to securing student financial support. As a leading expert on geriatric health, his research focuses on the development of innovative rehabilitation programs aimed at reducing falls in older adults, increasing bone density, and lessening the impact of chronic disease. Christopher is active in professional associations, serves as a review panelist for the National Institutes of Health, and is a member of the 2018-19 Texas Governor’s Executive Development Program. Christopher formerly served as the associate dean for research in the College of Nursing […]
Journeying with leaders engaged in challenging change environments. As a leadership coach and strategic change facilitator, Robyn helps clients to envision the next state and work toward a shared vision of how to get there. She encourages individual leaders and teams to recognize and embrace the natural tensions in change environments. She provides frameworks and leader support in addressing the strategic, tactical, and emotional aspects of change environments. Robyn Parker, PhD has extensive experience in higher education change environments. She earned the rank of full professor with tenure, served as Dean, Director of Instruction, Program Coordinator, and VP of Academic Affairs at large and regional publics as well as private religious and secular institutions with varied missions and contexts. Throughout her career, within each institution, she has been a leader in change facilitation both incremental and transformative. A systems thinker, Robyn has facilitated the design and implementation of restructuring strategies that have reduced costs and streamlined processes while creating and implementing innovative new programs and learning environments. As a fellow with Arizona State & Georgetown University’s Academy of Innovative Higher Education Leadership, she discovered the importance of leadership coaching. Today she works with leaders working in change environments to bring […]
Specializing in higher education fundraising/development, Kevin lives in Villanova, PA where he serves as the Associate Vice President for Major Gifts at Villanova University. In this role, he oversees the major gift fundraising team and the directors of planned giving, family philanthropy, athletics, six schools/colleges, and five regional offices. In over 11 years in advancement at Villanova, the teams Kevin has managed have raised over $400 million in support of scholarship, research, newly created faculty/staff positions, capital projects, and student programs. Throughout his career he has been focused on developing tools and processes to enable fundraisers to be more efficient and self-sufficient, including developing homegrown software solutions for gift projections, metrics/portfolio management, and strategy development. Kevin has extensive experience growing advisory council membership to fuel new programs and sustain them through major gift support. Kevin has a B.A. in English and an MBA from Villanova University.
