Contacts

Greg Bader

Vice President for Institutional Advancement

740-587-5734

Greg earned a B.S. in education from Bowling Green State University and holds an M.A. in higher education and student affairs from Ohio State University. He currently serves as vice president for Institutional Advancement, overseeing the division’s fundraising, volunteer, and constituent relations efforts. Greg has worked in advancement for more than two decades, most recently as Denison’s associate vice president for Institutional Advancement and campaign director. He joined the Denison family in 2003, previously managing student calling, young alumni programs, and both Reunion and leadership giving.

Billie Handa

Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement

740-587-6730

Billie earned her B.A. in global studies and M.Ed. in educational administration from Ohio University. She has worked as a professional fundraiser since 2006, starting with the American Cancer Society and working her way into higher education at Ohio University, where she served as the director of annual giving. Billie came to Denison as director of the Annual Fund in January 2017. In November of 2020, she was promoted to her current position of associate vice president of Institutional Advancement. Billie loves working with the college’s alumni, families, and friends in support of current and future Denison students.

Kurt Foriska

Associate Vice President for Individual Giving

740-587-6733

Kurt joined Denison in 2023 and works with the major gifts team, estate and gift planning, leadership gifts, and prospect development to help connect alumni, families, and generous donors with opportunities to support the Denison experience. Prior to arriving at Denison, Kurt spent 19 years at The Ohio State University in roles that included advising sororities and fraternities, marketing, and fundraising. Kurt earned a B.S. in biology from Allegheny College, an M.A. in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University, and an M.B.A. from The Ohio State University.

Erin Lovelien

Executive Assistant to the Vice President

740-587-5534

Erin graduated from Butler University with a B.A. in digital media production and journalism. After living in Asia for the first six months of her postgraduate life working in corporate responsibility and sustainability, she wrote and published her first two books and checked the 25th country off of her long list of adventures. Erin joined Denison University as an executive assistant in early 2022, where she is delighted to immerse herself in the possibilities of higher education and provide support to Denison’s thriving community.

Vicki Freet

Assistant to the Associate Vice Presidents

740-587-5330

Vicki joined Denison in April 2023 as the assistant to the associate vice presidents for Institutional Advancement and individual giving. Before arriving at Denison, Vicki spent over 16 years at McGraw Hill Education in senior executive support roles in various editorial departments and, most recently, their human resources department, where she held the title of senior HR specialist. Vicki earned a B.S. in business administration with an emphasis in marketing from The Ohio State University and regularly attends the Ohio State Buckeye football games. In addition to her love of OSU football and tailgating, Vicki enjoys glamping with her husband, Kim, and their long-time friends. She frequently visits local-area and out-of-state wineries with her friends and loves walking with her Goldendoodle, Jax. She is happiest when entertaining family and friends and loves that their home in Thornville is the main gathering place for parties and social events.

Laura Gray Frame ’83

Director of Principal Gifts

740-587-6291

Laura received a B.A. from Denison University and a J.D. from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. Laura worked as an assistant state’s attorney for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division, for three years and then as vice president and general counsel for a real estate investment firm for 13 years. Laura returned to the Denison community as a development officer in 2010 and transitioned to her current role as director of principal gifts in 2019. In this role, she nourishes and maintains relationships with Denison’s most loyal and faithful champions.

Hallie Parker

Assistant to the Director

740-587-6468

Hallie joined Denison as an administrative assistant for Major Gifts and Family Philanthropy in January 2023. She is a lifelong resident of Licking County — she was born and raised in Newark. Hallie attended Miami University for college and returned home to Licking County to start her administrative career within the dental field, where her love of interpersonal communication grew. She is passionate about helping people in any way she can and enjoys traveling to new cities, being outdoors, and attending live music concerts while away from work. Hallie currently resides in downtown Newark with her significant other and their two cats, Miles and Mac.

Amy Milbourne

Executive Director of Major and Planned Gifts

740-587-6258

Susan Stoner Leithauser ’90

Senior Development Officer for Parent & Family Philanthropy

740-587-5547

Susan’s professional fundraising experience began as a loaned executive to the United Way of Southeastern Michigan as part of her tenure with Federal-Mogul. In her most recent role, she served as the director of development for The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art & Technology, overseeing a capital campaign, annual giving campaign, volunteer council, and highly successful other projects and events. Susan held a variety of leadership roles with Federal-Mogul Corporation including customer service manager, human resources manager, and training director while relocating around the country. Her diverse work experience and volunteering for her alma mater led to the role of associate director of alumni relations at Denison from 1999 to 2005 and her current role of senior development officer for parent and family philanthropy and engagement. Susan resides in Granville with her husband, Joe, a fellow Denisonian, and they have three children.

Dave Watt ’85

Senior Development Officer

203-570-5585

Dave earned his B.A. in English from Denison in 1985, followed by a 30-year sales and marketing career in the advertising and media industries in New York. This included leadership positions with Ogilvy & Mather advertising and Time Inc., as well as internet start-ups. During his tenure at Time, Dave led ad sales for People magazine, served as the publisher of both Health and Sports Illustrated for Kids brands, and was responsible for the company’s corporate ad sales team. More recently, he was director of sponsorship for the Clinton Global Initiative. Dave returned to Denison as a senior development officer in early 2017 and is responsible for working with alumni and parents in the New York metropolitan area, as well as the Philadelphia and Atlanta regions. Dave’s work is based in New Canaan, Conn., but he endeavors to be on Denison’s beautiful campus as frequently as possible.

Jake McNabb

Senior Development Officer

865-566-4455

Jake earned his B.A. in economics from Emory & Henry College in 2015. Prior to Denison, Jake served as a major gifts officer at Duke University, and most recently, Ohio Wesleyan University. He joined Institutional Advancement in September 2023 as a senior development officer. A native Tennessean, Jake lives and works remotely out of Knoxville. Jake is a fervent believer in the liberal arts, and is honored to facilitate the generosity of Denisonians throughout D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, and Missouri.

Audrey Wood Hendler ’11

Development Officer

847-772-1833

Audrey earned her B.A. in education and psychology from Denison in 2011. Following graduation, Audrey taught English in Nimes, France, for a year and then moved into teaching elementary school at New Canaan Country School in Connecticut. In 2014, thanks to a Denison connection at Northstar Travel Group, Audrey pivoted into the travel industry. She enjoyed a seven-year career at Northstar, first in event marketing and then for the past five years in B2B sales for two of the company’s most trusted brands: Travel Weekly and TravelAge West. She developed strong relationships with her portfolio of clients in the Western U.S. for four years in Los Angeles. Audrey returned to Denison as a development officer in 2022 and is responsible for working with alumni and friends of Denison in Southern California, as well as throughout the Southwest. Audrey’s work for the college is based in sunny L.A., but she loves returning to Denison’s beautiful campus several times a year.

Eva Raymond

Development Officer

740-587-5546

Eva earned her B.S. at Ohio University in health service administration. She joined the Institutional Advancement team in February of 2018 in the Annual Fund, where she worked with alumni and families throughout the country. She joined the Major Gifts team in December 2021 as a development officer. Eva is responsible for working and engaging with alumni and families in Northern Ohio, Michigan, regions in Pennsylvania, regions in New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Vince Cullen ’14

Associate Director for Leadership Gifts

740-587-8091

Vince graduated from Denison University in 2014 with a B.A. in music performance. He returned home to The Hill in April 2022 as the associate director for leadership gifts, where he has the privilege of connecting with alums, parents, and friends of the college in all regions of the country. Before returning to Denison, he spent several years in the banking industry, holding various roles in operations, quality assurance, training, and business banking sales. Vince currently lives in Lodi, Ohio, with his wife, two children, and two cats.

Gin Deam

Administrative Assistant

740-587-6258

Gin, a lifetime resident of Ohio, grew up in Bucyrus, a small town in the northern part of the state, and graduated from Wynford High School. She spent many years as a full-time homemaker. As her four children became more independent, she joined the workforce and eventually found her niche in support staff roles. Office management, development, event planning, and administrative assistant are some of the positions she held in a variety of companies over the course of 15 years. Gin moved to Newark in 2019 after living in Marion and Delaware. She, her husband Jason, and their two dogs, Lola and Fritz, enjoy spending time in their backyard, entertaining friends and family.

Jason James Shuba ’02

Director of Gift Planning

216-392-2229

Jason assists Denison’s generous supporters with bringing their giving to life in a tax-wise manner that meets their financial and philanthropic goals. He earned his B.A. from Denison in philosophy, politics, and economics and his J.D. from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Jason returned to Denison from the University of Illinois Foundation, where he helped to facilitate more than $120 million in complex, deferred, non-cash, and outright gifts. Previously, he had reinvigorated the American National Red Cross’ dormant Greater Chicago gift planning program. Jason came to the gift planning field after managing the advancement vertical for Academic Impressions, a Denver-based higher education professional development company. Based in Chicago, he keeps an active Illinois law license, runs six days a week, and very much looks forward to connecting with you.

Bill Storch

Associate Director of Gift Planning

740-587-5019

Prior to coming to Denison, Bill was at The Ohio State University, where he was most recently a senior director of development. During his 10 years at OSU, he was a regional major gift officer and a gift planning officer. Prior to OSU, Bill spent nearly 20 years as a sales and marketing professional. Bill holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois and a paralegal certificate from Capital University Law School.

Cherie Schlatter

Administrative Assistant

740-587-6256

Cherie joined Denison in 2016 in the Human Resources department and moved to Institutional Advancement in 2019, where she supports the offices of Gift Planning, Donor Relations, and Foundation & Corporate Relations. Cherie enjoys being a team player in her support role for the divisions. Before coming to Denison, she worked with the American Motorcyclist Association for many years. Cherie lives locally and was excited to work close to home and in higher education.

Marie Thornhill

Director of the Annual Fund and Alumni Giving

740-587-8062

Marie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in marketing from Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business. She joined the Institutional Advancement team at Denison in May 2023 after spending most of her time at Ohio State and OSU’s Wexner Medical Center. Marie’s 20-plus-year career includes various marketing and communications roles to support students, alums, and the broader Central Ohio community, including focused efforts within student philanthropy, parent and family relations, and development. Marie is passionate about continuing to build connections between current students and alums and their alma mater. She is excited to lead efforts supporting the meaningful impact of giving to the Annual Fund on the Denison experience, now and well into the future.

Amanda Morrison

Senior Associate Director of Strategic Philanthropic Support

740-587-5773

Amanda earned her B.A. in business administration and M.S. in management from Sullivan University. She has worked as a professional fundraiser since 2009, starting as a student worker at Sullivan University and working her way up to associate dean, where she found her passion for educating students, faculty, and staff on the importance of philanthropy. After Amanda and her family moved to Ohio in 2016, she continued her work in fundraising at the American Cancer Society but quickly realized how much she missed working in higher education. She shifted back to higher education as a member of the advancement team at The Ohio State University, where she successfully raised millions of dollars in support of student success, until she joined Denison in October 2022. Amanda is excited to bring her passion for philanthropy to Denison and partner with alums to help them carry on their legacy by supporting future Denisonians.

Jessie McDonald

Senior Associate Director of the Annual Fund

740-587-5543

Jessie earned her bachelor’s degree in technical and applied studies from Ohio University. She worked for more than 14 years at a public community college, the last five of which were in the college’s foundation office as development coordinator. Jessie joined the Denison team in August of 2017 as the assistant to the director of the Annual Fund. Now, as the associate director of the annual fund, she manages all of the Annual Fund’s direct marketing communications to alumni, family, and friends. She enjoys working in higher education and supporting Denison’s annual fundraising efforts to provide THE BEST college experience for its students.

Sarah Runyan

Associate Director of Reunion and Class Giving

Rachel Zinram

Philanthropy & Engagement Coordinator

740-587-8573

Rachel holds a B.A. in strategic communication from The Ohio State University. While at OSU, she was involved heavily with the Student-Alumni Council, connecting students past, present, and future. Rachel gained additional experience in alumni relations and philanthropy through the Council for Advancement and Support of Education Internship Program. As the philanthropy and engagement coordinator, Rachel oversees the Student Ambassador calling program and serves as the advisor to the Student-Alumni Council and Senior Class Legacy Challenge. Her role focuses on fostering a culture of philanthropy and gratitude across campus, leading student fundraising and engagement initiatives.

Jessica Kirsner

Assistant to the Director

Gillian Kennedy

Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship

740-587-8098

Gillian received her Bachelor of Science Honors in genetics from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom. She joined the Institutional Advancement team at Denison in May 2022 after serving as senior director of public affairs and development at Developmental Pathways, a human services agency in Colorado, and director of advancement research for Ohio Dominican University. She has over 17 years of fundraising experience in donor relations, prospect development, campaign planning, and communications. 

Arielle Kay Johnson

Senior Associate Director for Gifts & Records

740-587-6603

Arielle earned her B.A. in sociology from Capital University in 2016 and her M.A. in higher education administration from Michigan State University in 2021. She has more than a decade of fundraising experience and started her career in higher education when she came to Denison as the assistant director of campus philanthropic programs in 2017. She is currently the senior associate director for gifts and records, overseeing the processing of up to 60 million dollars and all alumni biographical data while assisting in documenting transformative gifts to the college. Arielle believes in the importance of cultivating community and is involved both on-campus and off — she is a member of the Denison Forward IDEA team and leads the Black Caucus, an organization of Black faculty, administrators, and staff whose purpose is to support other Black faculty/administrators/staff and students, at Denison. She is also a fellow of the African American Leadership Academy and Project Diversity Pride Leadership through the United Way in Columbus. At home, Arielle enjoys spending time with her partner and their two cats, Simon and Sameera.

Kelly Mork

Associate Director for Stewardship

740-587-6568

Kelly earned her B.A. in education from Ohio Northern University. She spent more than 20 years as a software trainer for corporate employees and college students. Kelly joined Denison’s Major & Gift Planning team in 2014 as the administrative assistant.

T.J. King

Assistant Director for Gifts and Records

740-587-6510

T.J. earned his B.A. in English literature from Ohio University in 2006 and joined the Gifts and Records team as the assistant director of gifts and records in early 2022. T.J. has previous experience in fundraising, having worked with an economic development nonprofit in Athens. He is responsible for gift processing and data integrity, ensuring that gift information and donor wishes are reflected accurately in their records and liaising with the finance department in gift reconciliation. He is also a member of the Denison Forward committee. When T.J. is not working, he enjoys spending time with his daughter.

Ann Caldwell

Donor Relations and Stewardship Coordinator

740-587-6286

Ann joined Denison in 2016, working part-time as an academic administrative assistant. She moved into a full-time position with the Institutional Advancement team in January 2022 and recently moved into her current role as donor relations and stewardship coordinator. Before coming to Denison, Ann worked with The New Albany Classic, a non-profit organization, for eight years, where she helped raise money for The Center for Family Safety and Healing. Ann attended Central Ohio Technical College, studying secretarial science and business management. Ann lives with her husband, Dave, and their youngest daughter, Sabrina. Ann and Dave enjoy experiencing everything outdoors and spending time with their five children and six grandchildren. 

Jaime Rindock

Data Management Coordinator

740-587-6216

Jaime joined the Annual Fund in October 2017. She has over 12 years of administrative experience. She previously worked as a clerk for environmental health in the Licking County Health Department. Jaime graduated from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in business administration.

Robin Gorham

Gifts and Records Associate

740-587-8086

Robin joined the Institutional Advancement team in March 2023 as a gifts and records associate, helping to update constituent and gift-related data and documentation, as well as entering the receipt of gifts and making deposits. She also assists in coordinating acknowledgment letters and monitoring e-mail accounts to ensure timely answers for donors and internal customers. Before joining Denison, Robin served for almost 20 years at Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, where she worked as a senior budget analyst and as a program coordinator in various departments within the agency. Robin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in communications from Franklin University in 2015. Robin grew up in central Ohio and has stayed in the area — she currently resides in Alexandria with her husband and their three cats. She has two children and one granddaughter. Outside of work, Robin enjoys needlepoint, cooking, gardening, and spending time with her family. 

Meg Galipault

Director of Foundation & Corporate Relations

740-587-6286

Meg was appointed Denison’s new director of foundation and corporate relations in September of 2016. In this position, she researches and identifies prospects that align with Denison’s funding priorities, institutionally, collaborates with stakeholders to define projects, and writes proposals to request support. She also assists faculty members, in concert with the provost’s office, to identify, write, and submit scholarship and research proposals. Before coming to Denison, Meg was the corporate and foundation relations director at Kenyon College from 2007 to 2016 and managing editor of the Kenyon Review from 2002 to 2007. She has more than 25 years of experience in grant writing, corporate sponsorship, writing, and editing. Meg earned her bachelor of science degree in journalism from Ohio University.

Sallie Hutton Sistare

Executive Director of Alumni & Family Engagement

740-587-8656

Julie Tucker ’09

Director of Family Engagement and the Denison Professional Network

740-587-5575

Julie recently moved from Denison’s Division of Student Life to the Division of Institutional Advancement to fill the newly created director of family engagement and the Denison Professional Network position. In her role as associate vice president of student life, she oversaw multiple departments within the division, including Orientation & First-Year Experience, the Red Frame Lab, the Ann & Thomas Hoaglin Wellness Center, and Campus Safety. In partnership with the Red Frame Lab, she worked closely with RED Corps, a team of student leaders who use design thinking to solve campus problems, by engaging the voices of fellow students.

Ed Lenane

Director of Alumni Engagement Programming

740-587-6739

In October of 2023, Ed took on the role of director of alumni engagement programming. He joined the Alumni & Family Engagement team in November of 2021 to focus on overseeing the Varsity D Association and on developing engagement opportunities and initiatives for all athletic alumni, current student-athletes, and families of student-athletes. Before rejoining the Denison community, Ed spent 16 years on the Alumni Relations team at Ohio Wesleyan University. In addition, he has worked for the College of Charleston (Charleston, S.C.) and Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Headquarters (Carmel, Ind.), as well as Denison University from 1996 until 2000, where he served as the assistant director of student activities for leadership development. Ed has more than 28 years of experience working in higher education, many of those in university advancement. Ed’s skills and strengths include alumni engagement, volunteer and event management, communication, and strategic planning. He is a dedicated senior leader serving on internal and external committees and boards where collaboration on strategic planning, projects, and initiatives is a key focus. Ed earned his B.S. in secondary education from the State University of New York – Plattsburgh and his M.Ed. in higher education and student affairs from the University of South Carolina.

Alyssa Smith

Senior Associate Director, Marketing & Communications

740-587-5659

Alyssa joined Denison's Alumni & Family Engagement team in May 2022, focusing on leading strategic communication efforts to best engage Denison's alumni. Before Denison, Alyssa contributed to client engagement and business development teams at Fahlgren Mortine, an integrated marketing and communications firm, where she collaborated across many teams to enhance outcomes for several clients in the education, travel, and energy sectors. She also worked in a business development and marketing role at the architecture firm Moody Nolan. Alyssa earned her Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University.

Samantha Smith

Senior Associate Director for Events and Conference Scheduling

740-587-5739

In October of 2022, Sam became Denison’s senior associate director for events and conference scheduling in the Office of Alumni & Family Engagement. She came to the Institutional Advancement team from Denison’s Student Life Division, where she had served as the financial wellness coordinator since early 2019. Prior to that, Sam successfully sold the retail business she had owned and operated for more than 10 years after working as a large-scale event planner in Seattle. She holds an M.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Heather Maciejunes

Associate Director of Alumni & Family Engagement

740-587-8093

Heather holds a B.A. in leadership and organizational communications from Otterbein University and an Associate of Applied Science degree in photography technology from the Ohio Institute of Photography. She has worked in the event management field for over fifteen years, with her most recent tenure as head of special events at the Columbus Museum of Art. Heather joined the Alumni & Family Engagement team at Denison in May 2022 as the associate director of events and experiences. She organizes the two marquee events for Denison: Reunion Weekend and Big Red Weekend. Heather is a Granvillian through and through — her mother is an alumna of Denison, class of ’75, and she grew up in Granville, where she still resides today. Outside work, she enjoys spending time with her two children and parents and is an avid photographer.

Gary Fleisner ’13

Associate Director of Alumni & Family Engagement

740-587-8025

Gary returned to Denison University to serve as assistant director of Alumni & Family Engagement in 2019. His primary focus is on supporting virtual events, affinity programs, and regional events including Denison Everywhere. Prior to returning to his alma mater, Gary held administrative positions in the field of student affairs at both Dickinson College in Pennsylvania and Davidson College in North Carolina, working in the areas of new student orientation and family programs, leadership development programming, and student organization advising. Gary earned his B.A. in sociology/anthropology from Denison University in 2013, and he holds an M.A. in higher education and student affairs from The Ohio State University (2017).

Jen Beckner Steurer ’00

Assistant Director Events & Experiences

740-587-6576

Jen earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Denison in 2000 and began working for her alma mater shortly after graduation. She has held various positions at the university, from summer conferences to event management and logistics. Jen has a host of experience within the division of Institutional Advancement and began working in the Alumni Engagement Office in 2006 — in her current role as the assistant director of events and experiences, she provides logistical and behind-the-scenes work for the two marquee events at Denison: Big Red Weekend and Reunion, working closely with volunteers and committee members from the 1st to the 45th Reunion. Outside of work, Jen enjoys spending time with her two daughters and taking day trips throughout Ohio, exploring what the buckeye state has to offer. She has two dogs, Roxie and Bobbie, and a bird, Rocco.

Sam Moller ’15

Events Manager

740-587-5025

Sam graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in music from Denison in 2015. Sam has a strong connection to Denison, growing up in Granville and attending countless events on The Hill. Sam never thought he would attend Denison, but loved every second of his experience. Following his graduation, Sam amassed professional experience in events management and finance. He returned to The Hill in April 2022 as an events manager in the Office of Alumni and Family Engagement, where he provides logistical support for local and regional Institutional Advancement events and special campus events. Sam has recently welcomed a new baby and currently lives in Granville. Outside of work, he loves playing music, going to concerts, and fishing.

Isabelle Karlik ’20

Administrative Assistant, Special Events & Conference Services

740-587-8016

Isabelle received her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Denison University in 2020. On campus, Isabelle was a student worker in Events and Conferences and a Zumba instructor. Since graduating, she has since returned to The Hill, working in the office of Alumni & Family Engagement on the Events and Conferences team, where she assists in the scheduling and event planning for summer events, helps with larger AFE and campus events, and makes campus reservations. Before returning to Denison, she worked as an editorial intern with Aevitas Creative Management and as a dance instructor. Isabelle currently lives in Columbus with a few of her fellow Denison classmates.

Jill Little

Assistant to the Executive Director

740-587-5659

Jill joined Denison in April 2023 as the administrative assistant to the executive director of Alumni & Family Engagement. Before coming to Denison, she worked as an administrative assistant for eight years, with time spent at Licking Memorial Health Systems and Buckeye Valley YMCA Preschool at Licking Heights. She also taught special needs preschoolers for three years. Jill earned her B.S. in education from Bowling Green State University. She has a small hobby farm in Hanover, Ohio, where she and her family enjoy breeding and raising their own Boer Goats, pigs, chickens, and guinea fowl. Her son shows these animals at the Hartford Fair, and Jill loves to share in learning about the responsibilities of raising and showing animals with him.

Sara Benedict

Director of Prospect Management

740-587-5018

Sara joined Denison’s Institutional Advancement staff in 2017. She currently serves as director of prospect management, having been promoted from her previous position of development research analyst in September of 2022. Prior to coming to Denison, Sara was at the Mount Carmel Foundation, where she was most recently a prospect research analyst. Sara holds a B.A. in music from the University of Illinois and an M.A. in music from Johns Hopkins University. Sara currently lives in Delaware County with her husband, daughter, and two dogs.

Kady E. Wolfe

Assistant Director of Prospect Research

740-587-5088

Kady joined Denison in 2019 as a constituent records specialist. In 2021, she transitioned to the Prospect Development team and was promoted to her current role as assistant director in November 2022. Before coming to Denison, she worked in the archival and museum field — she spent seven years at the Fairfield County Heritage Association, a county historical society that owns and operates two historic house museums. Kady earned her B.A. in history from Ohio University and received her Master’s of Library and Information Science degree from Kent State University. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their four cats: Wampus, Juniper, Francis, and Georgia.

Billy Boorn

Associate Director of Prospect Development

740-587-8034

Billy holds a B.S. from The Ohio State University in environmental studies. At OSU, he worked as a student fundraiser in the university’s call center and as a community organizer for a local nonprofit. Afterward, Billy spent several years in a senior sales role with a local mortgage lender. A Granville native, Billy was eager to join the Denison family and return to philanthropic work in December 2021. Before moving to his current position of associate director of prospect development on the Prospect Management team in January of 2023, he served as the associate director of campus philanthropic programs within the Office of the Annual Fund, where he was the project manager of Denison’s yearly Day of Giving and 1831 Day events, while overseeing affinity-based fundraising efforts across campus.

Keena Bait

Director of Advancement Information Systems

740-587-6638

Keena joined the Denison community in June of 2011 as the systems coordinator in Advancement Services. She holds a B.S. in education from Miami University and brings experience in teaching, as well as programming, to the Institutional Advancement team. In 2019, she was promoted to her current role of director of systems and reporting. Her team serves as the liaison between Institutional Advancement and ITS and is responsible for report writing, systems training, and leading the conversion from the university’s legacy Banner Advancement database to a new CRM, Raiser’s Edge NXT.

Akeem Costa ’12

Associate Director of Advancement Information Systems

740-587-6524

Akeem earned his B.A. in history and Spanish from Denison. Following graduation, he lived in Lawrence, Kan., where he learned that eastern Kansas is quite hilly. Akeem returned to Denison in the fall of 2014 as an administrative assistant for the Annual Fund. After three years in that role, he moved to Advancement Services, currently working as a reporting and analysis specialist.

Carol L. Ewart

Advancement Programmer/Systems Analyst

740-587-6448

Carol earned her Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from The Ohio State University. She has a host of experience in the nonprofit sector and has worked at Denison for over 18 years. Carol joined Denison in the Information and Technical Services division as a programmer analyst and moved to Institutional Advancement on the Advancement Information Systems team in 2019, where she is a database administrator and writes software around Raiser’s Edge NXT. Carol loves learning new technology — she is always excited to play with new systems. Outside of work, Carol owns a motorcycle and ATV dealership with her husband and has a motorcycle certification on her license.

Alexa Peterson

Data & Reporting Coordinator

740-587-6695

Alexa joined the Advancement Information Systems team in August 2022. Previously, Alexa was an administrative assistant in the Office of Alumni & Family Engagement from October 2015 to August 2022. Before coming to Denison, Alexa worked for 10 years at The Container Store. She earned her A.A. in social work from Brigham Young University-Idaho in 1995. Alexa resides with her family in nearby Johnstown, Ohio.

Patrick Pratt

Director of Advancement Communications & Marketing

740-587-6230

Patrick joined Denison's Division of Institutional Advancement as associate director for digital communications & engagement in January of 2021. In July of 2022, he was named senior associate director of advancement communications & marketing. One month later, he was promoted to director of advancement communications & marketing at Denison, where now leads the promotion of fundraising, volunteer, and engagement efforts among the university's alumni, families, and friends. Patrick came to Denison from Pac/West, a public relations firm in Denver, where he served as an account manager, developing and implementing public relations and information programs for clients. Also in Denver, Patrick worked as a law office business manager and paralegal, as a program manager for the Colorado Association of Commerce & Industry, and as a public policy director and manager of operations for the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce. In 2007, he was elected by voters in the City of Centennial, Colo., to serve on a 21-member charter commission that drafted the first constitution for the municipality. Patrick holds a B.A. in international studies from the University of Colorado Denver.

Kim Byce

Senior Associate Director of Advancement Communications & Marketing

740-587-6635

Kim is the newest member of the Advancement Communications team, joining as senior associate director in October of 2023. She has been at Denison since May of 2017, formerly serving as the university’s homestead coordinator. Before coming to Denison, Kim was a writer and editor for several publications, including Columbus Monthly and the Columbus Visitors Guide. She transitioned to marketing at The Ohio State University in 2008, focusing on email communication, fundraising, event promotion, web content management, and digital strategy. An Ohio State graduate, Kim holds her B.A. in English.

Brenda Yingling

Design & Project Coordinator

740-587-5061

Brenda attended Columbus College of Art & Design, majoring in advertising and graphic design. She joined the Office of Major Gifts at Denison as an administrative assistant in 2016 and moved the Advancement Communications & Marketing team as project and marketing coordinator in 2022. Before arriving at Denison, Brenda was the marketing and communications manager and served as the executive assistant to the president at Junior Achievement of Central Ohio.

Lily Callander

Digital Media Specialist

740-587-6456

Lily joined the Advancement Communications team in October of 2022. She came to Denison from Capital University in Columbus, where she worked in the Office of the Registrar. She has accumulated a wide range of communications and editorial experience in a number of different settings, including higher education in Ohio and non-profit arts organizations in New York City. Lily earned her Bachelor of Arts in English literature and creative writing and a minor in history from Ohio Wesleyan University. At Ohio Wesleyan, she was honored with numerous academic scholarships, fellowships, and prizes, and she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

Jack Hire ’74

Senior Writer

740-587-5698

Jack holds a B.S. in psychology and began working at Denison as an assistant football coach in 1974 while pursuing graduate-level work in organizational behavior at Ohio State. A two-time All-Conference athlete at Denison, he remained in the athletic department for 26 years as a coach, instructor, recruiting coordinator, and sports information director. In 2000, after taking Denison’s sports promotion efforts online, he moved to University Communications and became the university’s first editor of new media. He was promoted to the positions of senior associate director (including stints as acting director) and administrative director, respectively, before being named director of University Communications in 2012. In the summer of 2016, he was appointed as the senior writer in Denison’s newly structured Office of Alumni & Family Engagement; and in the fall of 2020, his role was expanded to serve the entire Institutional Advancement division as a member of its newly created Advancement Communications team.