See How the Advancement Community is Changing
CFR Team Makes Connections at CASE Conference
Three members of the Corporate and Foundation Relations Team - Cait Mohr, Ellie Myers, and Annie Stup - headed to New York City this week for the annual Conference for Corporate and Foundation Relations Officers, put on by the Council for Advancement and Support for Higher Education (CASE). The three attended a plethora of sessions and connected with colleagues from universities nationwide--gaining important insights from foundation presidents and officers, corporate representatives, and fellow CFR professionals. The team is excited to bring their knowledge to the Advancement community as we navigate a rapidly changing funding landscape together.
New Hire
Ivy Roberts
Proposal Development Strategist
Corporate and Foundation Relations
Please join us in welcoming Ivy Roberts. Ivy is a UVA grad with a background in project management supporting government clients. Outside of work, she is a rookie climber, crossword puzzle expert, and loves spending time with her partner and our orange tabby cat.
Role Change
Holly Thornhill
Director of Stewardship and Donor Engagement
Student & Family Philanthropy
Please join us in welcoming Holly Thornhill to her new position as the Director of Stewardship and Donor Engagement, Student & Family Philanthropy. Holly will report to Courtney Bibb in this new role.
Kelly Reinhardt
Director of Development
UVA Health Children’s
Kelly Reinhardt will be our new Director of Development for UVA Health Children’s, effective Monday, May 19. Kelly has been serving as interim in this position since August, while also continuing to serve as the Director of Development, Neurosciences. Under her leadership, the Neurosciences fundraising program has shone, exceeding their $75M campaign goal, raising over $100M. Kelly has a wealth of experience, having served with UVA Health Development for 7 years and in higher education fundraising for a cumulative 17 years. We all know Kelly as a high-performing fundraiser, mentor, and strategist, and she can’t wait to bring her skills and passion full-time to UVA Health Children’s.
Departure
Hudson Clare
Senior Associate Director of Development
chool of Medicine
Please join us as we wish farewell and good luck to Hudson Clare. Thank you for your support!
Farewell, Hudson!
Previous Staffing Matters Announcements
Graduations to Celebrate
Caroline Scogna
Daughter of Nancy Scogna
Double Major: Government and Media Studies
Caroline will graduate from UVA on May 17 with a double major in Government and Media Studies. Congratulations, Caroline!
Brian Teweles
Son of Allison Teweles
B.A. in Media Studies
Minors in General Business, Public Writing and Rhetoric
After graduation, Brian will move to DC and plans to live with several UVA friends. He has accepted a project manager role at Bluetext, a UVA alum-founded creative digital marketing and public relations agency.
Leah Gunnoe
Daughter of Trecia and Brent Gunnoe
B.A. in Media Studies
Minors in General Business, Public Writing and Rhetoric
Leah is graduating from the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy with a specialization in Arabic, Middle East Studies, and French. She will be working as an Environmental Policy and Sustainability Analyst for Consumer Technology Association before pursuing a law degree.
Andrea Devine
Master’s in Higher Education
Andrea Devine, who works in University Advancement as the Senior Director, Volunteer Engagement, is graduating from UVA with her master's degree in Higher Education. Congratulations, Andrea!
New Hires
Cole Ruoto
User Experience Specialist
University Advancement
My name is Cole and I am currently located just outside of Charlottesville. After graduating from college in Chicago with a bachelor's in "Comedy Writing and Performance," I began as Communications Assistant in May of 2024 before transitioning to the User Experience Team in December. In my free time, I enjoy reading, writing, and dabbling in video production. I also recently began constructing a small 6' x 8' garden in my back yard and will keep everyone posted on that. Please send any relevant gardening information my way.
Departure
David Yang
Graduate Intern
Global Affairs Advancement
Please join us as we wish farewell and good luck to David Yang. Thank you for your support!
Farewell, David!
New Hires
Steven Pitts
Director of Major Gifts
Student Affairs
Recently, Steve completed nearly 11-years of service at University of Georgia, his alma mater, within the Division of Student Affairs. Outside of work, Steve spends most of his time with his two daughters, Preston and Blair, and on the golf course (when time permits!).
New Hires
Lesley Hicks
Associate Director of Annual Giving
Darden
The Darden School Foundation is excited to welcome Lesley Hicks as a new Associate Director of Annual Giving. Lesley comes to Darden from the Virginia Athletics Foundation and is a proud 2002 College alum.
Sarah Bullock
Assistant Director of Annual Giving
Darden
The Darden School Foundation is excited to welcome Sarah Bullock as a new Assistant Director of Annual Giving. Sarah comes to Darden from a background in coaching volleyball, most recently with the UVA Women's Volleyball team.
Departures
Megan Black
Associate Director
Direct Marketing
University Annual Giving bids farewell to Megan Black, who has accepted a role as the Associate Director of Development at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. Megan has been a tremendous asset to the direct marketing team and we thank her for all her hard work!
Best of Luck, Megan!
Ginny Johnston
Project Associate
Engineering
Ginny Johnston’s last day with Engineering is April 4. We’re grateful for her contributions during her time with us and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.
Best of Luck, Ginny!
Departures
Jessica Fittro
Project Associate
Lifetime Learning
The Office of Engagement wishes Jessica Fittro well in her work journey. Her last day with Lifetime Learning is March 21, 2025.
Best of Luck, Jessica!
Eric Schey
Associate Director, Direct Marketing
University Annual Giving
Eric Schey’s last day with University Annual Giving was March 13. We’re grateful for his contributions during his time with us and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
Best of Luck, Eric!
New Role
Greg Willett
Assistant Director
Virtual Philanthropy
I'm excited to announce that Greg Willett will be joining UAG's Virtual Philanthropy Team. Greg previously worked with the School of Education and Human Development as a Major Gift Officer. He will serve as an Assistant Director of Virtual Philanthropy evaluating and driving our pipeline development and upgrade strategies.
Jordan Bullock
Associate Director of Leadership Annual Giving
Darden
Please join me in welcoming Jordan Bullock to the team!
Jordan officially starts with us on Monday, March 10 as the Associate Director of Leadership Annual Giving on the Frontline Team. He brings a wealth of experience from his three years at the Virginia Athletics Foundation, where he served as Assistant Director of Donor Experiences. In that role, Jordan led event coordination, managed athletics hospitality areas, and oversaw donor stewardship efforts.
His background in college athletics includes time as an operations assistant for Virginia Football before becoming Director of Player Relations, where he mentored student-athletes, facilitated community engagement, and ensured compliance. Having witnessed firsthand the impact of philanthropy on students, he understands the power of donor generosity in shaping meaningful opportunities.
Moving into a front-line fundraising role is a natural next step for Jordan, and he’s eager to apply his passion for student growth and engagement at Darden. He looks forward to working alongside each of you in his charge to strengthen the Darden Annual Fund and build a pipeline of future major donors. We’re excited to have him on board!"
New Role
Haley Cook
Prospect Analyst
PMR&A
PMR&A is excited to announce that Haley Cook has stepped into a new role on the team as a Prospect Analyst. In this position, Haley will be centrally focused on supporting UVA Health partners by analyzing and actioning their prospect and Grateful Patient data. Please join us in wishing Haley the best in her next chapter with University Advancement!
Haley has been with UA since March of 2024 providing administrative support to the PMR&A team. She is originally from Roanoke, Virginia, and completed her undergraduate degree at William & Mary, studying applied statistics. She is also a recent graduate of Trinity College Dublin (Ireland!), where she received a master’s degree in marketing.
In her free time, Haley really enjoys spending time with her dog, Piper, and traveling to new places.
New Staff
Lisa Jennis
Advancement Associate
Architecture
Lisa Jennis will be joining us from the Philadelphia area, where she worked as a Development Representative for the Bryn Mawr Hospital Foundation. With a background in computer science and education, Lisa enjoys traveling, knitting, and spending time with her two sons and their families.
Ryan Weigand
Senior Director of Corporate Relations & Business Development
Gift Planning
With over 14 years of experience in athletic development, Ryan is thrilled to join the CFR team. He, his wife Darcie, and their sons, Jameson and Sullivan, are excited to become a more integrated part of the UA community. Thank you Kelly and Heather for this opportunity!
Kevin Esteves Pereira
Advancement Coordinator for Event Experiences
Engagement
Kevin previously worked in Graduate Marketing and Admissions at McIntire School of Commerce. He is an alumni of West Virginia University as well as the University of Virginia and is a board certified athletic trainer. In his free time, he enjoys lifting, reading, and spending time with his dog. Kevin resides in Charlottesville, VA.
Madelyn Taylor
Assistant Director of Stewardship
The College Foundation
Madelyn joins the College Foundation from UVA’s Darden School of Business, where she served as the Assistant Director for Student Programs for five years. She is a graduate of James Madison University and lives in the Charlottesville area.
Departures
Gina DeMattia
Associate Director
Leadership Annual Giving
Gina will be leaving the Darden Advancement team to step into a new role as a Director of Development at the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business. Throughout her time at Darden, Gina has consistently proven herself to be an invaluable member of our team. Her professionalism and expertise as a volunteer and program manager have driven action and strengthened giving efforts across our core classes.
Gina spent much of her time at Darden with the annual giving team, where she was known for her donor-centered approach, strong relationships with alumni and focus on innovation. In her role as a leadership annual giving officer, Gina excelled at engaging donors and inspiring increased giving to the School. She has also been a trusted partner to the Major Gifts team, playing a key role in closing several six-figure gifts while uncovering several opportunities on her own.
While we will miss Gina’s steady approach, strategic thinking, and sense of humor, we couldn’t be more excited for her as she takes this next step in her career.
Best of Luck, Gina!
New Staff
Benjamin Bowery
Assistant Director of Donor Relations
Fralin Museum of Art
Ben Bowery has worked in curatorial and advancement roles across multiple museums, most recently completing a curatorial furniture fellowship with The Preservation Society of Newport County in Newport, Rhode Island. He is a native of Roanoke, Virginia and enjoys learning about American history and art.
Mollie Bryan
Staff Writer
Health Development
I worked as a Development Associate for UA for about 5 years, and 2 year at UVA Health in Marketing and Communications. I live in Crozet, am the mom of 2 grown daughters, and write mystery novels.
Kittie Abell
Prospect Researcher
Prospect Management, Research & Analytics
I have more than 2 decades of fundraising experience and am happy to be joining the prospect management team after two years with VAF. I live outside Charlottesville with my husband and two labrador retrievers. Our children and grandchildren live near by.
Farewell
Arianna Sherman
Proposal Development Strategist
Corporate and Foundation Relations
Arianna Sherman’s last day on the Corporate and Foundation Relations team was Friday, December 20th. Arianna is leaving for the sunny shores of Australia, where she will join her husband while on academic sabbatical.
Best of Luck, Arianna!
New Staff
Colleen Compton
Assistant Director of Strategic Events
University Advancement
After serving as an Officer in the US Army, and then working as a project manager in the semiconductor industry, I shifted my focus to raising a family and staying connected in my community. My passion projects have included coaching a local high school mountain bike team, beekeeping, volunteering with my local alumni association and I absolutely love spending time with my family.
New Staff
Justin Ewing
Senior Associate Director of Gift Planning
University Advancement
Justin, a Kentucky native, has nearly a decade of experience in higher education. His interest in charitable gift planning began while pursuing his juris doctor at Notre Dame Law School. He comes to UVA from Centre College, where he served as Executive Director of Gift Planning. Prior to his time there, he was Associate Director for Gift Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he served as liaison to several affiliated foundations, partnering with development officers to advise donors on deferred and tax-efficient charitable gift strategies. He is a licensed member of the North Carolina State Bar and is active in the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners. Justin enjoys spending time with his wife, Kayla, and son, Emmett. He looks forward to joining UVA Advancement.
New Staff
Michael Brophy
Director of Pipeline Development
Darden School Foundation
Welcome to Michael Brophy as our new Director of Pipeline Development. Michael brings a wealth of experience in tech and entrepreneurship, beginning his career as a product manager at a tech startup. Since then, he’s worked with small, agile teams to leverage technology and data for smarter decision-making. Recently, he launched a portable storage business with his two brothers—think PODs. Michael is a proud 2019 Darden graduate and Genovese Fellow. He has called Charlottesville home since 2017, where he lives with his wife and their four-year-old daughter.
New Staff
Camille Lipnicky
Advancement Coordinator
Library
Camille is joining UVA Advancement after just over two years as a Senior Administrative Assistant in the College of Arts and Sciences. When she is not at work, Camille enjoys playing board, tabletop and videogames with her spouse and their friends.
Farewell
Astrid Henriksen
Associate Director
Data and Reporting Specialist
Astrid is retiring after 27 years of dedicated service to UVA. Astrid started in Advancement as a prospect researcher and her interests and talents lead to her to become our first data analyst, laying the path for others! Astrid is not only well known as a wonderful source of knowledge, but someone with whom to discuss ideas, collaborate, and gain new perspectives. Her last day in the office will be November 9th.
Thank you, and congratulations on this new chapter, Astrid!
New Staff
Sneha Mandhadi
Salesforce Solutions Engineer
University Advancement
Hi everyone, I'm Sneha. I'm excited to be joining University Of Virginia and look forward to working with and getting to know you all. I have around 6 year of experience in Salesforce Administration/Development. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling and discovering new cultures, spending time with my family. Exploring new places and experiencing different perspectives keeps me inspired and energized.
New Staff
Lauren Flora
Project Associate
Event Experiences
Lauren is joining UVA from Shenandoah University, where she led the Admissions events team. Prior to Shenandoah, she was at Bridgewater College where she spent 3 years managing campus-wide events. She is a graduate of Bridgewater College with a Bachelor's degree in Art with a Digital Media Concentration. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, photography, cheering on the Baltimore Orioles, and spending time with her family, especially her two nieces.
Chaitra Madhusudhan
Salesforce Solutions Engineer
University Advancement
Chaitra an experienced Salesforce Developer/Admin with over 5 years of experience in creating Salesforce-centric enterprise solutions, with a focus on Sales and Service Cloud applications. Previously, she worked at Experian Consumer Services, and she holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from California State University, Fullerton. She lives in Irvine, CA with her husband and 8 year old son. Outside of work, she loves spending time with my family, cooking, reading about tech trends, watching movies, staying active through yoga and fitness. She enjoys assisting various programs/services offered by Chinmaya Mission of Los Angeles, a spiritual organization.
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