Meet Our New Members: Board of Directors Edition

Dear Friends:

I hope you all had a lovely holiday and are ready for a Happy New Year! 2020 was certainly a year that we won’t soon forget, and we’re looking toward 2021 with hope for better days. We’ll be continuing to run the Chapter virtually at least through the start of Spring, and we miss you all terribly! Getting to meet and talk with all of you at Game Watch Parties, Happy Hours, and other special events throughout the year like our LionFest Scholarship Fundraiser and Blue White Ball is a joy for us and we just cannot wait to be able to do it safely again.

We have been using this time to do some much-needed housekeeping and are excited to share some new things we have in store for you this year, starting with the newest members of our Board of Directors! If you follow our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/psupgh), you may have already been introduced to them. Their Penn State passion and enthusiasm has injected us with a new level of energy and we’re excited to create an even better Penn State experience in Pittsburgh! I hope you enjoy getting to know a little more about them!

Now more than ever, staying connected to all of you is so important. Please remember we're here for you in whatever capacity you need, from helping your job search through Career Services, to connecting you to local Alumni Mentors to help you through a difficult transition, and encouraging our members to support local PSU owned & operated small businesses. WE ARE here for you!

As always, we welcome any feedback you’d like to share about your membership experience.

Stay safe and healthy, Penn State. WE ARE in this together!

For The Glory,
Kristen

Kristen Conti – COMM ‘05
President

Kassia graduated from University Park as a Schreyer Honors College Scholar with a degree in English and a minor in Environmental Inquiry in 2015. She is the Social Marketing and Brand Communications Lead for Plan B One-Step in Pittsburgh.

“I’m so excited to have this opportunity to dive in and connect with more Penn Staters in Pittsburgh!”

Eric earned graduated from University Park in 2006 with a degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management and is currently the Managing Director of Marketing, Creative, and Sales Support for PWCampbell. He also serves as the Director of Marketing & PR for our THON Alumni Committee and is a member of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality and the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society.

“It’s an honor to continue being a part of the Penn State community well after my graduation. I bleed blue and white, and from football watching parties to the Blue White Ball, any time I get to support Penn State along with my friends that I’ve made along the way is an incredible experience. I love seeing the dedication of so many Alumni and the support that’s shown throughout the community. It’s just a constant reminder that I made the right choice in school, and I’m proud to continue my support for years to come.”

Melissa served as our Chapter’s Vice President in the past before moving out of state with her family, but this year they returned to Pittsburgh and she’s ready to jump back in! She graduated from University Park in 2002 with a degree in Psychology and is currently a School-Based Therapist. She is also the Hospitality Director for our THON Alumni Committee and is heavily involved with the PTO and other activities where her children attend school.

“Shortly after graduating from Penn State I joined the Chapter and eventually stood as Vice President. I met an amazing group of people throughout my involvement before moving out of state. Now that I’m back, I can’t wait to continue the journey. Now I get the chance to share my passion for PSU with my kids, which makes it that much more worthwhile. We Are!”

Ben graduated from University Park in 2006 with a degree in Information Science and Technology. He is the Technology Assurance Director for KMPG and will serve the Board as our Chapter Webmaster. He is also on the Board of the IST Alumni Society and is the Webmaster for the PSU Wrestling Club.

“The PSU football season during my senior year of 2005-06 will always be especially memorable to me. I'll never forget the electrifying win over Ohio State followed by a road trip with friends to Ann Arbor to witness the heartbreaking loss to Michigan in the final second of the game, and traveling to the Orange Bowl in Miami to celebrate the New Year with a win over Florida State. I am excited to serve as Webmaster for the Chapter, and I look forward to connecting with many members!”

Connor graduated from University Park in 2020 with degrees in Advertising/Public Relations and Communications, Arts, & Sciences. He is a Leadership Acceleration Program Associate at Highmark Health and is serving a one-year assignment as a Penn State Alumni Association Young Alumni Ambassador.

As a student, Connor was the Lion Ambassadors’ Administrative Vice President, President of the Penn State Performing Arts Council, an Associate Justice for the University Park Undergraduate Association, and part of an A Cappella ensemble. He was also an Alumni Relations Intern for the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications and served on many other student leadership boards and panels on campus. He will be helping to create a new Young Alumni Committee which will help us become a more valuable resource to Young Penn State Alumni in the Pittsburgh area.

“As a member of the Penn State Alumni community, I am looking forward to continuing to echo the sentiment that being connected to Penn State is a lifelong commitment. Some of my favorite Penn State memories consist of spending time with my great friends around campus, walking backwards as a Lion Ambassador, mentoring younger students to become advocates of the Penn State brand, and cheering on the Nittany Lions in Beaver Stadium and beyond. Being a Penn Stater is a lifelong experience and I look forward to continuing these experiences throughout the course of my life.”

Julie earned her MBA from the Smeal Business College through the Penn State World Campus in 2017 and works as a Production Specialist at Equity Resources, Inc. She will serve the Board as our Chapter Secretary. She overflows with Penn State Pride and loves to travel.

“I attended the Pitt vs. PSU Mixer at the Hard Rock Café shortly after moving to Pittsburgh and it was such a great welcome to the great city of Pittsburgh and the PSU culture in this area!”

Stefanie graduated from the Smeal College of Business at University Park in 2014 with a degree in Accounting, where she also managed the Women’s Basketball team. She is the Senior Financial Administrator for Carnegie Mellon University Athletics and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Management degree there as well. Stefanie is also the Director of Finance for our THON Alumni Committee and is the Treasurer & Co-chair of the CMU Women’s Association Service Club.

“Since graduating, I continue to network with other Penn Staters. It's great to share stories and our passion for Penn State. I look forward to working with the Chapter to help Penn Staters all over Western PA connect.”

Frank graduated from Penn State Behrend in 2011 with a degree in Accounting. He is a controller at Hy-Tech Engineered Solutions as well as a licensed CPA, and will serve the Board as our Chapter Treasurer. He participates in Accounting Career Day at Behrend, helping students with their transition to a career after graduation. He is also the Treasurer of the Young Non-Profit Professionals of Pittsburgh and enjoys giving back to the community by assisting the professional development of non-profit leaders in the Pittsburgh area.

“My favorite Chapter memory is also the first Chapter event I attended, when I took my son, Frankie VI, to his first hockey game! Penn State crushed Robert Morris 6-2 at PPG Paints Arena. It was a great night and he loved the game!!”