Development Staff
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| Sean Miller Sean began his role as the senior director of development and alumni relations for the Penn State Smeal College of Business in March 2024. He leads a team of development, alumni relations, and alumni career services professionals to provide philanthropic and engagement opportunities for Smeal alumni around the world. Sean began his professional career as a development assistant in Penn State’s Office of Gift Planning. He went on to serve as an assistant director of development in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and was later promoted to associate director in the same unit. In 2012, he was named director of development and alumni relations for Penn State’s Schreyer Honors College and was promoted to senior director of development and alumni relations in 2021. Sean earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts in 2005. He resides in State College with his wife, daughter, and chocolate lab. Email: smm401@psu.edu |
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Brian Black Brian began his role as the director of corporate engagement for the Smeal College of Business in October 2021. Brian is responsible for coordinating multi-faceted relationships with companies that have strong mutual interests with the Smeal College of Business, promote a University wide holistic approach, and lead a data-driven process to identify key accounts for the college. Brian previously held the position of director of hospitality industry relations for the School of Hospitality Management in the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State. In this role he held for twelve years, he was responsible for external relations and strategic partnerships and initiatives connecting alumni, industry partners, faculty, and students. His previous role included external events, communications, and career placement and professional development. He also taught a colloquium course in hospitality management. Before returning to Penn State, Brian worked for Hyatt Hotels and Resorts for eleven years holding management positions in operations, sales, and marketing in multiple locations across the country. Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management from Penn State and is a Lifetime Member of the Penn State Alumni Association and the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society. Email: bab180@psu.edu |
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Anne Louise Cropp Anne Louise is the associate director of development communications for the Smeal College of Business, focusing her efforts on fundraising support and stewardship efforts for the development team. She joined the Smeal Development team in December 2014. Prior to that, she spent thirteen years in the investment industry, focusing primarily on client service and reporting. She also has experience as a customer relations representative for the University’s Athletics Department. Anne Louise holds a bachelor's degree in Nursing, an M.B.A., and an M.H.A. all from Penn State. Email: all109@psu.edu |
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Susan Cunningham Susan began her role as Director of Major Gifts for the Smeal College of Business in February of 2023 after serving as Associate Director of Development since November 2018. Previously, she worked at Penn State Outreach and Online Education for more than a decade where she held several positions, including development assistant, director of alumni relations, and stewardship coordinator. She has also worked for the Division of Development and Alumni Relations as a senior research analyst and as a writer for the Penn State Alumni Association. Susan holds a bachelor's degree from Penn State in English. Email: sxc67@psu.edu |
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Kate Emmick Kate joined the Smeal College of Business as director of donor relations in February, 2017. Kate is responsible for a comprehensive stewardship plan for the college and manages all aspects of donor relations, including development events that honor the college’s volunteers and donors. She is also tasked with managing a communications strategy for stewardship and stewardship plans for the college's top donors. Kate joined Penn State and the College of Education in 2011. During her tenure, she managed donor recognition events, was responsible for all donor relations reporting and communications to the college’s supporters and also created a comprehensive stewardship plan for the college. Before joining Penn State, Kate worked at Conservation International for nine years in various roles coordinating solicitations, donor communications, fundraising events, and board meetings. Email: kac36@psu.edu |
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Joel Fox Joel joined the Smeal College of Business as an associate director of development in October 2021. In his role, Joel works with alumni and friends of the college to raise philanthropic support. Previously, Joel worked in Penn State’s Office of Annual Giving as an assistant director of annual leadership gifts. Before joining Penn State, he worked for PNC Bank in Pittsburgh, PA, as well as with the Altoona Curve minor league baseball team. Joel grew up in Clearfield, PA, and graduated from Penn State in 2012 with a degree in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management. Email: jwf5129@psu.edu |
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Kelly Freet Kelly joined the Smeal College of Business in August 2021 as a Development Assistant. Prior to her current role with Smeal, she worked in Central Development as a Stewardship Coordinator, and at the College of IST as a Development Assistant. She also was a preschool teacher at the Bennett Family Center before her transition to working in Development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Penn State. Kelly resides in the greater State College area with her husband, Kevin, and their two children, Kendall and Kolby. Email: kak239@psu.edu |
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Alan Friday Alan joined the Smeal College of Business in October 2018 as a director of major gifts. In this role, Alan works with alumni and friends of the college to raise philanthropic support. Prior to joining Smeal, Alan served as a major gifts officer for the resident and fellow graduates of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine at UPMC. He holds a bachelor's degree in Communications Media and a master's degree in Sport Science, both from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Residing in the greater State College community, Alan and his wife Courtney, are the proud parents of Scarlett and Barrett. Email: ajf6091@psu.edu |
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Amber Friday Amber began her role as assistant director of major gifts for the Penn State Smeal College of Business in October 2023. Amber’s responsibilities include working with volunteers, donors, alumni, parents, and friends to provide philanthropic and volunteer engagement opportunities. Amber participated in Penn State’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations internship program in 2019 and 2020 and began her professional career as a development specialist at Penn State Altoona. Prior to joining Smeal, Amber served as assistant director of annual leadership gifts for Penn State’s Office of Annual Giving. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing with a minor in entrepreneurship from Penn State in 2020. Amber lives in Tyrone with her boyfriend Dakota, children Aspyn and April, dogs Bane and Macey, and a cat, Rona. Email: arf5272@psu.edu |
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Nile Hamer Nile joined the Penn State Smeal College of Business as assistant director of development in November 2023. In this role, Nile works with alumni and friends of the college to further the University’s land grant mission, provide equitable access to education, and support faculty and programs. Nile began his development career at Penn State in the Office of Annual Giving. Before joining Penn State, Nile held customer service and sales positions in the Kansas City area. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Kansas in 2019. Nile, his wife Diana, and their daughter Elora reside in State College. Email: nbh5363@psu.edu |
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Alisha Hartley Alisha joined the Smeal College of Business as an associate director of development in June 2023. In her role, Alisha works with alumni, parents, and friends of the college to raise philanthropic support. Previously, Alisha worked in Penn State's Office of Annual Giving as an assistant and later associate director of annual leadership gifts. Before joining Penn State, she worked for her alma mater, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salmen, NC, as well as with startup companies in San Francisco and Barcelona. Alisha grew up in Monroe, NC, and graduated from Wake Forest University in 2018 with a B.A. in psychology and minors in African Studies and Entrepreneurship & Social Enterprise. Email: amh7837@psu.edu |
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Douglas Martin Doug began his role as director of major gifts for the Penn State Smeal College of Business in July 2024. In his role, he works with alumni and friends of the college to connect them with the college and to raise philanthropic support. Prior to joining Penn State’s Schreyer Honors College as an assistant director of development in July 2022, he held several professional roles in private equity and project development across a wide array of industries, including real estate, energy, agriculture, technology, media, sports entertainment, and medicine. He is a board member and vice president of The ACRES Project, a local State College non-profit providing critical programs to the autistic and neuro-diverse community. Doug earned a BA in Marketing & Management from Drexel University's LeBow College of Business in 2008. He and his wife Traci, a 2010 Penn State alumna, can be seen walking their mini Goldendoodle, Jolene, around town and on campus. Email: djm774@psu.edu |
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Kathleen Rider Kathleen began her role as director of major gifts for the Penn State Smeal College of Business in October 2023 and assists Smeal alumni and friends with their philanthropic interests. Prior to joining Smeal, Kathleen served as director of development for Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development for 14 years. Previously, she was the director of stewardship for Penn State’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations, assistant vice president for Development at the University of Memphis, and a major gifts officer at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate Business School. Kathleen holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Penn State. Email: kmr8@psu.edu |
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Pamela Royer Pam is a development assistant for the Smeal College of Business. In this role she supports the fundraising activities of the college, with a special focus on staff travel, budget, and football. Email: pjr12@psu.edu |
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