La Salle University
Location: Doylestown, PA
Major: Political Science/Public Administration
Role: Founder, Meadow View Insights; Global Insurance & Employee Benefits Executive
What activities were you involved with as a student?
Honors Program; Political Science department activities
How have you remained active or engaged with the University as an alumna since graduation?
I have maintained strong connections with the friends I made at La Salle over the past 40 years. While my career and family responsibilities restricted the personal time I could dedicate to La Salle until recently, I have continued to support our school financially since graduation while advocating it as the cornerstone to my successful career. I now have ample time to participate in the Lasallian spirit of service and am honored and excited to be considered for a position on the Alumni board where I can hopefully influence the experience of current and future Explorers.
Why do you want to run for the Alumni Board of Directors?
I am product of 16 years of Catholic Education, all in the city of Philadelphia. From parish grade school (split between Northeast Philadelphia and Roxborough) to Roman Catholic High School (Class of 1978) to my four years at La Salle, I have always had respect for the education, discipline/structure and sense of community that where-you-go-to-school and how-you-learn fosters.
Being part of the Alumni Board of Directors would give me a unique opportunity to share how my experiences as a kid growing up in Philly were molded at La Salle to enable me to successfully pursue my career and life’s journey. Additionally, La Salle’s leadership and visible demonstration for DEI initiatives is absolutely critical to me and represents what I think prospective students and their families are seeking when looking at higher education today.
Is there any other information you would like to share?
My career has spanned over 40 years working in the global insurance and employee benefits arena being employed by several influential financial services organizations – Cigna, Aetna, Met Life and most recently, Lincoln Financial. As I have moved into the next phase of my career, I am serving as a consultant to the group insurance industry, taking advantage of my career experiences both domestically and internationally (having worked and lived in both the UK and Australia during my career.).
I regularly share my career and life lessons in a LinkedIn Newsletter “Witzdom.” In addition, I serve on the Executive Board of the New Hope (PA) Historical Society and as a volunteer for the Delaware Valley Food Pantry, dedicated to feeding families in the New Hope (PA) and Lambertville (NJ) region.
I am the past chair of the Disability Council for America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and have been involved with a number of professional associations focused on providing disability insurance and return-to-work services to employers and employees, such as the Council for Disability Awareness (CDA) and the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) Group Disability Council. I have also led and participated in several disability and inclusion awareness initiatives throughout my career and was the founding executive sponsor of Lincoln Financial Group’s LGBTQ’s Business Resource Group.
From a personal perspective, my husband and I are proud of our adult daughter- who is also a product of 16 years of Catholic education. We are also Pops and Pop Pop to two granddaughters currently in 1st grade and Pre-K respectively at a private Catholic school in the Philly suburbs.
Finally, I fully understand the importance the role development and fundraising plays in an alumni board. Up until now, it’s only been financial donations and commitments that we’ve made to the schools I, my daughter and now her daughters have or are attending that have enabled me to give back. I’d be honored if I could now add my time commitment to help make a difference and serve the La Salle community through participation on the Alumni Board of Directors.