Alumless

What does student engagement look like when your alumni are spread across 110 countries? In this episode of Alumless World, we speak with Nena Grceva, Director of Alumni Affairs at The Hertie School in Berlin. Nena brings a global lens to the student-to-alumni transition and shares how a mission-driven institution can build meaningful connections—starting before graduation. From award-winning prog...

Change is a constant in higher education advancement, but few have embraced it as boldly as Scott Biedermann, Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations at the University of the Pacific. In this episode of Alumless, Ryan and guest co-host Patrick Auerbach sit down with Scott to unpack the intentional evolution of Pacific’s advancement strategy, including the redefinition of its alumni asso...

What happens when the heart of your alumni connection isn’t just the institution, but the place itself? In this episode of Alumless World, hosts Ryan and Nicole sit down with Courtney Stombock, Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations at The American University of Paris (AUP), to explore what it takes to build meaningful alumni engagement and fundraising programs in an international, mul...

How can advancement leaders thrive — not just survive — in times of high stress, tight budgets, and shifting expectations? In this episode of Alumless World, Ryan and Nicole Kempton sit down with consultant, coach, and “serial interim fundraising leader” Tess Nixon Spiller to explore what real leadership looks like when times get tough. Tess offers practical insights for creating environments wher...

What happens when the mission is clear, the impact is measurable, and the stories are unforgettable? On this episode of Alumless, we sit down with Ted Probert, President and CEO of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, the nation’s oldest and largest provider of scholarships to military children. With a legacy grounded in honor, courage, and commitment, the Foundation has awarded more than 60,0...

What does it take to find the right advancement leader, especially when you're casting a global net? On this episode of Alumless World, we are joined by Jocelyn Kelty, Director of the Australia Office for Richmond Associates, an international executive search firm specializing in fundraising and engagement leadership. Jocelyn offers insights from years of experience helping institutions across sec...

How do you turn recent graduates into lifelong alumni supporters from day one? In this episode of Alumless, Ryan Catherwood and co-host Kim Infanti (filling in for Chris this week) sit down with Matt James, Vice President of Alumni Relations at The Marshall University Foundation, to explore how Marshall is transforming its approach to new grad engagement with fresh strategies and bold ideas. Matt...

Join us for our next episode of Alumless World. This week we’re featuring Holman Chin. As Executive Director of Development at INSEAD, he’s helping lead one of the world’s top global business schools into a new era where philanthropy is personal, yet experimental, and engagement is borderless and sits at the intersection of data, culture, and storytelling. We explore INSEAD’s approach to global ph...

If you’re leading marketing, communications, or alumni engagement at a small institution, this next episode is for you. Pete Brumbaugh is Executive Director of University Communications & Alumni Engagement at MidAmerica Nazarene University, where he and his team are tasked with delivering meaningful connections and value without the luxury of large budgets or big staff. Hear our conversation w...

What happens when a long-time alumni board volunteer steps into their alma mater's top alumni engagement role? In this episode of Alumless, Ryan and Chris welcome Heather Stanley, Senior Director for Alumni Experience at Western Michigan University, to talk about her transition from volunteer to staff leader—and what that shift has taught her about the work of alumni engagement. Heather shares ins...

Sorry listeners! Uploading this one from two weeks ago. Chris and Ryan welcome Jeff Williams, Assistant Vice President for People and Engagement at the University of Maryland, for a conversation focused on the internal dynamics of advancement work. With a role that blends talent development, team culture, and stakeholder engagement, Jeff offers a unique perspective on how investing in people direc...

In this episode of Alumless, hosts Ryan and Chris are joined by Sean Devendorf, Executive Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving at Tufts University, for a conversation on aligning alumni engagement and annual giving teams to drive more efficient and effective advancement outcomes. Sean shares his experience leading this integration at Tufts, reflecting on the early challenges, lessons le...

In this episode of Alumless, Ryan and Chris are joined by Gina Yazzolino, Assistant Vice President for Constituent Engagement at the University of Portland, for a conversation about how engagement strategy is evolving to include more than just alumni. Gina shares insights from her work building a constituent engagement team that casts a broader net. Our conversation explores how Gina and her team...

In this episode of Alumless, Chris Marshall and Nicole Kempton explore the growing intersection of innovation and university advancement with Dr. Davy Norris, Senior Vice President for Innovation and Advancement and CEO of the Louisiana Tech University Foundation. Louisiana Tech recently made a bold move by merging its Innovation Enterprise with University Advancement, a strategic shift that posit...

In our next episode of Alumless, we welcome Sarah Kathryn Ricci, Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving at Baylor University, for a conversation on management and leadership in university advancement. In this episode, "Managing Up, Down, All-Around," we explore the challenges of leading teams, collaborating across departments, and engaging alumni volunteers. Sarah Kathryn...

In this episode of Alumless, Ryan Catherwood and Chris Marshall explore how alumni associations can generate new revenue streams while continuing to build strong engagement. With traditional revenue sources like affinity partnerships and membership dues fading, alumni professionals are being challenged to innovate and adapt in ways that align with their mission. Joining the conversation is Paul Cl...

Subscribe to Alumless World on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  In this episode of Alumless World, hosts Ryan Catherwood and Nicole Kempton explore the evolving landscape of alumni engagement and advancement with Mandy McFarland, Executive Officer at Educate Plus. Mandy shares how Educate Plus is expanding its membership across Australasia, providing vital resources for institutions looking to str...

On this episode of Alumless, Cindy Fredrick, Senior Associate Vice President for Advancement at the University of Virginia, joins us to discuss the crucial role that volunteers play in engagement and philanthropy. With over 5,000 volunteers involved in UVA Advancement’s efforts, Cindy brings her expertise in scaling volunteer programs, stewarding alumni, and maximizing their impact on the conversa...

We’re excited to announce that our newest CMAC Podcast, Alumless World, is now live! Hosted by Ryan Catherwood and Nicole Kempton, Alumless World explores alumni engagement strategies from an international perspective, highlighting best practices, challenges, and innovations worldwide. In this first episode, we welcome Dr. Maria Gallo, Founder of KITE-Keep in Touch Education and Research Fellow at...

Join us as we explore email as a critical metric for alumni engagement. Chris and Ryan welcome special guest Ashley Budd, Senior Director for Advancement Marketing at Cornell University and co-author of Mailed It!: A Guide to Crafting Emails that Build Relationships and Get Results. We discuss with Ashley why email remains essential and the metrics that truly matter, and also chat about the challe...

We’re wrapping up the year on Alumless with a special holiday episode inspired by A Christmas Carol! This festive edition explores the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future—alumni engagement style. Joining us are six special guests to help us reflect on our field, where we’ve come from, and where we’re headed in 2025 and beyond. On this episode, we’re reflecting on: 🔍 Lessons learned and...

Hey, Alumless community! Join Chris and Ryan this week for our latest edition. We will explore how institutions can prioritize alumni engagement over the long term and what it takes to bring a campus together around the endeavor. Our special guest on this episode is Amy Layman, Associate Vice President for External Engagement at Franklin & Marshall College. On the show, Amy will share insights...

In this episode of Alumless, Chris and Ryan chat with Lauren Villanueva, Vice President for Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving at Syracuse University, to explore the transformative work behind Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University. Lauren shares insights into the ambitious engagement goals set for the campaign and the strategies her team used to bring them to life. We also discuss...

Join us for a thought-provoking episode featuring our newest colleague, Shane Dunn, Vice President and Senior Consultant at CMAC and founder of Shane Dunn Social Sector Strategies. We dive deep into the evolving world of alumni and philanthropic engagement across various nonprofit sectors. We explore why “alumni-ness” is becoming a crucial focus for organizations beyond higher education. Our discu...

This episode is all about reorganizing constituent engagement for the future. We’ll explore how The Ohio State University is working to redefine its approach and build a modern, holistic engagement strategy. Join Chris and Ryan as we welcome special guest Samantha Frost, Assistant Vice President for Constituent Experiences at Ohio State University, who shares insights on leading one of the most un...