Advancement

Scott VanDeusen
Assistant Vice President Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations
[email protected]
718-990-6240

Scott is responsible for the departments of Advancement Communications, Advancement Services, Alumni Relations, Annual Campaigns, Donor Relations, and Research and Prospect Management. Scott has more than 20 years of experience working in higher education advancement, including time spent at Allegheny College, Washington and Jefferson College, and American University. He joined the staff at St. John's University in 2006.

Sammantha McCalla ’99CBA, ’01MBA, ’20Ph.D
Director of Stewardship
[email protected]
718-990-6038

Sammantha creates communications to donors from all constituencies which includes letters from the Office of the President and Vice President to donors as well as acknowledgements and invitations to stewardship events. She serves as a liaison between various other departments including Annual Campaigns, Alumni Relations, Student Financial Services, the Treasurer’s Office, General Counsel’s Office, and the President’s Office to resolve issues, complete required tasks, and to help identify new stewardship and solicitation opportunities.

Sammantha is also the creator and lead administrator of the Endowed Student Recipient (ESR) student group which is comprised of students that have received and endowed or expendable scholarship from a generous benefactor of St. John’s. She liaises between students and donors for optimization of student and donor experience in the scholarship process.

Prior to her current position Sammantha served as the Assistant Director of Advancement Services and Associate Director of Donor Relations. Before joining St. John’s, she was a sales assistant in a brokerage firm and transaction coordinator for the subsequent broker dealer. She is also a retired U.S. Army Sergeant after 12 years of service.

Sammantha holds a B.S. in Finance, an M.B.A. in Executive Management, and a Ph.D. in English from St. John’s University.

MaryAnna Schaefer
Director, Prospect Research and Management
[email protected]
718-990-1899

Ms. Schaefer focuses on new strategies and projects for annual giving fundraising efforts to support the University’s Vincentian mission to provide a well-rounded, service-oriented education.

Prior to this role, she was a business analyst in the advancement services group, researching avenues for new projects and programs for fundraising. Ms. Schaefer worked previously at St. John’s School of Law from 2007 to 2018 as the Assistant Director of Alumni Relations and Communications, producing alumni and fundraising publications and communications, and then as Director of Annual Giving, successfully building the annual giving program and introducing new multichannel fundraising initiatives and strategies for gift officers.

Prior to St. John’s University, she worked in Marketing and Economic Development and in Government and Community Relations over an 11-year career with the New York Power Authority, specifically focusing on federal and state legislative initiatives pertaining to energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. She earned a B.A. degree from the City University of New York at Queens College in Sociology with a minor in Urban Studies.

Donna R. Cirigliano
Senior Executive Secretary
[email protected]
718-990-1806

Donna is responsible for all administrative duties for the Senior Vice President and the Associate Vice President for Leadership Gifts. Her duties include assisting with the planning and organization of Presidential-level alumni events and private gatherings and overseeing the preparation and coordination of all materials for meetings of the Institutional Advancement Committee of the University’s Board of Trustees. She also prepares materials required for cultivation/solicitation appointments and prepares high-level correspondence for alumni, donors and prospects.

Prior to her current position, Donna served as Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Athletics. Before coming to St. John’s she was Secretary to the Director of Production at Joseph E. Seagram and Sons.

Cheryl O'Hara '01G
Director, Advancement Communications, Institutional Advancement
[email protected]
718-990-5506

Cheryl’s responsibilities include analyzing Advancement marketing efforts, including audiences, demographic data, and response rates, to evaluate success and refine methods. She manages and executes marketing initiatives by working closely with internal and external design, editorial, digital, and multimedia departments and vendors. She formulates and implements the communications process and guidelines for print, digital, social, and editorial units and ensures brand messaging and consistency throughout all marketing initiatives.

Prior to joining the Advancement team, Cheryl worked in University Events and the Office of Conference Services. A proud St. John’s alumna, Cheryl earned her Master of Arts degree in Sociology in 2001.

Danielle Berezny
Assistant Director, Advancement Communications, Institutional Advancement
[email protected]
718-990-6240

Danielle focuses on creating communications from Advancement to St. John’s alumni, parents, and friends. She helps to manage and execute marketing initiatives by working closely with internal and external design, editorial, digital, and multimedia departments and vendors.

Danielle also implements the communications process and guidelines for print, digital, social, and editorial needs. She participates in idea and strategy generation for creating marketing outreach and new content across digital, print, social, and multimedia platforms. 

She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with a minor in Management from the State University of New York at Cortland in 2021.

Althea Brown
Gift Administration Assistant
[email protected]
718-990-2793

Ms. Brown’s duties include the processing of donations to St. John’s University. She is also responsible for updating the most current information for the University’s alumni and donors.

Tracy Brown
Associate Director, Research and Prospect Management, Institutional Advancement
[email protected]
718-990-2426

Tracy works with Advancement management, gift officers, and other departments to identify prospective donors interested in making gifts to the University. She provides information on potential and current donors and manages the research module in the Advancement database.

Prior to her current position, she served as Assistant Director of Research and as a Donor Relations Specialist in the Advancement Services department at St. John’s. Tracy earned a B.A. degree in History from the State University of New York at Purchase.

Lisa Capone
Director, Advancement Services
[email protected]
718-990-1821

Lisa prepares financial reports and maintains all donor databases for the Division of Institutional Advancement.  She strategizes best practices for Advancement Services processes and reporting tools and trains members of the division to use Banner Advancement and Banner Advancement Self-Services.

Prior to this position, Lisa was Database Manager for Institutional Advancement and Senior Assistant to the Director, St. John’s Development.  She also served as Sales Associate and Office Manager at Carolina Amato, Inc.  Lisa holds a B.A. in Communications from Cornell University in New York.

Matthew Muscarella, M.B.A.
Business Analyst, Advancement Services
[email protected]
718-990-1821   

Matthew prepares filtered constituent lists and financial reports, provides constituent analyses, and maintains and improves donor databases for the Division of Institutional Advancement. He strategizes best practices for Advancement Services processes and reporting tools.

Matthew earned a B.S. in Computer Information Systems and a M.B.A. from Quinnipiac University.

Mohammad Ghani
Business Analyst
[email protected]

Mohammad Ghani runs weekly/monthly reports, prepares financial reports, and addresses any ad hoc requests for the Division of Institutional Advancement. He also provides analysis to different departments using business intelligence tools such as Tableau.

Mohammad graduated from the City University of New York at Queens College with a degree in Applied Mathematics and has certifications in T-SQL, Python, and Power BI from Microsoft.

Adriana Dino '02TCB
Associate Director, Gift Administration
[email protected]
718-990-2775

Ms. Dino oversees the daily operations of the Gift Processing department. She is responsible for tracking and accounting for donations and pledges to St. John’s University and the distribution of special projects. She is also responsible for departmental policies and procedures and following Council for Advancement and Support of Education and Internal Revenue Service guidelines as they relate to gift entry. Prior to her current position, she was employed at a private accounting firm. Ms. Dino earned her B.S. in Accounting from The Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University.

Carmen Hammond
Director, Gift Administration
[email protected]
718-990-5757

Carmen is responsible for overseeing the Gift Processing staff and all gift entry functions for the Division of Institutional Advancement including tracking and accounting for pledges and donations, proper designation of funds as specified by the donor, reconciliation of funds and donor tax receipts.  She is also responsible for following, enforcing, reviewing and revising departmental policies and procedures and following appropriate CASE and IRS guidelines as they relate to gift entry functions.

Prior to her current position, Carmen served as Associate Director of Advancement Services, Assistant Director of Advancement Services, Staff Accountant at the St. John’s University School of Law, Comptroller at Zetlin and DeChiara LLP and Reconciliation Department Manager at Republic National Bank.  She holds a B.A. in Accounting and Information Systems from the City University of New York, Queens College.

Kevin Sue-A-Quan, M.A.
Database Analyst
Institutional Advancement Services
[email protected]

Kevin Sue-A-Quan provides functional support for CRM services and records management. He provides his insights and professional expertise from experience in various higher education areas involving data governance, systems administration, integrations support, and project management.

Sara Hunt Munoz 
Senior Director, Alumni Engagement
[email protected]
718-990-6147

Sara oversees alumni programming and engagement opportunities for St. John’s graduates, as well as the daily operations of the alumni office. 

She spent 16 years in Fordham University’s Office of Alumni Relations, where she reinvigorated their regional chapter program, oversaw their alumni website, launched their alumni association and managed its advisory board, and organized hundreds of events and activities. 

Most recently, Sara worked as the Director of Alumni Relations at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School—an independent pre-K through 12 school with campuses in Manhattan and the Bronx, NY—where she planned engagement events and raised funds from their alumni. 

Sara has three degrees from Fordham University, including a doctorate in Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy. 

Paul Lazauskas ’01CPS, ’08MBA
Associate Director for Alumni Relations and Community Engagement
[email protected]
718-990-1912

Paul Lazauskas, a proud double alumnus of St. John’s University (’01CPS, ’08MBA), brings over two decades of dedicated service and experience to his role as Associate Director for Alumni Relations and Community Engagement. His career at St. John’s reflects a deep commitment to fostering meaningful connections among alumni and strengthening ties between the University and its surrounding communities.

Previously, Paul served as Associate Director for Community Relations, where he represented St. John’s on Community Board 8 for over a decade. In this role, he championed impactful university-community partnerships and engaged local stakeholders to enhance the University’s community presence. Paul’s longstanding connection to St. John’s also includes his role as Associate Director for Conference Services on the University’s Manhattan Campus, where he led events that enriched campus life and expanded St. John’s reach in New York City. Additionally, Paul has overseen the University’s Italian Culture Center, which, beyond offering cultural programs, provides study-abroad scholarships to students each semester.

Roger Maloney
Associate Director of Alumni Career Services
[email protected] 
718-990-2197

Roger Maloney is the Associate Director of Alumni Career Services. Roger’s primary responsibilities include developing and implementing career programs that cater specifically to our alumni.

This position oversees alumni networking events, workshops, and mentorship programs that connect alumni with each other and with current students. Roger focuses on building solid relationships with our alumni community, understanding their needs, and ensuring our services are relevant and impactful. Additionally, he works closely with other departments to integrate alumni engagement into the broader University strategy, ensuring that our alumni continue to feel connected to St. John’s University throughout their professional lives. 

---

Abby Ballard ‘23CCPS, ‘24MS
Assistant Director, Regional Engagement
[email protected]
718-990-2197

Abby is a St. John’s alum passionate about helping bring community to the University’s alumni across the country and the world. 

As an undergrad, Abby was heavily involved on campus and served as the Public Relations Chair (2021-2022) and President (2022-2023) of the University’s Chappell Player’s Theatre Group. During this time, she sharpened her event production skills through a variety of avenues, including planning banquets and collaborating with groups on campus to widen event involvement. Abby’s proudest accomplishment was producing silent auctions that raised hundreds of dollars for the organization at their annual Alumni Banquets. 

Prior to joining the Alumni Relations team at SJU, Abby completed her Bachelor of Public Relations degree and Master of Integrated Advertising degree at the Collins College of Professional Studies.

---

Nicole Boodhoo 
Assistant Director of Alumni Special Events 
[email protected] 
718-990-2321 

Nicole is dedicated to strengthening the bond between the Alumni community and the University through impactful alumni events. With a strong background in event planning and management, she brings both passion and expertise to fostering relationships within the alumni network. Nicole looks forward to leveraging her skills to design and deliver exceptional, meaningful experiences that resonate with all members of the alumni community. 

Before joining St. John’s University, Nicole held several roles that shaped her career in event planning. She served as a Regional District Representative for the Northeast and Midwest in the Tradeshow Division at CORT Events, worked as a Teacher at Success Academy, and gained early experience at her alma mater, Seton Hall University, where she worked as an Events Assistant. Nicole credits her time at Seton Hall as the spark that ignited her passion for event planning, inspiring her to pursue it as a career. 

Nicole earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Seton Hall University in Finance and is a sister of the Alpha Sigma Tau national sorority. 

---

Beatriz Vera
Assistant Director, Young Alumni and Student Engagement
[email protected]
718-990-2127

Bea (BAY-yuh) is responsible for strengthening relationships between recent graduates and St. John’s University. With a background in event planning, volunteer management, and student affairs, she is passionate about fostering community and helping alumni maintain meaningful connections long after their time as students.

Before joining St. John's University, Bea worked at Stony Brook University in the Office of Annual Giving, where she led Student Philanthropy initiatives. In this role, she significantly boosted student engagement with the Senior Class Gift. She established the Seawolf Philanthropy Council—a student-driven giving campaign that elevated the Office's brand and increased its visibility.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with minors in Deaf Studies and Art Studio from SUNY New Paltz and a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education Administration from Stony Brook University.

Contact

Office of Alumni Relations
718-990-6282
[email protected]

Tara Sanon '10C
Director, Annual Giving
[email protected]
718-990-1816

Ms. Sanon handles all data requests and analysis of student telephone engagement efforts. She is responsible for the daily operations of the telephone engagement program, managing demographic updates, and supervising and hiring student workers. Additionally, she collaborates with other offices within Institutional Advancement to help develop new programs to engage particular constituencies. She is also responsible for the Advancement department ’s budget. Ms. Sanon graduated from St. John’s University in 2010 with a B.A. in English and a minor in Business.

Sylvia Jagota, M.B.A.
Associate Director, Annual Giving
[email protected]
718-990-5658

Sylvia is responsible for the development of new programs to stimulate giving among constituencies, with a focus on student and employee populations. She also works on targeted campaigns for alumni and collaborates with the Director to coordinate mailings, emails, and social media solicitations.

Prior to St. John’s, Sylvia worked at Adelphi University as the Assistant Director of Annual Giving for seven years. She graduated from Adelphi in 2008 with a B.A. in Economics in 2008 and an M.B.A. in 2010.

Stacey Philips Varghese '99C
Director of Leadership Annual Giving and Engagement
[email protected]
718-990-2982

Stacey manages all facets of administration for The Loughlin Society, including the acquisition and renewal of memberships, creation of solicitation strategy, and stewardship of prospects.

Stacey was formerly a Financial Analyst at Bear Stearns. She holds a B.A. in English/Government and Politics from St. John’s University.

Donald McKay
Assistant Director, Annual Campaigns
[email protected]
718-990-1885 

Mr. McKay works on annual giving fundraising and stewardship efforts targeted toward alumni and friends of the University to help support St. John’s Vincentian mission of providing a well-rounded education to those lacking in economic, physical, and social advantages. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Gettysburg College.  

William Lipson '12MPS
Director, Annual Leadership Giving for Outreach
[email protected]
718-990-2602

Mr. Lipson is responsible for recruiting new members of The Loughlin Society while renewing annual gifts from all alumni who are unassigned.

Before joining the St. John’s family, he worked at the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA, in the Office of Development, organizing special events for various groups including alumni. He also held the position of Alumni Relations Associate at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he managed a full range of local, national, and international programming for more than 80,000 alumni. Mr. Lipson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Northeastern University and a Master of Professional Studies degree in Sport Management from St. John’s University. 

Nick Vendikos '91SVC
Senior Director, Athletic Development
[email protected]
718-990-6147

Nick is Senior Director of the Office of Athletic Development at St. John’s University. He is responsible for the department’s fundraising activities, including annual, major, leadership, and planned giving, and special events in support of the Office of Athletics’ mission and goals. 

Prior to working at St. John’s, Mr. Vendikos was Director of Development for the Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens/Futures in Education. He served on the senior management team of Generations of Faith, a fundraising initiative which raised a total of $130 million—the most successful capital campaign in the diocese's history.

Mr. Vendikos also served as President and CEO of the Cabrini Mission Foundation. As president, he was responsible for guiding development for global institutions.

Alyssa Breunig
Athletics Major Gift Officer, Athletic Development
[email protected]

Alyssa Breunig joined the Red Storm Athletic Development team in August 2024. In her role, she cultivates and maintains relationships with alumni, donors, and stakeholders, aiming to secure major gifts that support the university’s athletic programs and facilities.

Prior to her arrival in Queens, Breunig served as Associate Director of Development, Assistant Athletic Director at Quinnipiac University.

Breunig received her master’s degree from Quinnipiac University in 2024 in Interactive Media and Communications. In 2020, she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Saint Michael’s College, where she was a member of the women’s basketball team.

Frank Shaffer
Athletic Development Officer – Special Events
[email protected]
718-990-3921

Frank joined St. John’s in September 2023 and is responsible for all athletic fundraising events that benefit the 17 Division I athletic programs at St. John’s University. He assists with additional fundraising initiatives as part of the athletics development team as well.

Prior to working at St. John’s, Frank worked at Geneseco Sports Enterprises as an account manager and held multiple roles at Army West Point within the alumni relations and athletic development departments. His duties included fundraiser support, planning and coordinating events, and account management.   

Frank also brings an educational background that includes two master's degrees. He earned his master's in business administration and sport administration from Ohio University after completing his bachelor's in business management from Lourdes University, where he competed as a member of the baseball program for four years. Shaffer is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and now resides in Brooklyn with his wife Jamilah, son Malakai, and dog Maverick.

Nicholas Legakis '97SVC, '07MPS
Senior Director, Development, Office of Advancement
[email protected]
718-990-5312

Mr. Legakis oversees the Development staff in the Office of Advancement and is responsible for identifying and soliciting donors for St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He establishes relationships with these prospects and keeps them engaged with St. John’s, ultimately seeking their support for the University. 

He has been a member of the St. John’s University team since 2003, where he served as Director of Institutional Advancement for the Staten Island, NY, campus until 2011. Mr. Legakis also served as the Director of Development for the New Jersey and Washington, DC, regions and the College of Pharmacy prior to his appointment to St. John’s College in 2017. 

Prior to St. John’s, he worked at Staten Island Cable/Time Warner Cable as the Production Specialist/Sports Producer and a play-by-play announcer. He also currently serves as an Adjunct Professor within The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies. He earned a B.S. in Communication Arts and a Master of Professional Studies degree from St. John’s.

Mark Andrews
Director, Development, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
[email protected] 
718-990-5897

Mark oversees alumni programming and engagement opportunities for St. John’s graduates as well as the daily operations for the alumni office. 

Previously, Mark held the position of Associate Director for Alumni Relations managing activities and events for special constituencies. He began at St. John’s as Assistant Director in the Office of Annual Giving. In this capacity, Mark helped maintain and cultivate relationships with alumni and friends in support of a variety of annual giving initiatives at St. John's.

Prior to joining St. John’s, Mark was Development Associate at the Academy of Mount St. Ursula in the Bronx. He also held the position of Regional Director in the Cardinal’s Appeal at the Archdiocese of New York.

He graduated from Iona College with a B.A. in Journalism and his M.A. in Public Relations/Corporate Communications.

Robert D. Cote ’10C
Director of Development, The School of Education
[email protected]
718-990-5057

Robert is responsible for identifying and cultivating donors and alumni for The School of Education, as well as secure planned gifts for St. John’s University. Previous to this position, he worked with Campus Ministry, University Events, and the President’s Society from 2010 to 2016.

From 2020–2022 Robert worked at Mount Saint Michael Academy; from 2016–2020, he worked at the Archdiocese of New York, advancing the mission of those institutions through major funds, annual campaigns, and event fundraising. He was also part of the archdiocese’s $200 million capital campaign.

Robert earned a B.A. in Psychology with minors in Theology and Business Management from St. John’s University in 2010, and is currently completing an M.B.A. in Catholic Philanthropy at the University of Mary.

Petrina DiGangi '91MBA
Director, Development
The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies
[email protected]
718-990-2399

Petrina DiGangi is responsible for fundraising for The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies, as well as the most urgent needs of the University. She is an alumna of the College of Business Administration (now called The Peter J. Tobin College of Business), earning her M.B.A. in 1991. Petrina has served as Vice President and President of the Tobin College of Business Alumni Administration and has been an active alumna of the University. She presently also serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Marketing.

Petrina began her career in the financial services industry in various roles, including Chief Financial Officer of the Corporate Marketing and Communications Division at JPMorgan Chase & Co. She went on to serve as Deputy Commissioner of Finance and Administration for the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Museums.

Prior to joining the St. John’s Advancement team, Petrina served as Board Chair of the Children’s Hope Foundation; Director of Development for The De La Salle School, a Lasallian middle school serving underprivileged young men; and Director for Major Gifts for the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science at Hofstra University.

Petrina earned her B.B.A. in Finance from Iona University and her M.B.A. in Accounting from St. John’s University.

James Hogan '14CPS, '16MBA
Major Gifts Officer
[email protected]
718-990-3352

James is responsible for the planning and execution of the annual President’s Dinner, the University’s premier fundraising event. He also assists with the University’s Alumni Convocation, The Jubilarian Society Dinner, certain alumni events, and other Presidential-level programs and initiatives. 

Prior to this position, James served as a Graduate Assistant for St. John’s University’s Office of Advancement. As an undergraduate student at St. John’s, he worked as an Intramural Supervisor for Campus Recreation. He also interned for the Director of Athletics at SUNY New Paltz. 

James received a B.S. in Sport Management from St. John’s College of Professional Studies and an M.B.A. in Marketing from The Peter J. Tobin College of Business.

Rachel O'Reilly
Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations
[email protected] 
718-990-6776

Ms. O’Reilly is responsible for aligning St. John’s University’s priorities with the interests of corporations, foundations, and other organizations to establish and strengthen partnerships and inspire philanthropic support. This is accomplished in close collaboration with University leadership, faculty, colleagues, and alumni.

Prior to joining St. John’s Advancement team in 2019, Ms. O’Reilly spent nearly 17 years at Hospital for Special Surgery, a world-renowned specialty hospital raising funds from local and national foundations, as well as grateful patients. Her professional experience also includes two years working as a research technician at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine in the laboratory of distinguished microbiologist Jan T. Vilcek, M.D., Ph.D., coinventor of the anti-inflammatory, Remicade®. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from the University of New Hampshire.

Broderick Perlman 
Director of Development, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
[email protected]

Mr. Perlman is responsible for identifying and cultivating donors and alumni for the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He works closely with the dean of the College and other administrators in the division to solicit and secure support from the alumni base. 

Before becoming a part of the St. John’s team, Mr. Perlman had an illustrious career dedicated to fundraising. He had the privilege of working with esteemed organizations such as The Fresh Air Fund and the Grace Institute. In his most recent role as the Manager of Gift Planning at North Shore Animal League America, he played a pivotal role in significantly expanding their legacy society.

Mr. Perlman earned a B.A. in History and Nonprofit Management with a minor in Sociology from Eckerd College.

Bill Schaeffer '73CBA
Director, Development, The Peter J. Tobin College of Business
[email protected] 
718-990-6802

Mr. Schaeffer is responsible for engaging the University’s alumni from The Peter J. Tobin College of Business and identifying prospective major donors and stewarding existing contributors. He works closely with the Dean of the College and other administrators in the division to solicit and secure support from the alumni base. He also works with the Tobin College of Business Board of Advisors.

A former Brooklyn Nets basketball player, Mr. Schaeffer returned to alma mater as Director of Alumni Relations in September 2003 to lead the University’s efforts in engaging and serving alumni and friends. In that role, he was responsible for outreach and coordination of activities within all of the University’s alumni chapters, focusing his efforts on chapter engagement. 

During his student days in 1971–73, he played on the Men’s Basketball team, setting two individual season records for highest scoring average and highest field goal average. As the 1973 recipient of the Haggerty Award, Mr. Schaeffer was recognized as New York’s Most Outstanding Player, and in 1990 he was inducted into the University’s Athletics Hall of Fame. 

He played for the New York Nets from 1973–76, and most recently enjoyed a successful career in equity research sales at various Wall Street firms including Jefferies Financial Group Inc., McDonald & Co., and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. He earned his B.S. in Accounting from St. John’s. 

Maria Gonzales Bullon ’20MBA
Major Gift Officer, Office of Advancement

Maria is responsible for all athletic fundraising events that benefit the 17 Division I athletic programs at St. John’s University. She previously worked for the University’s Athletic Development Department as a Graduate Assistant from 2018 to 2020, where she assisted with the department’s fundraising activities and special events.

Prior to working at St. John’s, Maria worked as a Senior Development Officer at a nonprofit where she oversaw operations, fundraising, and the organization’s financial responsibilities.

She was a member of the St. John’s Women’s Soccer team from 2014 to 2018 and graduated with her M.B.A. in Business Analytics and Marketing Management in 2020 from The Peter J. Tobin College of Business. Maria is originally from Salamanca, Spain. 

Dionne Dorsey 
Director, Donor Relations
[email protected]
718-990-2128

Dionne oversees the Office of Donor Relations and is responsible for the continuing development and administration of stewardship activities including significant interaction with leading donors and potential donors. Dionne manages all reporting and tracking relative to leadership gift acknowledgement and stewardship of endowed and restricted funds, including scholarships, fellowships, awards, prizes, professorships and chairs, as well as the drafting of donor agreements. She works as a liaison to other departments including the Office of the President, Dean’s offices of each college, Directors of Development, Annual Giving, and Alumni Relations. Her interactions with these offices aid in the development of new stewardship opportunities.

Prior to her current position, she served as Associate Director of Donor Relations and Assistant Director of Financial Reporting and Database Management in the Office of Advancement Services. Dionne joined St. John’s with relevant experience and skills gained from previously held positions at Del Laboratories Inc. and Sterling National Mortgage Company.
 
Dionne holds an M.A. in Sociology from St. John’s University and a B.A. in Communication, Rhetoric, and Persuasion from the State University of New York at Albany.

Ashlee Nieves
Assistant, Office of Donor Relations
[email protected]
718-990-7498

Ashlee is responsible for all administrative tasks in the Office of Donor Relations. Her duties include enhancing the donor experience, engagement, and investment to St. John’s University and ensuring efficiency and smooth day-to-day operations. She also handles correspondence, letters, memorandums, email follow-ups, donor acknowledgments, and reports. This includes data management, reporting, planning, and executing stewardship events and engagements.

She has a steady tenure in client services, finance, and account management, with more than seven years of diverse experience in public relations, executive administration, government accounting and finance, and secondary education.

She has held positions as an instructor in Title I schools, an executive administrator for two Renewable Energy companies, and an executive assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Housing and Community Development—Housing Finance, State Government.

Ashlee holds a B.S. in Biology from Morgan State University and an A.S. in Mass Communications from John Tyler College.

Susan Damiani '87CBA
Director, Gift Planning
[email protected]
718-990-7562
Susan is responsible for the management of planned gifts that incorporate the University into the estate and financial plans of alumni and friends. She reaches out to graduates from our historic Schermerhorn Street and Lewis Avenue campuses, hosting events designed to keep them connected to St. John’s and to each other. Susan also handles marketing, solicitation and cultivation efforts for The McCallen Society whose members have included the University in their will. She also focuses on the stewardship of all activities and initiatives pertaining to the Notre Dame College alumnae.

Susan, formerly an Associate Director with the Futures in Education Foundation/R.C. Diocese of Brooklyn, comes to St. John’s with more than 15 years of fundraising and marketing experience. She holds a B.S. in Marketing from St. John's.

Ethan MacMullen ’23CCPS
Gift Planning Coordinator, Gift Planning
[email protected]

Ethan manages the day-to-day administration and operations of the Office of Planned Giving’s marketing and stewardship efforts. He works closely with the Director of Gift Planning to seek and secure major and planned gifts for St. John’s University. He also serves as Gift Planning’s liaison with the University’s Finance, General Counsel, and Advancement Services units to manage trust and estate administration and related matters.

Prior to this position, Ethan was a paralegal at a law firm practicing family and estate law, where he researched, drafted, and filed complex pleadings within the courts. His responsibilities encompassed all aspects of client relations and client file management while he continually sought to build and maintain professional relationships with clients, judges, attorneys, investigators, and other members of the court system.

Ethan earned a B.S. in Public Relations, with a minor in English, from The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies in May 2023.