Young alumni join board of trustees

As part of the new effort to attract early-career professionals to the board of trustees, UD welcomes two recent alumni as trustees.

Khristian Santiago ’16 is a global business strategy lead at Google in San Francisco. Santiago has served as chair of the Day10 Young Alumni committee and as a member of the UD Alumni Association board. Lyric Fields ’18 is a relationship banker for Bank of America in Columbus, Ohio. Fields completed a student internship with UD advancement that led to the establishment of the University’s student philanthropy council.

Recent alumni trustees, who are three to eight years post-graduation, will serve one term and will have a record of engagement with UD volunteer and philanthropy initiatives as students and continued involvement with UD after graduation.

“The board’s committee on trustees was very thoughtful and intentional in creating the new category of recent alumni trustees, which will allow the board to better reflect our entire alumni community and provide important insights about the current UD student experience,” said President Eric F. Spina.

“The board’s committee on trustees was very thoughtful and intentional in creating the new category of recent alumni trustees, which will allow the board to better reflect our entire alumni community and provide important insights about the current UD student experience.”

On July 1, three other Flyers began three-year terms. Tom Barker ’76 is a retired CEO and chairman of the board of West Corp. in Omaha, Nebraska. Jen Weed ’95 is vice president of education at CCIM Institute, the professional certification and educational resource for commercial and investment real estate. Weed is the incoming president of the UD Alumni Association board. Ray Blakeney ’93, who has served as an ex-officio trustee by nature of his former role as president of the UD Alumni Association, was elected to the board for a new term. With these new appointments, the 2021-22 board has 38 members, including ex-officio trustees.

“UD has an incredibly talented and committed board of trustees,” said board chairperson Mary Boosalis. “Each of these new trustees will bring a diverse set of skills and experiences to the table, and I know the board and the University will benefit greatly as a result of their addition.”

Boosalis will finish her three-year term as chair next year and complete her 12-year presence on the board June 30, 2022. Rick Omlor ’79 began a one-year role as chairperson-elect July 1 to prepare for a three-year term as chairperson beginning July 1, 2022. Omlor is a retired president and CEO of YSI Inc. who has served on the board since 2011.

Said Omlor, “Together we will continue guiding the University into the future while sustaining UD’s uniquely rich Catholic and Marianist mission.”