The university hired new directors for Marketing and Communication, Information Technology (IT) and Alumni Engagement, according to an Oct. 25 President’s Memo from Marywood President Sr. Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D.

The university hired Hyatt-Fennell, a company that specializes in finding job candidates, to help fill the positions in Marketing and Communication and IT. Search committees of faculty, staff, alumni, students and more also played a role in the search. Additionally, the Marywood community participated in open forums with the final candidates.

According to the memo, Cara Bell Green began as Director of Alumni Engagement on Oct. 21. Green formerly served as the Assistant Director of Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator at Penn State.

James M. Brown will have six preliminary days on campus in November before officially starting as Director of Marketing and Communication on Dec. 4. Brown formerly worked as the Marketing Practice Lead at the strategic marketing and sales strategy consulting firm GLP Partners, LLC.

Thomas E. Steffes will also begin as Director of IT on Dec. 4. Steffes formerly served as the CIO at Earlham College.

These positions were formerly Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communication, but the titles changed to comply with a recommendation from the Strategic Resource Allocation (SRA) report that suggested the university was “top-heavy” with administrators, according to Persico.

Anthony Spinillo and Peter Kilcullen, respectively, held these positions before resigning last summer. Spinillo declined comment on his resignation, and Kilcullen could not be reached for comment.

Ann Williams, who held the position of Director of Alumni Engagement, confirmed her resignation, but declined further comment.

Questions arose regarding the circumstances of these resignations through public social media comments and an anonymous letter sent to The Wood Word last summer. Two sources also went on the record questioning the resignation of Spinillo.

Persico said all three resigned for “personal reasons.” Vice President of Business Affairs Tammy McHale said Spinillo’s resignation was a “mutual decision” and that he was not fired.

In the memo, Persico encouraged the community to give the new directors a “warm Marywood welcome.”

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