At our last Alumnae Association meeting in May, we asked for volunteers to serve as officers for the Association moving forward. Four incredible women stepped forward to fill the following positions:
President – Maggie Ewen ’07
Vice President – Kathy Wright Walden ’73
Treasurer – Rebecca Orlich ’10
Secretary – Kristin Gillen ’00
All women have been involved at OLMA and with the Alumnae Association. I thought you might be interested in their backgrounds:
President – Maggie Ewen ’07
I have been a member of the Alumnae Association since its inception, and my goal is for it to continue to flourish so that we alumnae may maintain our ties to Mercy for years to come. As a program manager in my professional career, I have the organizational and leadership skills to be successful in this position.
Vice President – Kathy Wright Walden ’73
The position requires organization, coordination, and the ability to motivate people. I have been involved in Business Networking Chapters for years and have held all of the Leadership roles. I’ve also been part of all of those chapters’ efforts to expand their membership. I am a successful business owner—and most importantly, I want this Association to succeed!
Treasurer Rebecca Orlich ’10
As a CPA and Financial Literacy Specialist, I have the necessary skill set to assist the Alumnae Association as Treasurer with their ongoing efforts. Not only did I spend the first two years of my career auditing not-for-profit organizations and am familiar with their financials, but I have spent the last five years consulting for private and public companies with $500M+ in revenues and working with individuals to improve their financial sustainability. A vital part of this work has been performing ROI analyses and implementing processes for effective decision-making. While my finance skills are beneficial, I’d additionally make a great Treasurer due to my recent work with OLMA. Since 2021, I have brought various financial education opportunities to Mercy’s current and past students through Career Day presentations, Wellness workshops, and an Alumnae webinar. My message on the importance of financial wellness for women would be similar to the mindset I would take to ensure the Alumnae Association is in a good position to continue making a lasting impact. Mercy made me who I am today, and being able to give back over the last four years has been a blessing. I plan to continue through this role within the Alumnae Association.
Secretary – Kristin Gillen ’00
Kristin Gillen (’00) currently lives in Charlottesville, VA. She is a Program Manager with enCircle, an agency dedicated to caring for individuals with Intellectual Disability and Children, where she manages 12 adult care homes. After graduation from OLMA, she received a BA in Psychology from James Madison University and an MA in Counseling from Eastern Mennonite University. She continues volunteering and fundraising for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (a love started at Mercy). Kristin is Mom to Landon, 8, through foster adoption. She looks forward to working with this strong group of dedicated, passionate women to move the Circle of Mercy forward in our new circumstances.
Since we do not have others who volunteered, there is no need for an election.
Our next meeting is Tuesday, June 18, at 7:00 PM. It will be both in-person and virtual. A link will be sent out on Tuesday morning, June 18.
Warm regards,
Pat