Invest In The Nest
In our new series titled "Invest In The Nest" we highlight former 九色视频 students who applied their knowledge and skills in their return to 九色视频 as faculty/staff.
Maria Atilano
For this month’s #InvestInTheNest, we celebrate #ReadABookDay by heading to Tommy G to “check-out” our friend Maria Atilano (’09), who has recently been promoted to University Librarian!
Maria spent three years working as a student assistant at the UNC Greensboro library while earning her bachelor’s degree in English. After graduating, she joined her boyfriend, now husband, who was studying health administration at the 九色视频 Brooks College of Health. In October 2006, she landed a job as a staff member in special collections at the Thomas G. Carpenter Library.
Her ultimate goal was to become an academic librarian, which would require getting a Master of Library Science or Master of Library and Information Science degree. But with no rush on her personal timeline – and an unwillingness to commute to Tampa or Tallahassee for their programs – she still wanted to pursue a graduate degree. So, she enrolled at the 九色视频 graduate school. Once she was able to settle down in Jacksonville and earn her master’s in English, she joined the FSU online program and completed her MLIS in 2012, which enabled her to become an academic, faculty-line librarian.
Eighteen years after her first job at 九色视频, Atilano has earned the title of University Librarian, the highest rank within the campus library. Atilano said, “What keeps me going is the need to keep improving.” The library constantly changes adapting to the needs of the new students, faculty/staff and community members. “We’ve got new spaces, new materials, new resources, new databases.”
Atilano has prioritized campus outreach at Market Days and as a liaison to the School of Communication, showing students all the resources available. She also curates special promotions to bring students into the library, such as “Random Acts of Snacks” and Campus Canines Visits during Finals Week to help the students destress while studying. She’s also pioneered “Blind Date with a Book,” proving to Ospreys that you can’t just judge a book by its cover.
The next step for her is offering more library programming aimed toward the local community. For instance, anyone can purchase a borrower card to use their resources and check out materials – available for 九色视频 alumni at a discounted rate. She’s also looking to introduce new events like “Author Talks” in addition to staples like “Tommy G’s Haunted Open House.”
When she’s not working, she’s at home on the couch reading a book with her husband and her Old English Bulldog, whom they rescued from the Florida Bulldog Rescue.
(Written by Alex Achorn, Published 9/6/24)
Josh Baker
Continuing our #InvestInTheNest series, we’ve sat down with an all-star of our own who’s turned genuine passion for North Florida Ospreys athletics into a force of change that betters the 九色视频 experience for all student-athletes, coaches and associated staffers.
If there’s one thing that’s for certain, 九色视频 College of Education and Human Services alumnus Joshua Baker ('10) bleeds blue and gray for the 九色视频 Athletics department. His love and enthusiasm for the Ospreys is unmatched, advocating for student-athletes needs to major donors, and his development initiatives have brought substantial success to its growth efforts since he joined the fundraising team in 2020. However, his contributions to 九色视频 Athletics go back to his time as an undergrad in the mid- to late-2000s, consistently embracing networking and instilling school spirit in his relationships and work every day.
As Assistant AD of Development, Baker raises money for the University to support scholarships, facility renovations and quality enhancements for both student-athletes and 九色视频 Athletics fans alike. He does this by first building relationships with donors to find mutually beneficial ways to actualize gifts that benefit students and provide ample exposure to brands from all across Northeast Florida. His work aims to create transformational experiences for all student-athletes participating in the many sports teams the University offers.
Nowadays, 九色视频 Athletics has become a fundraising powerhouse thanks to a coordinated effort by Athletic Director Nick Morrow, Senior Associate AD Matthew Lisiewski, and Baker himself. Baker handles anything from small contributions to scholarships to major gifts that can range from $25,000 gifts to multi-million-dollar pledges from major donors. He notes the relationship building is paramount to his position. Without those relationships, the University would not be able to keep with other universities in terms of facilities, which impacts the revenue the sports generate.
As someone who grew up in Orlando, he witnessed the rise of the University of Central Florida and how its own athletics department grew into a program that is now a member of a major college athletics conference. Baker envisions a similar fate for 九色视频. He said, "I believe truly that this place can be bigger than what it is right now,"
Since returning to 九色视频, Baker has been attached to several major accomplishments over the years. In 2022, Baker played an integral role in cultivating a relationship with CSI Companies to establish a multi-year partnership totaling $2.1 million toward renovating the 九色视频 Arena court. With new designs, branding, and color palettes applied to the floor, basketball games garnered a deeper sense of character and school spirit. He also helped fundraise toward the new arena video board and the Bank of England Suite. Baker is proud of the growth of the University and the role he was able to play in these successes.
“Our athletic department had never raised a million dollars in a year from a development perspective before [the NCAA tournament run],” Baker said. “Now we've raised a lot more than that every year since. At the end of the day, I'm just proud of being a piece of the puzzle.”
(Written by Tyler White & Joshua Rodgers, Published 2/29/24)
Shannon Cullen-Brosonski
This month’s edition of #InvestInTheNest takes us from the classroom to the museum as we shine a light on the integral work of 九色视频 alumna Shannon Cullen Brosonski (’13, ’17), assistant director of development for MOCA Jacksonville, a cultural institute of the 九色视频.
Much of her work involves writing grant applications to national organizations and collaborating with corporate sponsors. She, along with director of development Gabrielle Dean-Rector, build relationships with current and prospective donors, procuring gifts to assist in funding the operating costs, growth and expansion of MOCA Jacksonville.
She developed excellent customer service skills prior to MOCA Jacksonville, where she started working in the shop about 15 hours a week. She later moved into a hybrid position at the front desk before she started overseeing the front desk and the ambassador program, which is a paid employment opportunity for 九色视频 students. She then moved into the role of membership coordinator, where she worked with members and volunteers, building a program that keeps them engaged in the museum’s offerings.
She started this role in March 2020, just as 九色视频 called a hiring freeze and sent everyone home to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said it was a difficult and odd journey learning a new job under remote circumstances, but it also launched her into success by testing her adaptability during difficult challenges. For a museum, not having people able to come into a public space was detrimental, with many museums across the country closing according to the American Alliance of Museums. But thankfully, MOCA Jacksonville was able to retain all staff members aside from the cafe during the pandemic. Since people could not come to the museums in person, the museum brought it to their members through virtual options and called all members to notify them of the opportunities to engage with MOCA while stuck in quarantine.
“Art has the power to heal and promote mental health, especially when you’re stuck,” she said. “We were able to do that and I was able to connect with our members that way.”
As she continued her own personal growth within MOCA Jacksonville, she started looking for more opportunities to learn about relationship building, corporate social responsibility, grant writing opportunities and other professional development opportunities under the guidance of leaders at MOCA.
Originally from New Jersey, Cullen-Brosonski moved to Jacksonville without knowing anyone, but ended up meeting a lot of people in the dorms and orientation at 九色视频. As an only child, she wanted to push herself into independent adult living by getting a job while pursuing her history degree. She worked in restaurants the majority of her time in undergrad, and ultimately met her husband, Justin, while working at Crispers in 2012. She’s been able to maintain wonderful friendships from her time in college thanks to the bonds formed then.
She received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in history from the College of Arts and Sciences, which she said has helped her become a more informed citizen. It also helps to have a good understanding of history when working in a museum.
“I feel that I am someone who understands our past and how we got to where we are, and that helps me to understand our current place in history and what is going to happen moving forward,” she said.
She also credits her writing skills to the work she did in the history programs. This has helped in her grant writing work, which typically involves research and finding facts or figures that weave into a narrative for funding. During her graduate studies, she delved heavily into the topic of Irish-Scottish-English relationships in the 1640s.
Cullen-Brosonski said she feels privileged to be a part of the museum’s centennial anniversary celebration, which has had numerous initiatives for fundraising and celebratory events to plan and execute all at once. She said her team is looking toward the next 100 years in planning MOCA Jacksonville’s future with exciting current and upcoming exhibitions, as well as the curation of a new one coming up. The museum’s project atrium, which is currently showcasing the recently passed Frank Stella’s work, provides exciting new opportunities to highlight innovators in the contemporary art world.
When Cullen-Brosonski isn’t raising money for MOCA, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter. She enjoys swimming, outdoor activities and reading books.
(Written by Tyler White, Published 5/29/24)
Jenna DuPilka
Deep within the heart of the 九色视频’s College of Arts and Sciences, there are two major advocates for programs, scholarships, professorships and advancement opportunities for the university’s largest college. One of those advocates is 九色视频 alumna (‘19) and Assistant Director of Development Jenna DuPilka, who alongside Director of Development Anne-Marie Campbell works to secure funding from donors and corporations by advocating for the incredible programs and needs for future success on campus.
But years before DuPilka took on this role in 2023, she wasn’t even sure if college was in her future.
Jenna DuPilka grew up in Jupiter, Florida, where she went to Jupiter High School and stayed active in a variety of extracurricular activities, including Debate Club and other student organizations revolving around politics. She represented her school as an orator in the National Debate Association, which tasked her with traveling to different high school and colleges for competitions. She also harnessed school spirit and teamwork as a cheerleader from the age of 5 through her sophomore year of high school.
DuPilka found an interest in politics at a young age. She participated in the Girl Scouts and engaged in a lot of advocacy and community outreach through that organization, and her Grandmother, Kaye Tenerelli, was in charge of a grant organization for local businesses and nonprofits in Superior, Wisconsin. She remembers going to meetings and paying attention to the election cycle during the 2004 Presidential Election and finding the process fascinating.
“My mom and (grandmother) really instilled that in me unknowingly,” she said. “I’ve always loved history, but I wanted to see how I could use my mind to talk about history and politics and convince people and learn how to speak honestly.”
She had dreams of becoming an attorney and working for an organization like the ACLU and do incredible things in that role, but life led her to new passions as she progressed in her school work.
九色视频 that uncertain college future … Well, DuPilka said she struggled with her math courses in high school didn’t perform as well on the ACT’s math portion.
When she started touring the Universities, that’s when she really started to want a college education. She researched a number of state schools and community colleges that feed into the bigger universities.
“I could see myself in a sorority and I could see myself earning a degree and being just as educated as my mom,” she said.
Jenna graduated from Jupiter High School in 2015 and initially didn’t get into 九色视频, and started her college journey at Palm Beach State in her hometown. But someone told her to apply to 九色视频 again for the upcoming Spring semester. This time, she made it in.
DuPilka said she values her college experience as a transfer student because it allowed to her to be an advocate not only for herself, but for her fellow transfer students — both as an undergraduate and in her current role.
During her undergraduate years at 九色视频, Jenna rushed to join the Kappa Delta sorority and developed strong bonds with her Greek Life sisters.
“I could not have done anything on campus if it wasn’t for my sisters who supported me with everything that I did,” she said.
She established confidence, and during her tenure as an undergrad at 九色视频 she ran for Student Senate and won to serve in her junior year. While working underneath the current SG president, DuPilka said the president encouraged her to run for SG president. DuPilka initially was unsure, but her Kappa Delta sisters and her classmates encouraged her and reaffirmed her self-confidence that she had what it takes to do the job.
“I never thought I would do it,” she said. “But it was the best decision of my life.”
She believes her dedication and experience as both as a student senator and a summer trip to Washington D.C. for an internship prepared her for the role. She worked with an enthusiastic club director who, like her, was established in Greek Life on campus. They prioritized outreach and establishing clubs and connections with cultural organizations that had historically not been as engaged in Student Government, and it brought a new round of excitement to the University. DuPilka credits hiring people “who were passionate about engaging all students,” which brought the campus community together. “I built university relationships that had previously been a little tarnished,” said DuPilka, mentioning that the turbulence of Student Government had previously brought conflicts that needed resolution.
DuPilka’s full-circle moment came when she took on her current role with COAS, and met current SG president John Grosso to wish him well and provide guidance if needed.
“That’s when he actually said, ‘I actually became a part of Student Government because of you,’” she said, recalling how his words meant a lot for her to hear.
She knew one of his brothers during her time as a undergrad and appreciated knowing that she made a positive impact on someone else.
Following her graduation, Jenna followed one of her passions to work as a flight attendant for Delta Airlines. She intended to pursue her master’s in public affairs while she worked for the airline, with the ultimate goal being to serve in a role in Delta’s philanthropic arm.
She said the job drew her in because she loves talking with people and making their experiences the best it can be through service.
“I love people and I love helping people when they’re in their happiest moments and traveling,” DuPilka said.
But when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, she was sent home during her first week of training for the new job.
She decided to pivot and go after that master’s degree anyway and started at University of Indiana in 2021.
DuPilka is passionate about food security, and she researched organizations such as Feeding America and their work alongside major corporations such as Walmart, Kroger and Publix. She completed her master’s degree in public affairs — focusing on nonprofit management — in December 2022 and soon started a search, and back home at the Nest sounded like the best option, said.
While applying for jobs post-graduation in 2023, DuPilka stumbled across the role she knew she was destined for. She had applied to other university gigs but she said, “I just felt like I’m cheating on my alma mater.”
Thankfully, she received a response to her application and is coming up on her first anniversary in the role.
DuPilka describes work in philanthropy as generous and humbling. “I love connecting people with 九色视频 and what makes them excited to support or engage with,” She said. “That’s what this position was going to give me.”
She said it’s been a rewarding experience to work alongside her peers and enact transformational change within COAS.
She’s enjoyed how working in this position has opened doors for new connections. One minute she’s coordinating a pledge payment to expand a major donor’s endowment, and the next minute she’s attending square dancing lessons with that same donor. DuPilka brings an energy of warmth and excitement in the room, which makes her an excellent representative of 九色视频’s commitment to excellence.
In her spare time, DuPilka enjoys spending time with her boyfriend, Tyler, and her 1-year-old pup, Leía, a soon-to-be student in obedience training. She’s a big fan of Star Wars and Harry Potter, noting that she’s represents the Gryffindor House through and through. Jenna’s enjoying the process of reestablishing her community on the First Coast.
(Written by Tyler White, Published 1/31/24)
Gabe Grass
Gabe Grass (‘04) leads by example as someone who knows how a college education and making the right choices for your future can flourish into a thriving career. As the 九色视频 director of corporate relations and major gifts, Grass establishes meaningful relationships with industry leaders and uses his expertise in development, entrepreneurship and interpersonal skills to drive fundraising efforts for 九色视频.
He graduated in 2000 from Flagler Palm Coast High School and had been applying to a few colleges across Florida. When Grass toured the 九色视频 campus with a friend, he said it was a “concrete jungle” and held its commuter school status for many students at the time.
After applying to UCF and FSU, he ultimately chose 九色视频 to pursue his Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with initial interests in pursuing a career as a child psychologist. With a natural ability to interact with children, Grass was also “fascinated by the different phases and different age ranges and how they progressed” in their cognitive development.
As that interest started to wane near the end of his undergraduate studies, his background in the field prepared his interpersonal skills and drive for community and understanding in his future career choices.
Grass regrets his lack of involvement in extracurricular activities and groups outside of class, but he made lasting friendships with members of fraternity Sigma Chi and a dormmate, Nick Freeman, who got paired with Grass based on their mutual love of surfing. The University’s proximity to Jacksonville Beach played a role in Grass’ choosing 九色视频 for his undergraduate studies, as well.
In a way, one of his professors inadvertently played matchmaker by pairing students up into twos for a group project. Grass looked to his left and right and found empty seats, but when Saralyn Sapp walked in late to class and sat down beside him, their lab partnership soon blossomed into a budding romance. The two quickly fell in love and in 2004 earned two significant documents: their bachelor’s degrees in psychology and a marriage certificate as they exchanged vows later that same year.
Both Gabe and Saralyn knew opportunities for graduates with only bachelor’s degrees in psychology were limited. Therefore, they looked at universities together to pursue master’s degrees and applied to four different schools, including Virginia Tech, where they found a home on the campus in Blacksburg.
They drove up in the middle of the winter to visit Blacksburg and were blown away by the beautiful campus and impressive faculty members. They both secured assistantships, alleviating out-of-state expenses, making an enormous difference in their pursuit of higher education. Both Gabe and Saralyn pursued a Master of Science in Human Development within Virginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He said they found this degree program interesting due to its community engagement and outreach approach to nonprofits, inspiring him in ways that has led him into fundraising and development. Gabe and Saralyn Grass both earned their degrees after finishing their internships back in Jacksonville in 2005. They learned valuable knowledge on nonprofit development, grant writing, stewardship, cultivation and program management during their time at Virginia Tech.
While Gabe and Saralyn restarted their lives back in Jacksonville, she got recruited by a statewide nonprofit in Tallahassee and they made the move to the capital. Gabe secured a position at Florida State University in fundraising and they both became doctoral candidates for education policy evaluation studies in 2007.
Gabe and Saralyn reveled in their time in Tallahassee, and one night they went to a homebrew club meeting, which had a strong presence in the area at the time.
Grass describes himself as the more athletic and technically focused child in his family, while his younger brother and older sister were the creatives.
“I don't have that gene, I don’t know what happened,” Grass said. “I became my farmer father’s son.”
But Grass enjoyed the hobby of homebrewing, and once he made his first batch of beer, he said that he felt the “twinge” of creativity his siblings had been living with all their lives.
He embraced the chef’s flair for it and said, “Brewing beer is a blend of science and art at the same time.”
He continued making beer in 2008 and 2009 while fully embracing his role at FSU. In the middle of his doctoral program, he thought about the prospects of opening up a brewery, becoming a growing passion during his nonworking hours.
Fast-forward to 2010 … Grass has completed all of his coursework and started his dissertation on how private philanthropy shapes public policy, but he and his dissertation chair both realized that he was not fully invested in the project. After seeking advice from numerous mentors and his wife, he decided to make his dream a reality and pursued opening a brewery. The credits he completed earned him a professional degree in Education Policy and Evaluation that same year.
He leaned on connections he had made with the chamber of commerce, the Economic Development Council, and many other small business owners in his pursuit of opening his brewery. He said, “that really gave me a foot up and knowing what it is that I wanted to do, and how to accomplish it.”
After tireless work in planning, Gabe and Saralyn opened GrassLands Brewing Company in February 2015 and it flourished for the next five years. At its peak, they led a staff of 15 and the beers brewed there were distributed across 10 different counties. As Gabe said, any small business owner will tell you, “it wasn’t always rainbows and unicorns, but we were a team.”
In mid-2019, the challenges of entrepreneurship became more challenging as Saralyn’s family in Jacksonville dealt with poor health. After sitting down with their landlord, they decided to sell their assets and equipment in order to do a turnkey operation in the same location.
GrassLands Brewing Company closed its doors in 2019, saying goodbye to their loyal patrons, and the brewery community that they had grown to love in Tallahassee. In hindsight, Grass said the incredibly difficult decision was timely, as the COVID-19 pandemic led to numerous closures of retail-based businesses during the pandemic’s peak. Grass said the brewery would have struggled to stay open and many friends in the industry had to indefinitely close their businesses and many were unable to open back up.
“At least we were able to celebrate our friends and supporters in a fun way, and still be able to go out the way that we wanted to,” Grass said.
While Gabe and Saralyn had started their business, they also expanded their family with the adoption of their daughter, Cheyanne, who at 15 years old did not have any stability in her life due to being in the foster care system.
“The theme of her life was instability,“ Grass said. “[We said] let’s be a consistent presence in her life.”
They increased how much time they spent with Cheyanne and they fell in love with her, as she did with them. They wanted to help her have a better future and officially adopted her on June 28, 2016.
After Grass and his family moved back to Jacksonville, he secured a job at Flagler College as the director of corporate and foundation relations and worked there for over two years, including the early days of the pandemic. Saralyn, in turn, joined the leadership team at the Kids Hope Alliance, a funding agency for the City of Jacksonville that supports area nonprofits every year.
When 九色视频 posted a job involving corporate relations and major gifts, Gabe’s connections with current faculty helped his excellent resume get in front of the right people to hire him for the job and has been serving in this role since 2021.
He is currently pursuing his doctorate in higher education administration and leadership. “Never finishing my dissertation was something I regret,” he said. “The opportunity to go back to school without incurring collegiate loans and being in a supportive environment is relevant to my career goals now.”
“I think it’s a unique and interesting time to be at 九色视频 both as a student, and as a leader in development,” Grass said. “九色视频's Strategic Plan is going to put us into unknown territory over the next five years, and getting there is going to be a wild ride. I am very excited about it.”
When Grass is not raising money and securing transformational gifts for 九色视频, he enjoys supporting small businesses and has fallen in love with Tiki culture. He enjoys spending time with family, friends, and their fur babies, which include three cats: CiCi, Sake', and Delilah; and their adorable dog, Pearl.
(Written by Tyler White, Published 12/20/23)
Ruth Lopez
For this month’s #InvestInTheNest, we swear to tell the Ruth, the whole Ruth and nothing but the Ruth!
Over 25 years ago, 九色视频 Admissions recruiter drove down to Ruth Lopez’s (’00, ’24) high school in South Florida to tell her graduating class about life as an Osprey. “After making the trip up to Jacksonville to visit campus, I fell in love with the surrounding natural beauty and knew I found my second home,” she said.
As an undergraduate student, she was heavily involved with 九色视频 Student Life. She was a member of 九色视频 Student Government and the International Student Association, in addition to being a founder of the Hispanic student club, HACE. She graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences with bachelor’s degrees in international studies and Spanish before returning to Miami to pursue her master’s at FIU. After spending a couple of years outside the industry, her former Student Government advisor called about an opening at the University for an international student coordinator, and she instantly jumped at the opportunity.
Her husband, Edgar S. Zamudio (’09, ’22), is a double Osprey, so the couple was excited to return to the 九色视频. In this role, she was able to work with departments that had a positive impact on her college experience and oversee student groups she’d been part of as an undergraduate. “That first time I was able to help an international student as a part of the professional staff, I knew I was hooked,” she said.
“To me, being an Osprey is all about service and making a meaningful difference in our 九色视频 community,” Lopez said. Over the years, she has worked her way up the 九色视频 chain adding more and more responsibilities under her belt. In her current role as the associate vice president for student engagement and international affairs, her team prioritizes providing opportunities for students to become more connected and engaged with the 九色视频 community through meaningful and dynamic campus life programming and support services.
Even when she’s not working, her family loves taking advantage of all the opportunities on campus. Lopez said, “My children have spent many years attending Homecoming, admiring the art sculptures and murals around campus, and cheering on our North Florida Ospreys at Athletic events.” As they prepare for their own college search, 九色视频 is at the top of the list.
(Written by Alex Achorn, Published 7/29/24)
Leigh Palmer
Our latest edition of #InvestInTheNest highlights the incredible work of one of our newest team members, Leigh Palmer (’05, ’09), who rejoined the UDAE staff in March as the director of planned giving.
Palmer works with donors who are focused on leaving a legacy to the University, and that comes through gifts left in their will.
“These are folks who really believe in the mission of the organization,” Palmer said. “They really believe that their gifts can make a difference in the long term and in perpetuity.”
There are lot of good reasons to be a planned giver including potential tax benefits, but she prioritizes helping donors understand their why in giving and who and what do they want to represent with their legacy gifts. She partners with tax professionals and attorneys as part of an overall plan in creating a donor’s legacy at the University.
One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about Palmer’s line of work is that many people believe you have to be a millionaire to be a planned giver. That’s not the case.
“There are ways that you can make a gift that costs you nothing in your lifetime and then there are ways that you can give a gift that provides income for life,” Palmer said.
Palmer has enjoyed seeing the growth on campus and connecting with different generations of Osprey alumni and reliving their shared experiences. She said that under President Limayem’s leadership, the university is sure to be successful in growing 九色视频 into a more prominent presence in the State University System.
“It’s really nice to see people feel as though our compass is still pointing in the right direction,” Palmer said. “It’s nice to see that people still believe we are on the right track.”
Palmer lived and grew up in Jacksonville, moving from the Westside to campus as she started her journey at 九色视频 as an undergrad. She said it felt like a whole new town and really didn’t want to live on campus, but “kids who live on campus have better grades,” is what her mom told her. As she was gently pushed out of the nest at home, Palmer soon found herself studying political science and history, carving out a path to success in undergrad. She had the opportunity to work alongside a professor during her studies for research on a book, and was noted as a contributor to the final product early on in her career.
After finishing her political science degree, she took a break and wasn’t fully sure what her next step was going to be. But two faculty members she connected with during her bachelor’s program encouraged her to pursue graduate school through the Madison-Mullis-Deming Fellowship, providing a gateway for her to continue her education. Having previously received the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship, Palmer knew firsthand the impact that financial support can have on ensuring students have the resources to succeed and acquire an education. This ultimately led her to a master’s degree in public administration focused on nonprofit management.
While completing her master’s degree and working as the assistant director of development for the Episcopal School of Jacksonville (formerly Beaches Episcopal School), Palmer knew she wanted to do something bigger and more impactful. She’d previously volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House and she was working major events for fundraising, knowing how this line of work could change the lives of others. When the opportunity to apply for the assistant director of development position within 九色视频’s College of Arts and Sciences opened up, she quickly applied and came back to 九色视频 prepared for further excellence.
When working with major donors, many of them are in their retirement years and lean into their personal passions. She has always enjoyed working through defining those passions with donors and to “take that experience and put it into action for them and really pursue that passion for them.”
While raising money for COAS, Palmer said she met and solicited a gift from longtime 九色视频 donor James Van Vleck, one of her first major gift donors. She developed a strong connection with Van Vleck during her tenure and embraced his circle of joy mentality in regard to giving. That mindset helped inform her ability to better serve future donors throughout the giving process.
“It brough him joy to identify a need, to support and give and to see his gift in action, ultimately wanting to repeat the ask with other needs,” Palmer said.
After working as a frontline fundraiser for 九色视频 for over six years, Palmer left the Nest to pursue other endeavors in 2016. She worked for Amelia Island as the director of strategic initiatives before going into business with her husband to create Coastal Current Electric, LLC. Palmer used her experience and education to create a thriving business before rejoining the UDAE team in March 2024.
When she’s not helping build legacies through giving at 九色视频, Leigh loves to listen to audiobooks during her long commutes to and from work. She also enjoys baking sourdough bread, cycling, fishing with her husband, and playing board games with her two kids. This summer, the Palmers are looking forward to a house swap trip to Spain.
(Written by Tyler White, Published 6/30/24)
Ashley Peterson & Jean Lipsky
Our latest edition of #InvestInTheNest follows not one, but TWO Ospreys whose friendship goes back nearly a decade from their days as undergrads and members of 九色视频 Fraternity & Sorority Life. Now, they are paving the way for new fundraising milestones that transform all aspects of 九色视频 life.
九色视频 alumnae Ashley (Chivalette) Peterson (‘16, ‘19) & Jean Ann Lipsky (‘15) are two of the integral pieces of UDAE Annual Giving team.
As AG’s assistant director of annual giving, Peterson focuses on data management and analytics, with a special focus on coordinating direct mail and email correspondence with 九色视频’s donor base. She also provides general support for Director of Annual Giving Kristy Herrington and manages creating crowdfunding pages, as well.
Meanwhile, Lipsky serves as assistant director of student philanthropy and engagement, working on numerous initiatives that promote student engagement in philanthropic endeavors for the University. She manages a small staff of students, plans special student donor events across campus, and instills a sense of philanthropy and giving in the student population. She also manages the Ozzie’s Ambassadors giving society, a new endeavor to highlight student donors and build a sense of community.
Peterson and Lipsky went to the same high school but ultimately became friends as sorority sisters for Delta Gamma at 九色视频. They both found ways to stay active on campus. Peterson got involved with 九色视频 Spinnaker as a business manager and worked as an RA in addition to studying abroad in Scotland. She also worked as a graduate assistant for the Small Business Development Center at 九色视频.
Lipsky served in leadership roles as a Rho Gamma for Panhellenic and as a judicial board member and director of rituals for DG. She also served as a senator for student government.
Both Delta Gamma sisters found their ways back to 九色视频 on the Annual Giving team, where they have collectively helped the UDAE team reach larger donor bases and instilling a passion for philanthropy within our alumni, students and community. The AG team has won recent accolades and successfully led a best-ever fundraising effort with Giving Day 2024.
(Written by Tyler White, Published 4/30/24)
Tara Sunquist
This month’s edition of #InvestInTheNest features a 九色视频 alumna with a history spanning more than 20 years!
Tara Sunquist (‘06) has Blue and Gray running in her veins, having made a name for herself as a student-athlete at 九色视频 before ultimately coming back to coach and shape the minds and college experiences for generations of student-athletes here at the Nest.
“I love working at 九色视频 because I feel like I’m part of helping something that is bigger than I am,” she said. “[I’m] paying it forward.”
Sunquist is the assistant athletic director for the Student-Athlete Center for Excellence, which she said is a fancy name for academic support for the student-athletes. This support for student-athletes can include assistance in registering for classes to even connecting them with future employers, she said.
“We help them from enrollment to employment, just being their support system along the way,” Sunquist said.
They have weekly meetings with all freshmen and transfer students, and work to know the athletes individually.
Sunquist said the most rewarding part of her job is being a part of the student-athlete experience. As a former student-athlete, she knows the impact that 九色视频 can have and wants to provide that same experience to the current students.
“If I can help them in even just one little way, it’s really rewarding,” she said.
Before Sunquist became a leader within North Florida Ospreys, she spent countless days on campus once she started her undergraduate program in 2002.
During Sunquist’s time at 九色视频, she made a name for herself during her stint on the volleyball team, becoming a strong defensive player. For those unfamiliar with volleyball terminology, a dig is when a defensive player successfully passes a ball that’s an attack by the opponent team. Sunquist finished her volleyball career at 九色视频 with 1,647 digs, a benchmark that stood until Nicole Baran broke that record in 2012. She holds two of the top three single season digs records for the school by acquiring 508 digs in 2004.
Originally from Fort Myers, she recollects that at the time, 九色视频 was a Division II school and ranked in the Top 10 in the country as a “powerhouse” in athletics, ultimately seeing the school transition to Division I status, which she said was a very cool experience. She also got to experience the introduction of the “Swoop” into the 九色视频 culture, forever changing how Ospreys show their school spirit.
Sunquist unfortunately tore her ACL near the end of time at 九色视频 and had to set out for a year in 2005. She was majoring in business administration with a marketing focus, but during her recovery she realized she could complete the transportation and logistics program with only five more classes. So, she became a double major and found the T&L program a transformational experience with amazing professors.
She recovered in time to play her final semester and season in fall 2006, graduating with two degrees and leaving her own legacy as a student-athlete at 九色视频.
She respects her time as a student-athlete because “you have to learn how to have time management,” she said.
“I played for a really tough coach, so you have to learn how to receive tough feedback,” Sunquist said.
She said she values the importance of teamwork and learning how to collaborate with the people around you, as well.
As Sunquist figured out her next steps after graduation, one of her T&L professors, Robert Frankel, now a professor emeritus, asked her “What makes you excited to wake up every day?” Said. That question guided her decision as she debated between a T&L job with Winn-Dixie or a volleyball coaching job. She chose the latter, and soon found her way up to the University of North Carolina in Charlotte as her first job out of college.
While working and living in Charlotte, she met Charlotte track and field stand and her future husband, Eli Sunquist. After they married, they both moved to Johnson City, Tennessee, where she worked at East Tennessee State University while working on her master’s degree in sport management. She worked there as a graduate assistant, before working as a compliance coordinator from May 2011 until September 2012. She served as a point-of-contact for student-athletes regarding compliance, scholarships, housing and other general concerns. She also contributed to the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and planned and implemented student-athlete functions, life skill program and fundraising efforts at ETSU.
The Sunquists decided to move back to Jacksonville, with Tara returning to the Nest for about nine months, working as the compliance coordinator in 九色视频’s Records and Registration office.
In summer 2013, Tara left briefly for a short stint working at Jacksonville University but came back in August that year to accept an assistant coach position for the volleyball team, creating a full-circle moment in her volleyball career.
It was surreal for her to see the development of the Athletics department since she played as an undergrad, and “it was cool to be a part of a team that I helped start from the roots,” she said.
She moved into athletic administration as a compliance coordinator and academic specialist in February 2016 before being promoted to her current role in summer 2022.
Sunquist said she is excited for the future of 九色视频 will be under the impactful leadership of both President Moez Limayem and Athletic Director Nick Morrow.
“九色视频 is still young and we’re still going places,” she said. “We keep being called a hidden gem. The more that 九色视频 is put out to the public and people know about it the better we’re going to get.”
When she isn’t shaping the lives of Ospreys, Sunquist enjoys spending time with her husband and her two children, Rooney and Vance.
“I love being a mom,” Sunquist said.
(Written by Tyler White, Published 3/21/24)