Past Events

AMANDA MCKENDREE

Arthur F. and Mary J. O'Neil Director of the Fanning Center for Business Communication, Associate Teaching Professor

Dr. Amanda G. McKendree teaches business communication, strategic communication, and corporate communication at the University of Notre Dame, where she is an Associate Teaching Professor of Management in the Fanning Center for Business Communication. She also holds the Arthur F. and Mary J. O’Neil Directorship at the Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Communication in the Mendoza College of Business. Professor McKendree's research examines crisis communication, conflict communication, and the influence of rhetoric on organizational identity. She is published in the SAGE Encyclopedia of Identity, Business Communication Quarterly, Teaching Ideas for the Basic Communication Course, Journal of the Association for Communication Administration, and Review of Communication. She is a coauthor of Conflict Between Persons: The Origins of Leadership (Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 2nd ed., 2018).

She is a member of the Arthur Page Society, Management Communication Association, National Communication Association, Eastern Communication Association, and Pennsylvania Communication Association. She currently serves as the 1st Vice President of the Eastern Communication Association. She is a past Chair of the Communication Ethics Division of the National Communication Association and a past President of the Pennsylvania Communication Association. She is also a member of the executive committee for the Midwest Regional Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Consortium. She is the recipient of the 2018 Carroll Arnold Distinguished Service Award from the Pennsylvania Communication Association and the 2019 Faculty Service Award from the Department of Management & Organization, Mendoza College of Business.

She received her BA in Global Policy Studies from Chatham University and MPA in Nonprofit/Public Management from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. She was awarded a one-year fellowship in public affairs at the Coro Center for Civic Leadership and Carnegie Mellon University, and earned her Ph.D. in Rhetoric at Duquesne University.

When not serving her students and the discipline, she dedicates her time to Strikeout PSP, an awareness and fundraising initiative for progressive supranuclear palsy, a degenerative brain disease. Based in southwestern Pennsylvania, Strikeout PSP was founded by Amanda in 2017.

SHELLI ALEXANDER

Regional President of the Bank’s Central Region at 1st Source Bank

Shelli Alexander, SVP, is the Regional President of the Bank’s Central Region at 1st Source Bank. The Central Region encompasses St. Joseph County, southwestern Michigan and Kalamazoo. Shelli holds a BS in Accounting and Business Administration from Indiana University, South Bend and an EMBA from Notre Dame. She has attended the Indiana Banker’s Leadership Program, serves on the Board of The South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce, has previously been active with the South Bend Rotary Club, Indiana University South Bend Alumni Association Board, River Bend Cancer Board, and is a graduate of the Leadership South Bend/Mishawaka program.

CT MOBLEY

Division Vice President, Diverse Business Market

CT Mobley is a part of the Small Business Services (SBS) Sales team as Division Vice President, Diverse Business Markets. CT’s background includes over 20 years of executive experience leading cross-functional leadership teams, indirect and direct sales teams, strategic planning and execution in diverse markets. He joins us from the Better Business Resource Group, a boutique sales consulting and marketing firm, where he was Executive Director with a client roster that included T-Mobile and Verizon. In this role he built a new division while significantly contributing to the company’s top-line growth and expanding their client base. In 2020, CT began a financial literacy program, specifically targeting the Black and LatinX communities, inspired by the challenges that many began to face as the nation went deeper into the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program has been able to assign over $13 million in cash accumulation vehicles, life insurance and future income assets to people in the target communities and within the networks’ scope through group and one-on-one video meetings. At ADP he is responsible for the go-to-market strategy and execution for diverse channel growth and will lead the formation of alliances and partnerships with clients who represent URG, differently abled, veteran, LGBTQ+ and women-owned businesses. This new area of business is critical to the evolution of how we connect our clients, prospects and diverse communities to ADP’s product offerings and expertise.

BECKY BECKMAN

Principal and Director of Marketing at Gibson

Becky is a Principal and Director of Marketing at Gibson. She is responsible for all aspects of marketing, advertising, public relations, social media, event planning, corporate philanthropy, and branding. Relationship marketing and networking is her passion.

Prior to joining Gibson in 2018, she was the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Kelly Cares Foundation. Through this experience she honed her skills around community impact and the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility. Prior to Kelly Cares, Beckman was Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Retail Products at Carbon’s Golden Malted, a global food distributor. She has spent much of her career in branding, event planning, business development, sales, communications, and fundraising.

BETHANY HARTLEY

PRESIDENT AND CEO FOR FOR THE SOUTH BEND- ELKHART REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP

Bethany Hartley currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer at the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership, a collaboration of economic development partners in the South Bend - Elkhart Region, which encompasses 47 communities in northern Indiana and southwest Michigan. The organization serves as a single point of contact for regional communication and seeks to advance economic opportunities for all partner members through collaborative promotion, marketing, and capacity building efforts.

Bethany has over a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, primarily focused on economic development and entrepreneurship. Bethany joined the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership in 2018, first as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion, and was promoted to Chief Strategy Officer in 2020. Prior to the Regional Partnership, Bethany held leadership positions with RISE | Regional Innovation and Startup Education, Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County, Family and Children’s Center, and the Women’s Business Development Center in Chicago.

She has led a wide range of projects and initiatives including digital system transformations, organizational restructuring, large event management, and marketing and communications strategy. She has a BA from Loyola University Chicago and certificates from Notre Dame, Babson College and Catalyst Inc.

JACK O'LEARY

CEO at JIFFI

Jack is a Senior from Stuart, Florida studying International Economics with Spanish and a minor in Data Science. Jack started as an Associate in the Credit Division his freshman year and has since worked as a Data Analytics project leader, and CPO overseeing JIFFI's loan and savings service offerings. Currently, he works as CEO of the organization managing JIFFI's staff of 50 student volunteers. Outside of JIFFI, Jack is a member of the St. Edward's Hall community and is writing a senior thesis in Economics.

GIA KVARATSKHELIA

HEAD COACH, UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FENCING

Guiorgie “Gia” Kvaratskhelia (GEE-uh KVA-ra-SKELL-ee-uh) became the seventh head coach in Notre Dame fencing history in 2014. Kvaratskhelia is a foil specialist, and is quickly building his legacy as one of the nation’s top collegiate coaches after leading the Irish to five national championships in 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023 and earning national coach of the year honors by the United States Fencing Coaching Association in 2018. Prior to joining the Notre Dame coaching staff, Kvaratskhelia spent 10 years as coach of the Kanza Fencing Club in Salina, Kansas. In that time, Kvaratskhelia transformed Kanza from a small recreational club into one of the nation’s top foil centers.

Kvaratskhelia — who became a U.S. citizen in 2004 — immigrated to the United States in 1994 from the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Noted for his tremendous communication skills, Kvaratskhelia is fluent in Georgian, English and Russian. He received his bachelor’s degree in physical education and sport in 1993 from the Georgian State Physical Training Institute in his hometown of Tbilisi. He also earned a sports journalism certificate from that institution (’92) and pursued graduate studies in journalism at Tbilisi State University in 1993 prior to coming to the United States.

Kvaratskhelia and his wife, Dani Edson, have one daughter, Maya, and one son, Alexander.

CHRISTINA KAMINSKI

Managing Director at KPMG

Christina is a Managing Director at KPMG that provides both audit and assurance services for real estate and gaming companies, as well as advisory services related to ESG. Christina is a licensed CPA and earned her BBA and MS in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame. She also serves on the Advisory Board for the Notre Dame Accounting department. Christina has an Executive Certificate in Advancing Sustainability from NYU and regularly speaks with organizations on how to define and implement ESG strategies in their organizations, with a focus on preparing for the SEC’s proposed climate disclosure rule. She resides in Chicago with her husband and two young daughters.

Zoe Thompson

Principal at KPMG

Zoe Thompson is a Principal in the Transformation Delivery practice at KPMG. She has more than 25 years of consulting experience working in a broad range of change management, operational, and organizational performance areas, including workforce improvement, corporate culture, and competency assurance. She leads the social strategy for KPMG IMPACT, the firm’s holistic Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) solution for purpose-led, sustainable business and co-leads the US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practice. Zoe holds a BA in Economics and Religion from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She sits on the board of Holt International, a global humanitarian organization that provides services for vulnerable families and children.

Anthony Phillips II

Deputy Chief and Executive Director of External Equity in the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Opportunity at the State of Indiana

Anthony Phillips II is the Deputy Chief & Executive Director of External Equity for the State of Indiana. He spent his career in the data and analytics industry before receiving his MBA from University of Indianapolis. Prior to joining the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Opportunity, Anthony worked for KIPP Indy as the Director of Data and Instruction. He was a facilitating member of the KIPP Indy Equity Working Group, leading small group discussions designed to uncover unconscious bias and center the role of KIPP Indy in combatting systemic inequities and discrimination for the sake of its students, most of whom are BIPOC. Anthony also moonlights as an Adjunct Professor in the UIndy Evening MBA program.

Harold Swanagan

Director of Basketball Operations for Athletics at Notre Dame

Harold Swanagan is the Director of Basketball Operations for Athletics at Notre Dame. As director of basketball operations, Harold plays an integral role in the overall day-to-day operations of the Irish basketball program. Swanagan also serves as the director of the Notre Dame basketball summer camps. He works closely with Notre Dame’s marketing department and student welfare and development office in coordinating the team’s community service efforts. Previously, Harold served as the athletic department’s coordinator of student welfare and development from 2005-09. Harold earned his BA in sociology from Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters and received a M.A. in education from Indiana University-South Bend in May 2009.

JP Abercrumbie

Executive Associate Athletics Director for Culture and Engagement at Notre Dame

JP Abercrumbie is Notre Dame’s Executive Associate Athletics Director for Culture and Engagement. She joins the Irish after spending the past three years at Rice University. In her role at Notre Dame, JP stewards a culture of inclusive excellence in Notre Dame Athletics through leading the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The role will include active engagement and relationship building with student-athletes, staff, coaches, campus and industry colleagues, the local community and alumni. Prior to Notre Dame, JP served in a number of roles at Rice including her most recent as the Associate Athletic Director for SOAR/Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. She graduated from Temple University with a BA in linguistic anthropology, from the University of California, Berkeley, a MA and completed several certificate programs from the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University and from Rice University.

Bethany Hartley

Chief Strategy Officer for the South Bend- Elkhart Regional Partnership

Bethany Hartley is the Chief Strategy Officer for the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership. She has over a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, primarily focused on economic development and entrepreneurship. Prior to this role, Bethany held management positions with RISE (Regional Innovation and Startup Education), Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County, Family and Children’s Center, and the Women’s Business Development Center. She has led a wide range of projects and initiatives including digital system transformations, organizational restructuring, large event management, and marketing and communications strategy. She has a BA from Loyola University Chicago and certificates from Notre Dame, Babson College and Catalyst Inc.

Brett Beasley

Associate Director at the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership at the Mendoza College of Business

Brett Beasley serves as the Associate Director at the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership and is a Term Assistant Teaching Professor at Mendoza. He specializes in ethical dimensions of communication, language, and influence and teaches courses in both ethics and communications. He holds a PhD from Loyola University Chicago and has completed additional graduate studies in Christian Ethics at Notre Dame. His writing has appeared in scholarly journals, such as Renascence and Literature and Theology, as well as general audience publications, such as the Washington Post, Scientific American, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. He is co-author of the forthcoming book O’Hara’s Heirs: A Century of Business Education at Notre Dame.

Shelli Alexander

Regional President of the Bank’s Central Region at 1st Source Bank

Shelli Alexander, SVP, is the Regional President of the Bank’s Central Region at 1st Source Bank. The Central Region encompasses St. Joseph County, southwestern Michigan and Kalamazoo. Shelli holds a BS in Accounting and Business Administration from Indiana University, South Bend and an EMBA from Notre Dame. She has attended the Indiana Banker’s Leadership Program, serves on the Board of The South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce, has previously been active with the South Bend Rotary Club, Indiana University South Bend Alumni Association Board, River Bend Cancer Board, and is a graduate of the Leadership South Bend/Mishawaka program.