Meet the Advisory Board

Leland Abrams

  • Leland Abrams is principal, CIO, and fund manager for Wynkoop Financial, which manages hedge funds, a public mutual fund, and private equity funds that invest in agency and non-agency mortgage-backed securities, CDOs, CMBS, single-family rental homes, structured real estate loans, syndicated loans, apartment buildings, and real estate development projects throughout the capital structure. Leland is a 2005 Bucknell graduate with a degree in economics. He also served on the Board of Directors for a public REIT, Front Yard Residential Corp.

Lee Adrean

  • Lee served as a public company chief financial officer for twenty years in both Fortune 500 and midcap companies, including Equifax and First Data Corporation. Lee previously spent eleven years in strategy consulting with Bain & Company. He served as a Bucknell trustee for ten years, and since retiring has served on both corporate and community boards. Lee is a 1974 graduate of Bucknell and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. Lee and his wife Yolanda live in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ronald L. Benjamin

  • Ron is co-owner and managing director of GreenEarth Cleaning LLC, the most recent of seven entrepreneurial ventures he has led since graduating from Bucknell University in 1967. Ron and his wife have two sons that graduated from Bucknell: Brenden, class of 1994 and Jonathan, class of 1998. He is a proud recipient of the Bucknell Alumni Achievement Award and a trustee emeritus. He lives in Leawood, Kansas.

Joseph J. Bridy

  • Joe is Partner - Portfolio Manager at Hamlin Capital Management in New York. He is a 1998 graduate of Bucknell University and holds an MBA in Finance with High Distinction from Cornell University. Joe is also a trustee of Berea College and a member of the Geisinger Health Board of Directors.

Christopher D. Brown

  • Chris is Portfolio Manager for endowments and foundations at Silvercrest Asset Management Group. Prior to Silvercrest, he was the Chief Investment Officer for Bucknell University.
    Prior to Bucknell, Chris spent over 20 years with GE Asset Management as Senior Vice President for Equity Portfolios.
    He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Brain Tumor Society and the Board of Pensions for the Presbyterian Church USA.

Isabella Carrega

  • A native of Flemington, N.J., Bella '22 is Open Discourse Coalition's former student fellow and student engagement coordinator. Currently attending the Charles Widger School of Law at Villanova University, Bella is passionate about American history and viewpoint diversity.

Denise Chaykun

  • Denise is a serial entrepreneur, including roles as the co-founder of Magical Mystery Tours—an innovative travel firm lauded by Oprah Magazine, The New York Times, and Vogue and as executive director of Mission First Operations, which has deep experience in nonprofit governance and operations. She is a 2004 graduate of Bucknell University.

Curt Cornwell

  • Curt is a retired partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he most recently served as the U.S. Sovereign Investment Funds Leader. Curt and his wife are 1986 Bucknell graduates. They are also Bucknell parents and have a nephew currently on campus. Curt is the former Chair of the Freeman College of Management Advisory Board.

Susan J. Crawford

  • Susan is a senior federal judge, who served for over 30 years in the justice system, including roles as the Convening Authority and Director of the Office of Military Commissions, and as Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. She is a 1969 Bucknell graduate and earned her J.D. cum laude at the New England School of Law. A former Chair of the Board of Trustees of Bucknell University, she currently serves as an Emerita Trustee at her alma mater. She is a Guide for Blind Skiers and has two Labrador Retrievers, both of whom are certified therapy dogs with Therapy Dogs International.

William D. Dearstyne

  • Bill is the retired Company Group Chairman at Johnson & Johnson. He is currently Chairman of START Austria, founder and chief sponsor of START Vorarlberg, and 2019 recipient of the prestigious Golden Award of Honor from the Republic of Austria. He is a 1962 Bucknell University graduate, where he was the first student swimmer to participate in the NCAA Championships. Bill is also a Bucknell parent and a trustee emeritus. He and his wife Elizabeth live in Bregenz, Austria.

Dan DiLella

  • A principal of Equus Capital Partners, Dan DiLella serves as Senior Vice President and currently directs the industrial land development and leasing efforts for Equus Development, L.P., an affiliate of Equus. During his 25 years with the firm, Mr. DiLella and his team have acquired 1,600 acres and developed & entitled 14,500,000 square feet in his industrial capacity with the firm.
    Dan DiLella received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1996 and his MBA from Villanova University in 2007.

Robert DeSousa

  • Robert (Bob) DeSousa received his B.A. from Bucknell University in 1982, his J.D. from Dickinson School of Law in 1985, and his Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in 2014. He is counsel at Eckert Seamans and has nearly 40 years of experience in the government and legal sectors. Prior to joining Eckert Seamans, he served as State Director for U.S. Senator Toomey for 12 years. An Iraq War Veteran, Bob also served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard for 28 years.

Bently Elliott

  • Bently has built a career in communications that has taken him from CBS News to the White House to the world of finance, working for Goldman Sachs, the New York Stock Exchange and Merrill Lynch. Bently is a 1966 Bucknell graduate, played for the Bison football team, and is a trustee emeritus. Three of his five children are also Bucknell graduates: Meredith '00, Thomas '03, and Grace '16.

Pat Flannery

  • Pat is a 1980 graduate of Bucknell, where he studied economics and political science. He was the head men's basketball coach from 1994-2008. Pat's teams recorded 234 victories for Bucknell, including a first-round upset of Kansas in the NCAA Tournament, the first NCAA win for any Bucknell or Patriot League team. After retiring from coaching, he served as a senior development officer at Bucknell.

    Pat is the founder of Camp Hoops, a clinic for youth in central Pennsylvania, and has served on the board of directors for the Donald Heiter Community Center and other organizations. He has been inducted into the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame, Bucknell University Hall of Fame, Lebanon Valley College Hall of Fame, and the Allen-Rogowicz Hall of Fame.

Jonathan Freeman

  • Jonathan Freeman is a 1996 graduate of Bucknell University. He is the co-Founder and co-Managing Partner of Stonebridge Financial Group, a Registered Investment Advisor with offices in Lancaster, York and the Capital Region.
    In addition to his professional work, Jonathan is deeply committed to community service and civic engagement. He serves as President of the board of M28 Ministry and is a member of the Investment Advisory Committee for The Foundation for Enhancing Communities. He is also actively involved with Braver Angels, supporting efforts to bridge political divides, and has been a long-time Big Brother and supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters.
    Jonathan lives in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, with his wife and daughters.

Massimo Fuduli

  • Massimo Fuduli is a 2025 graduate of Bucknell University and a Graduate Talent Program Analyst at UBS. Massimo is a graduate of the ODC Leadership Seminar and served as an ODC intern.

Vienne Fuduli

  • Vienne Fuduli is a 2025 graduate of Bucknell University and an Assurance Associate for PwC. Vienne is a graduate of the ODC Leadership Seminar and served as a teaching assistant and intern at ODC.

Norman E. Garrity

  • Norman E. Garrity spent 35 years at Corning, serving in a variety of manufacturing and engineering management positions, including president of Corning Technologies and vice chairman of Corning Inc. A ’63 graduate of Bucknell, Norm is a trustee emeritus and the recipient of the Alumni Athlete Achievement Award, the Loyalty to Bucknell Award, and the Bud Ranck Award for his service and devotion to the football program. He and his wife, fellow Bucknell graduate Mary Lou, live in Naples, Florida.

Peter Gerhard

  • Peter Gerhard is the founder, managing partner & chief investment officer of G Capital. Peter launched G Capital in 2009 after spending more than 23 years at Goldman Sachs where he was a partner managing director for 12 years. He has been on the board of Trustees of Hackensack Meridian Health, NJ’s largest healthcare system, for 20 years. Peter is a 1980 graduate of Bucknell and former member of the board of trustees. He and his wife, Kristen, also a Bucknell graduate, are the namesakes of the Gerhard Fieldhouse on campus.

Eugene Gorab

  • Gene founded Greenfield Partners, LLC and is responsible for managing the overall strategic direction of the Firm, including capital formation, investments, and asset management. Prior to forming Greenfield in 1997, Gene was a founding partner and Managing Director of Starwood Capital Group, LLC, and served on Starwood's Investment Committee. Gene is a 1985 graduate of Bucknell. He is a member of the Board of Trustees and serves as Chair of the Investment Committee.

Joey Gutierrez

  • Joey is a portfolio manager at a private family office in Northern California and sits on several education boards. He previously worked in impact investing and philanthropy. Joey graduated from Bucknell in 2011 and served on the Alumni Association Board for eight years. He holds an MBA and an MA in Education from Stanford, and lives in Redwood City, California with his wife and daughter.

Kerry Marks Hasenbalg 

  • Kerry Marks Hasenbalg is the co-founder of The Becoming Academy and CEO of BECOMING Foundation, Inc., and serves as the community member of the Ethics Board at Geisinger Medical Center, where she lives in Danville, PA.

    Kerry is a respected speaker, writer, and child welfare advocate. She has authored curricula for faith communities on soul care and reconciliation. In her advocacy work, Kerry has secured funding for innovative health programs to address food insecurity and midwifery clinics in communities with high infant/maternal mortality rates, both at home and abroad. She has forged partnerships between medical-service providers and charitable organizations to address the medical disabilities of orphans and vulnerable children who would otherwise lack access.

    Kerry is a 1994 graduate of Bucknell, earning dual degrees in Russian and International Studies. She did post-graduate work at American University and Calvary Chapel Bible College.

Scott Martz Henry

  • Scott is President of Martz Group in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, having previously worked as a consultant for Deloitte in Washington, D.C. He is a 2011 graduate of Bucknell University and holds a J.D. from Villanova University. Scott lives on a farm in Dallas, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Erica, and their children.

Chandler Hoopes

  • Chandler is the Chief Executive Officer of Commonwealth Capital, a commercial real estate lending firm operating in the private credit space. Joining in 2013 as the first employee of the company his father founded, he has led Commonwealth since 2018. He is a 2012 graduate of Bucknell University and resides outside of Philadelphia with his wife and two young children. Chandler is also on the board of Baker Industries, a non-profit workforce development program in the Philadelphia area, and Peter's Place, a center that provides grief services free of charge to children and families.

Jack Hoopes

  • Jack serves as Co-Chairman of Commonwealth Capital. A graduate of Bucknell University, he was a serial entrepreneur during his earlier working years. He owned and operated, either in whole or in partnership, 27 different enterprises. 
    Jack has served as President of the Chester County, Pa. Board of Realtors; President of the United Way of Chester County, Pa.; and President of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Risk Management Association, an association of bank lenders and credit officers.
    Jack joined the Young Presidents Organization in 1983, matriculating to the World Presidents Organization, where he served as Chapter Chair of the Philadelphia Chapter and Chapter Chair of the Southwest Florida YPO Gold Chapter.

Allison Kasic

  • Allison is Senior Vice President of Grantmaking and Investments at the Stand Together Trust where she oversees a national portfolio of grants to strategic partners, including academic programs at colleges and universities. She started her career working on higher education policy and later joined an academic research center focused on fiscal and regulatory analysis, before shifting her career to the philanthropic sector. Allison is a 2005 graduate of Bucknell University, with a bison tattoo to prove it, and also holds an MA in economics from George Mason University. She lives in Northern Virginia with her wife, Laura.

Lawrence S. Klock

  • Larry is a retired partner at Russell Reynolds Associates in Chicago where he developed and led the firm's executive search work in the electric and gas utility industry for 26 years. He completed 27 CEO searches, dozens of senior executive searches, and over 250 board of director searches. After graduating from Bucknell in 1969, Larry received his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1971, followed by two years in the Army's Medical Service Corps. Larry served on the Bucknell Board of Trustees from 2008 until 2019 and is currently an emeritus trustee. He and his wife, Cheri, are residents of Naples, Florida, but often return to northern Illinois to rejuvenate with their six grandchildren.

Kenneth G. Langone

  • Ken, a 1957 graduate, is the founder and CEO of Invemed Associates LLC in New York and the co-founder of The Home Depot. Ken and his wife, Elaine, are Bucknell parents and are the recipients of the WIlliam Bucknell Philanthropy Award, to honor their lifetime of philanthropy. Ken’s memoir, I Love Capitalism, describes how he has lived the American dream. Ken and Elaine live in Sands Point, New York.

Rich Lemon

  • Rich Lemon is a Talent Acquisition Manager with more than 20 years of leadership experience in human resources and retail operations. Rich has a diverse background that includes sales, project management, training and development, retail operations, and various competencies under the human resources umbrella. Rich’s career path includes management roles with IBM, Walmart, The Home Depot, and Amazon. Originally from Northeast Ohio, Rich attended Bucknell University and received his undergraduate degree in Business Management. Rich has lived in the metropolitan Atlanta area for 25 years. Rich has visited 48 of our 50 states and is looking forward to finalizing this personal milestone by visiting Alaska and Oregon by the end of 2027.

Jack Lieblein

  • Jack Lieblein served as the postgraduate leadership associate at Open Discourse Coalition after successfully serving as an intern and teaching assistant while an undergrad. Jack received his BA in economics from Bucknell University, where he was a member of the men's crew team and the co-founder of Bucknell Chabad. 

Elizabeth Loew

  • Elizabeth is a Private Client Advisor with Rockwood Wealth Management in New Hope, PA. She is a 1993 graduate of Bucknell and earned her MBA from the University of Rochester. She and her husband, Darren ’93, live in Whitehouse Station, NJ with their four children, one of whom is a track athlete in Bucknell’s Class of 2025. Elizabeth and her family are avid skiers and hikers, and retreat to the Colorado Rockies whenever life and time permit.

Ben Martinez

  • Ben is a 2022 graduate of Bucknell with a degree in global management. A first-generation college student, he completed the Bucknell Community College Scholars program and received a full tuition scholarship. Ben is a graduate of Open Discourse Coalition’s Leadership Seminar and works as a wealth management analyst at Morgan Stanley in Philadelphia.

Stephanie Merrick

  • Stephanie Merrick lives in Crozet, Virginia, with her husband and three children. Prior to joining the Blue Ridge Center, she spent twelve years as an editor at an online political news site. She graduated from the University of Michigan.

Beth Morilla Miller

  • Beth is a 1995 graduate of Bucknell and went on to earn her MBA from the Stern School of Business at NYU. After several years working in Human Resources, she stayed home to raise her four children with her husband, Matt, in Lewisburg, PA. In 2017, she and her husband’s family built the Miller Center for Recreation and Wellness, a non-profit community center in Lewisburg. Beth has served as Bucknell’s Reunion Committee Chair and has enjoyed staying connected with her classmates.

Stacey Mullins

  • Stacey is a middle school counselor on Long Island, NY. She graduated from Bucknell in 1988 with a BA in psychology. She holds masters degrees in both Elementary Education and School Counseling. Throughout the years, Stacey has been active in supporting Bucknell, including volunteering for fundraising campaigns and holding off-campus student interviews. She and her husband, Kevin '87 established a neuroscience scholarship, which has provided scholarship opportunities for Bucknell students over the past 15 years. Stacey and Kevin have three children and reside in Cold Spring Harbor, NY.

James E. Nevels

  • Jim is founder, Chairman, and CEO of the Swarthmore Group, one of the largest minority-owned investment firms in the nation, and the former Chairman and Lead Independent Director of the Hershey Company. He is a 1974 graduate of Bucknell University and a former trustee. He and his wife, fellow Bucknell graduate Lourene, live in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

Graham Officer

  • Graham works for Brevan Howard, one of the world’s leading global macro absolute return investment managers. Prior to Brevan Howard, Graham spent 21 years at Goldman Sachs as a Managing Director in the Securities Division where his last job was head of North American Institutional Equity Derivative Sales. Graham is a 1995 graduate of Bucknell and a Bucknell Alumni Association board member serving on the Development Committee. He and his wife Megan reside in Connecticut with their two sons.

Michael Pascucci

  • Michael is Chairman of Duck Pond Associates, a private investment company and, together with his family, owns Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, New York. He is also a principal investor in Duck Pond Realty, a real estate development company. Michael was the principal and driving force behind many other enterprises throughout his business career, including Oxford Resources Corp. and WLNY TV.

Robert Puff

  • Bob spent 45 years in the investment management industry in Boston, Kansas City, and Arlington, Virginia. He served in a variety of roles including chief investment officer for American Century Investments and as Vice Chairman of Sands Capital Management. He is a ’67 graduate of Bucknell and earned an MBA from the Wharton School. Bob comes from a family of Bucknellians, including his wife, parents, siblings, a nephew, and a grandson. Since retiring in 2013 to Vero Beach, Florida, he has been active in a wide range of non-profits.

Michael M. Purpura

  • Mike Purpura is a partner at Hueston Hennigan LLP, where his practice focuses on complex civil litigation and white-collar criminal defense.  He was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and twice served in the White House Counsel's Office, where he advised the President, senior White House officials, and Cabinet members in congressional investigations and other sensitive matters. He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he was captain of the men's tennis team, and Columbia Law School. Mike and his wife Betsy are Bucknell parents and live in Newport Beach, CA.

Joseph Quintilian

  • Joe is a 2003 graduate of Bucknell with a degree in management. Joe began his career as a futures trader at Pioneer Futures. He co-founded Axiom Markets, a proprietary energy trading firm, and co-founded Distributed Capital, Oasis Pro, and Etherindex, a cryptocurrency ETF. Joe also runs the proprietary trading desk LPL for MakerDao. Joe has been a member of the board of Bucknell’s Student Managed Investment Fund for 15 years and has also been running fundraisers for the Archdiocese of New York.

John T. Reynolds

  • John is a co-founder and managing director of Lime Rock Management, a private equity firm focused on investments in the energy sector. He previously worked in Investment Research at Goldman Sachs. John is a 1992 graduate of Bucknell and a current trustee. He and his wife, Stacy, also a Bucknell graduate, reside in Connecticut with their four children.

Franklin K. Schoeneman

  • Franklin K. Schoeneman is Chairman and CEO of Empire Education Group, the largest centrally owned and operated cosmetology school system in the country. He has served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology and on the PA Economic Development Financing Authority. Frank serves as Chairman of the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority and has served as a Board Member of the Pottsville Housing Authority as well as leadership roles within the Rotary Club, Boy Scouts, and Trinity Lutheran Church. His honors include awards from The American Association of Cosmetology Schools, Schuylkill Women in Crisis, and the Anti-Defamation League. Frank holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bucknell University, is a Bucknell parent, and has served as a trustee for the university since 2011.

Susan Sordoni

  • Susan is a 1968 graduate of College Misericordia with a degree in biology. Shortly after graduation, she met her husband and went on to raise their five children together. At the age of 45, Susan was accepted to the Medical College of Pennsylvania. She graduated in 1997, completed a family practice residency through Hahnemann Medical School, and started a family practice in the Wyoming Valley. Susan has held several directorships, including serving as the chairperson of the College Misericordia Board of Trustees. She is passionate about volunteerism and is the founder of the Volunteers in Medicine Medical Clinic in Wilkes-Barre.

Greg Smith

  • Greg Smith is a 1994 graduate of Bucknell, and is the Managing Director - Head of Business Development and Capital Markets at Roark Capital in Atlanta. Greg serves on the Board of the Kyle Pease Foundation, which improves the lives of people with disabilities through sports.

John Soroko

  • John Soroko is Chairman Emeritus and Partner of Duane Morris LLP. He was Sen. Pat Toomey’s Chair of the Judicial Nominating Committee for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He is a Commissioner on Pennsylvania’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission and was formerly President Judge of Pennsylvania’s Court of Judicial Discipline. He is a graduate of Haverford College and New York University Law School.

Schuyler Stitzer

  • Schuyler is a senior research analyst at Edgewood Management in Connecticut. Prior to Edgewood, he worked at Credit Suisse in the Investment Banking Division. Schuyler graduated from Bucknell in 2014, where he was captain and a four-year letter winner on the men's golf team. He was also a member of the Student Managed Investment Fund and the Bucknell Leadership Academy for Student Athletes. He received his MBA from Columbia Business School in 2020 and lives in New York City.

David Thayer

  • The son of United States Navy Lieutenant Dave Thayer, Bucknell Class of 1945, David is the co-founder of Harvest, a family of funds investing in energy infrastructure, which was purchased by Blackstone in 2017.

C. Alan Walker

  • C. Alan Walker is President and CEO of Bradford Energy Company, Inc., Bigler, Pa. He is also President of Walcoal, Synergen, Inc., and Roaring Run Transport, LLC. Alan is a 1962 graduate of Bucknell, later serving as a trustee for 37 years. In 1996 he received the Distinguished Alumni Award for Service to Humanity and he was Bucknell’s 2017 recipient of the Stephen Taylor Award. He was awarded the Distinguished Citizen of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2022.

Kirby Thomas West

  • Kirby is an attorney at a public interest law firm. She is a 2012 graduate of Bucknell and went on to earn her JD from Harvard Law School. She lives outside of Washington, DC with her husband and children.

Interested In A Career With Us?

Click Here