“It is a great honor and privilege to continue supporting the university in this capacity,” McCann said. “I look most forward to working with all of our wonderful alumni who serve on our Alumni Board. The Board represents the interests of all our 25,000 living alumni, and I hope that we can ensure that their voices are heard as we work collectively to advance our alma mater.”

A founding member of Geneva Technical Services, L.L.C., an IT professional services firm based in Chicago, McCann currently serves as its director of operations. Her career in information technology began more than 10 years ago at another professional services organization where she held key recruiting and sales positions.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., McCann also volunteers for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois, where she serves as a Wish Granter. In addition, she serves on the Wish Policy Committee and the Associate Board. McCann worked on the 2006 Wish Ball Committee for the 20th Anniversary Celebration and served as a chair of the 2007 Wish Ball where more than $960,000 was raised in support of the Foundation, an increase of $460,000 from the previous year.

Linda Prain Beals ’87, interim director of alumni engagement, has been named the new director of alumni relations. Beals bring e x tensive e xperienc e to t he position, including more than 18 years in college admissions.

“I’m honored to have t he opportunity to work with our amazing alumni on a daily basis,” Beals said. “Their stories and their lifelong connections to Wittenberg inspire me, and I hope that we, as a university, can celebrate these connections through a range of unique alumni programming efforts.”

Originally from Avon, Conn., Beals has numerous connections to Wittenberg. Her brother is a 1984 graduate, and her sister graduated in 1989. She is also married to 1988 alumnus Brad Beals.

Active on campus while a student, Beals, who majored in sociology, was a four-year letter winner in field hockey, a Shifter and a member of Chi Omega sorority. She began her Wittenberg career in 1999 as an associate director of admission and served as interim director in 2004.

Ashley Petersen ’07 of Loveland, Ohio, has been named the assistant director of alumni relations. Peterson began her position on June 11.

During her senior year, Petersen helped to develop the university’s Community Partners Program with Amy Holden ’07. Under the supervision of Lin Erickson, director of government, foundation and corporate relations in Wittenberg’s Office of Advancement, the program capitalizes on the institution’s urban setting as it seeks to “foster beneficial partnerships between community organizations and the university to improve the quality of life in the greater Springfield area.”

As assistant director, Peterson will provide support for alumni programming and various Alumni Chapter activities. Wittenberg currently has 15 chapters in the United States, including Boston, Denver, Sarasota, Seattle, Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., and throughout Ohio. For more on all the chapters, log on to www.wittenberg.edu.