The Ithaca College Board of Trustees voted in three new members and changed the status of another at its recent meeting, held on campus May 17–19. Luvelle Brown was elected as a term trustee, Ellen Staurowsky, M.S. ’78, was elected as the alumni trustee, and Yetunde Smalls ’21 was elected as the student trustee. In addition, Kristin Muenzen ’00, who completed her term as alumni trustee, was elected as a term trustee.
Meet IC’s New Board of Trustees Members
By Kyle Hornyak, May 30, 2018
The Board of Trustees elected three new members at its May meeting.
(From left) Luvelle Brown, Ellen Staurowsky, M.S. '78, and Yetunde Smalls '21
(From left) Luvelle Brown, Ellen Staurowsky, M.S. '78, and Yetunde Smalls '21
Luvelle Brown
Luvelle Brown serves the Ithaca community as superintendent of the Ithaca City School District and was recognized as the 2017 New York State Superintendent of the Year. Along with fulfilling his responsibilities to his district, Brown is an active member of the local community, serving on the board of directors for the United Way of Tompkins County and Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD). Brown’s engagement with IC includes participating in an on-campus event with Ithaca’s mayor, Svante Myrick, during which the two reflected on the tragic 2017 events in Charlottesville, VA, and engaged in a dialogue about how the Ithaca community can move forward. Brown will serve for a term of four years.
Ellen Staurowsky, M.S. ’78
Ellen Staurowsky, M.S. '78 has been elected as one of Ithaca College’s two alumni trustees. Staurowsky is a leading expert in both higher education and intercollegiate athletics who is deeply committed to IC’s students. After receiving her master’s degree at Ithaca College and holding faculty and administrator positions at several colleges and universities, Staurowsky returned to serve on the faculty at IC, where she was later named coordinator of the sport media program in the Department of Sport Management and Media. Currently on the faculty at Drexel University, Staurowsky has continued to serve Ithaca College as a mentor, friend and colleague to many of her former students. Staurowsky will serve for a term of three years.
Yetunde Smalls ’21
The board’s new student trustee is Yetunde Smalls '21. A politics major and Spanish minor, Smalls is an MLK Scholar, the Student Governance Council Senator for the Class of 2021 and a member of the Middle States Accreditation Review Committee (spring 2018). She will serve for a term of two years.
Kristin Muenzen ’00
Kristin Muenzen '00 was first elected to the board as alumni trustee in 2015. Muenzen earned a degree in sports information and communications and was a four-year member of the women’s soccer and softball teams. She volunteers frequently with the Athletics Advisory Council, the Washington, D.C., Metro Area Regional Chapter, her reunion class committee, and as an alumni admission representative, an admission college fair participant, and a mentor to students through IC Mentor Connect. Muenzen has served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2007 and has spoken in classes about law school and the legal profession. Muenzen is currently a University Counsel at Princeton University, where she provides legal advice on a variety of matters across campus. Muenzen will serve for a term of four years.
Additionally, the board re-elected as trustees Lisa B. Puntillo and Thaddeus J. Fortin ’81. Stepping down following the completion of their current terms were David A. Giannotti ’69, G. Gabrielle Starr, and Elijah T. Greene ’18.
New chair elected
Dave Lissy ’87 was elected as board chair and James W. Nolan Jr. ’77 as vice chair for the next three years. Lissy had been vice chair since 2015 and succeeds Tom Grape ’80, who has been named chair emeritus. Read more about the board leadership transition.