Meet Our Staff
Office of Development
Leeolou Alumni Center
Call the JMU Development Office toll free at 1-800-296-6162
Mailing Address:
MSC 4401
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Fax: 540-568-1769
Mr. Weston W. Hatfield
Associate Vice President for Development
hatfieww@jmu.edu
540-568-1634
Weston joined the JMU development team in the summer of 2004 after a fifteen-year career in development at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Degrees include a B.A. in Government from the University of Virginia and an M.A. in Community Arts Management from the University of Illinois at Springfield. He and his family (wife Julie and children Ford, Lydia and Weston P. II) are delighted to be a part of the JMU family.
Mrs. Sonja Lovell
Administrative Assistant
lovellsm@jmu.edu
540-568-2620
Major Gifts
Mr. Jeffrey J. Gilligan
Director, Major Gifts
540-568-6278
Jeff began his career as a fundraiser 12 years ago. He spent five years working for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and 3.5 years as Vice President of the Arthritis Foundation in Washington, DC. In 1999 Jeff joined the Development office of JMU as a Capital Gifts Officer, in 2000 he became the Director of the Madison Fund, and in 2004 was named Director of Major Gifts. He makes his home in Staunton, VA with his wife Tammy, daughter Addison, son Jack, and the family dog, Bailey.
Ms. Elizabeth Pharr
Director of Development for
the College of Business
pharrge@jmu.edu
540-568-3228
Elizabeth joined the development staff in 2003 with territories in Virginia and Atlanta. In early 2005, Elizabeth was named Director of Development for the College of Business. Prior to joining the JMU staff, Elizabeth was the executive director of a domestic violence and sexual assault center for 5 years where through grant writing and fund raising strategies she increased the operational budget 264%, built a new complex debt free, and doubled the staff. Additionally, Elizabeth has 20 years of teaching experience in world religions, critical thinking, medical ethics, and business ethics. She continues to enjoy fiction and non-fiction freelance writing.
Receiving her AA degree from Peace College, she completed her BA degree at Wake Forest University. Elizabeth also holds masters degrees from Smith College and University of Virginia.
Mr. Bill McAnulty
Director of Development for CISAT
mcanulww@jmu.edu
540-568-2570
Bill joined the University's development staff in January 2005 after a twenty-year public relations career in the electric utility industry.
A double graduate from James Madison University, Bill holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications Arts ('81) and Master of Public Administration degree ('87). He helped co-found the Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the JMU Alumni Association. In 1989, Bill was recognized as the recipient of the University's Distinguished Alumni Service Award.
Bill is active in a number of community and youth organizations. He and his family reside in Weyers Cave, Virginia.
Mrs. Tassie Pippert
Director of Development for
College and University Programs
pippertl@jmu.edu
540-568-3195
Tassie joins the JMU staff with a diverse background in non-profit development and executive business management. As President of The Gourmet Pantry, Incorporated of Harrisonburg, Tassie was responsible for all operations of both a gourmet catering company and a retail kitchen wares store. As Director of Development for WVPT-Virginia's Public Television, Tassie was responsible for the strategy and management of all development divisions of the station.
She holds degrees in Science and Business Management and a Master's degree in Human Resource Management. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Edith Carrier Arboretum, the Harrisonburg Children's Museum, and Shenandoah Valley Council of the Arts. Tassie and her husband, Tom reside in Harrisonburg. They have two sons Adam and Tim.
Karen Ahrens Guntharp '80
Director of Development for
College and University Programs
gunthaka@jmu.edu
540-568-6605
Karen Ahrens Guntharp is a 1980 JMU graduate of the College of Business. She serves as a Director of Development and works with alumni primarily in the metropolitan areas of Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD. She also serves as the Director of Development for the College of Science and Mathematics and the Library.
Prior to her relocation to the Harrisonburg area in 1994, Karen served as a Vice President/ Principal in the Commercial Real Estate Division for Bank of America. She began her fourteen year banking career after graduating from JMU. Recently, Karen has been an active fundraiser for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Free Clinic and other charities through her affiliation with various volunteer organizations.
Karen resides in Harrisonburg with her two children and her West Highland White Terrier.
Mrs. Jane Lamb
Administrative Assistant
lambjc@jmu.edu
540-568-3196
The Madison Fund
Ms. Sheila Williams Smith
Director, Madison Fund
willi2ss@jmu.edu
540-568-3564
Sheila joined the Office of Development in 2003 as Assistant Director for the Madison Fund. In May of 2005 she moved into her current role as Director of the Madison Fund. Sheila has worked in higher education for 12 years and has been at JMU for seven years, moving from Student Affairs to University Advancement in 2003. Sheila holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from Washburn University and a Master of Science in College Student Personnel from Western Illinois University. Sheila resides in Harrisonburg with her husband, Dan, and son, Alexander.
Mrs. Kathy Sarver
Assistant Director for Madison Connection and Parents Fund
The Madison Fund
sarverkb@jmu.edu
540-568-3440
Mrs. Kelly Snow
Assistant Director for Leadership Giving
The Madison Fund
snowka@jmu.edu
540-568-8814
Kelly O'Neill Snow is the Assistant Director of Leadership Giving in the Madison Fund. In this role, Kelly oversees the President's Council.
Prior to joining the JMU family in August 2005, Kelly worked at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, as Coordinator of Workplace Giving. Kelly was privileged to work with many generous companies and individuals as they supported Children's Miracle Network and the Children's Hospital Foundation.
Kelly graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism. In her spare time, Kelly coaches the color guard at Harrisonburg High School and was recently married in June 2006.
Ms. Christine Bilbrey
Assistant Director for Student Giving, Reunion Giving, and Young Alumni Giving
The Madison Fund
bilbrecm@jmu.edu
540-568-8840
Christine Bilbrey joined the Development Staff in February 2007 as the Assistant Director of Class and Reunion Giving. In addition to reunion giving, Christine oversees the four-year Student Giving Campaign and is developing a Young Alumni Giving Campaign.
Christine has more than 15 years of non-profit, association management experience. Prior to her work at JMU, Christine served for six years as the Director of the March of Dimes, Piedmont-Shenandoah Valley Division. Before returning to Harrisonburg in 1999, she worked in membership marketing for several professional and trade associations in the metro Washington, DC area.
Christine grew up in Harrisonburg and graduated with a degree in communications/public relations from James Madison University in 1991. As a student at JMU, Christine was a member of the service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, served on the Bluestone staff, and served as a Senior Class Challenge Captain.
Christine is a member of the Public Relations Council of the Shenandoah Valley, serves on the Membership Committee of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham County Chamber of Commerce, and completed the Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Program in 2004. She continues to volunteer with the March of Dimes and is a past board member of First Night Harrisonburg. A strong commitment to volunteerism led to her career in association management and now, higher education.
Ms. Samantha Royer
Administrative Assistant
The Madison Fund
royersd@jmu.edu
540-568-3863
Charitable Gift Planning
Mr. Ted J. Sudol,
Director
sudoltj@jmu.edu
540-568-1776
Ted Sudol serves as the Director for The Office of Charitable Gift Planning at James Madison University. In this role, he focuses on charitable financial & estate planning and charitable trust & estate administration with alumni, parents of students and alumni, faculty and faculty emeriti, and other friends of the University. His work includes the design of strategic gift plans for current, deferred, and complex charitable gifts.
Ted is an attorney and, prior to joining the administration of James Madison University in 2002, he was in private law practice most recently within a boutique law firm in New York focused on the planning and administration of trusts & estates for individuals and families, including professionals, entrepreneurs, and farmers; and, previously, as legal counsel for a cutting edge professional firm in Pittsburgh that brought together the disciplines of financial planning, insurance, asset management, accounting, and the law. Earlier in his career, Ted was an executive with United Way for fifteen years and held positions at the national, regional, and local community levels.
He is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Temple University School of Law.
Corporate and Foundation Giving
Janet T. Wendelken
Director
wendeljt@jmu.edu
540-568-7879
As the Director of Corporation and Foundation Giving at JMU, Janet is responsible for the management of a portfolio of 250 corporations and foundations. In that role, she identifies, solicits and stewards major corporations and foundations to give a gift to Madison.
Janet joins the JMU Development Office with career experience in corporate, non-profit and academic settings. Most recently, Janet worked for the Coors Brewing Company Shenandoah as director of communication, public relations, community relations and guest relations for more than 18 years. She began at Coors as it was establishing the new manufacturing facility in the Shenandoah Valley and recently completed the announcement and groundbreaking of the brewery.
She also served as the Executive Vice President of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce working with local businesses and corporations. She formerly worked at JMU in the Public Information Office and taught courses in public speaking and public relations writing.
She is the past president and currently serves on the board of directors of the Rockingham Educational Foundation, Inc., which supports and enhances the public school education experience in Rockingham County. She is a past president and past campaign chair of the United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. She served two terms as chairperson of the Rockingham Memorial Hospital Foundation Board.
Janet earned a Bachelor's degree from Longwood College in Farmville, Va. and a Master's degree from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.
She is married to Dr. David H. Wendelken, an associate professor in the JMU School of Media Arts and Design. They have a daughter, Kathryn, and reside in Harrisonburg.