Carole A. McCabe (’86 Marketing)
2025 Service to Smeal Award
Carole McCabe is the Managing Partner of Trinity Wellness Advisors, a partner firm to Trinity Investment Advisors, that provides financial wellness education programs to employees. Prior to creating Trinity Wellness Advisors, she spent twenty-three years with Vanguard in leadership roles in technology, marketing, and human resources.
She is a guest speaker, presenter and content creator specializing in financial wellness and leadership development topics. Carole earned a B.S. in Marketing from The Pennsylvania State University and an M.B.A. in Information Systems from Saint Joseph’s University. She has been an adjunct-faculty member at Villanova University School of Business teaching Business Strategy.
Carole served as President of the Penn State Smeal College of Business Alumni Society, and an Alumni Council Board Member for The Penn State Alumni Association. She is also a mentor and classroom presenter for Chester County Futures.
Carole began her volunteerism with the Smeal Alumni Society Board on the Mentoring Committee, and quickly demonstrated her innovation, creativity, and commitment to the team’s mission. Carole was appointed chair of the Mentoring Committee in 2019. During her time in this role, she enhanced the Mentoring Program in a number of ways.
One of Carole’s strongest leadership qualities is her resilience. Her time leading the Smeal Alumni Society Board was drastically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. She collaborated with Smeal's Director of Alumni Relations to plan engaging, virtual board meetings, and when the time came, encouraged the team to return to campus for in-person meetings. Carole experienced unique challenges related to motivating board members to re-engage after the pandemic, reconnecting with volunteers that grew apart, and adjusting our ways of working. She navigated each obstacle flawlessly, and continued to demonstrate strong leadership despite these extraordinary challenges.
During her time leading the Alumni Society Board Carole empowered the Executive Team, drove accountability and engagement and built strong partnerships. The initiatives Carole spearheaded left a lasting impact on the Smeal College of Business and Penn State University, and will continue to benefit the community for years to come.