Development Staff

Michelle K. Houser

Michelle began her role as the senior director of development and alumni relations for the Smeal College of Business in March 2015. She leads a team of development, alumni relations, and alumni career services professionals to provide philanthropic and engagement opportunities for 95,000 Smeal alumni around the world.

Michelle previously held the appointment of director of development and alumni relations for the College of Education at Penn State. Prior to returning to Penn State, Michelle served as a major gifts officer for the Medical and Health Sciences Foundation at the University of Pittsburgh in the departments of surgery and cardiothoracic surgery. She also served as an associate director of major gifts for the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Michelle began her career in development and alumni relations at Allegheny College.

She received the Patrick Scholl Mentoring Award from the Penn State Division of Development and Alumni Relations in 2017. Michelle earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Penn State.

Email: mkb117@psu.edu
Phone: 814-865-7830

Hannah Acker

Hannah joined the Smeal College of Business as an assistant director of development in November 2021. In her role, Hannah works with alumni and friends of the college to raise philanthropic support. Hannah began her career in development and alumni relations as a CASE Resident and assistant director of annual leadership gifts for Penn State’s Office of Annual Giving.

Hannah earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Higher Education at Penn State.

Email:  hfa5206@psu.edu
Phone:  814-865-8291

Brian Black

Brian began his role as the director of corporate engagement for the Smeal College of Business in October 2021. Brian is responsible for coordinating multi-faceted relationships with companies that have strong mutual interests with the Smeal College of Business, promote a University-wide holistic approach, and lead a data-driven process to identify key accounts for the college. 

Brian previously held the position of director of hospitality industry relations for the School of Hospitality Management in the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State. In this role he held for twelve years, he was responsible for external relations and strategic partnerships and initiatives connecting alumni, industry partners, faculty, and students. His previous role included external events, communications, and career placement and professional development.  He also taught a colloquium course in hospitality management.  

Before returning to Penn State, Brian worked for Hyatt Hotels and Resorts for eleven years holding management positions in operations, sales, and marketing in multiple locations across the country.  

Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management from Penn State and is a Lifetime Member of the Penn State Alumni Association and the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society.  

Email:  bab180@psu.edu
Phone:  814-863-9523

Anne Louise Cropp

Anne Louise is the associate director of development communications for the Smeal College of Business, focusing her efforts on fundraising support  and stewardship efforts for the development team.

She joined the Smeal Development team in December 2014. Prior to that, she spent thirteen years in the investment industry, focusing primarily on client service and reporting.  She also has experience as a customer relations representative for the University’s Athletics Department.

Anne Louise holds a bachelor's degree in Nursing, an M.B.A., and an M.H.A. all from Penn State.

Email: all109@psu.edu
Phone: 814-865-0916

Susan Cunningham

Susan began her role as Director of Major Gifts for the Smeal College of Business in February of 2023 after serving as Associate Director of Development since November 2018. Previously, she worked at Penn State Outreach and Online Education for more than a decade where she held several positions, including development assistant, director of alumni relations, and stewardship coordinator. She has also worked for the Division of Development and Alumni Relations as a senior research analyst and as a writer for the Penn State Alumni Association. 

Susan holds a bachelor's degree from Penn State in English. 

Email:  sxc67@psu.edu
Phone: 814-865-3364 

Kate Emmick

Kate joined the Smeal College of Business as director of donor relations in February, 2017. Kate is responsible for a comprehensive stewardship plan for the college and manages all aspects of donor relations, including development events that honor the college’s volunteers and donors. She is also tasked with managing a communications strategy for stewardship and stewardship plans for the college's top donors.

Kate joined Penn State and the College of Education in 2011. During her tenure, she managed donor recognition events, was responsible for all donor relations reporting and communications to the college’s supporters and also created a comprehensive stewardship plan for the college. Before joining Penn State, Kate worked at Conservation International for nine years in various roles coordinating solicitations, donor communications, fundraising events, and board meetings.

Email:  kac36@psu.edu
Phone:  814-863-1284

Joel Fox

Joel joined the Smeal College of Business as an associate director of major gifts in October 2021.  In his role, Joel works with alumni and friends of the college to raise philanthropic support. 

Previously, Joel worked in Penn State’s Office of Annual Giving as an assistant director of annual leadership gifts.  Before joining Penn State, he worked for PNC Bank in Pittsburgh, PA, as well as with the Altoona Curve minor league baseball team.

Joel grew up in Clearfield, PA, and graduated from Penn State in 2012 with a degree in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management.

Email:  jwf5129@psu.edu
Phone:  814-865-9166

Kelly Freet

Kelly joined the Smeal College of Business in August 2021 as a Development Assistant. Prior to her current role with Smeal, she worked in Central Development as a Stewardship Coordinator, and at the College of IST as a Development Assistant. She also was a preschool teacher at the Bennett Family Center before her transition to working in Development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Penn State.

Kelly resides in the greater State College area with her husband, Kevin, and their two children, Kendall and Kolby.

Email:  kak239@psu.edu
Phone:  814-863-5944

Alan Friday

Alan joined the Smeal College of Business in October 2018 as a director of major gifts. In this role, Alan works with alumni and friends of the college to raise philanthropic support.

Prior to joining Smeal, Alan served as a major gifts officer for the resident and fellow graduates of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine at UPMC. He holds a bachelor's degree in Communications Media and a master's degree in Sport Science, both from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Alan resides in the greater State College community with his wife, Courtney, and their daughter, Scarlett.

Email:  ajf6091@psu.edu
Phone:  814-865-6882

Pamela Royer

Pam is a development assistant for the Smeal College of Business. In this role she supports the fundraising activities of the college, with a special focus on staff travel, budget, and football.
 
Pam joined the Smeal Development team in January 2016 following thirteen years with Penn State’s Purchasing Services.

Email: pjr12@psu.edu
Phone: 814-867-1679

Aaron Tressler

As director of major gifts for the Smeal College of Business, Aaron works to identify alumni and friends with a strong affinity for the college and solicit their philanthropic support. 

Aaron joined the Smeal Development team in January 2013. He was a member of Penn State’s varsity baseball team and graduated in 2004 with a degree in Turfgrass Science. Aaron was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays Organization and spent five years as a professional baseball player.

Email: amt910@psu.edu
Phone: 814-863-2556