Mary Lou Quinlan

This year I volunteered to return to Hawk Hill as the Inaugural Director of the new SJU Alumnae Center for Leadership (“built by women, designed for all”). As one of the second class of women graduates of the ‘day college’ in 1975, I’ve been listening to and learning from women my entire career. From my corporate roles as national Ad Director of Avon Products, to CEO of ad agency NW Ayer to my founding of marketing consultancy Just Ask a Woman, I’ve believed in the power of women’s voices to create a better world. As an author, an actor, a dancer and now an advocate for our students and alumnae, leading the Alumnae Center is a role I care deeply about.

"I am a believer in remembering where you came from and giving back as you move forward in life—making your voice heard for what matters. With this groundbreaking (at last!) Alumnae Center, we are inviting our talented alumnae to bring their expertise as speakers and mentors to our current students, sharing career readiness and leadership skills grounded in the Ignatian value of ‘women and men for others.”"