The ITGA Announces the Appointment of Five New Board Members
New board members bring town-gown experience to complement the work of the organization.
Clemson, SC. The International Town and Gown Association (ITGA) announced the appointment of five new board of directors at its annual meeting, held on June 8, 2023, in Fort Collins, CO. This brings the total number of board members to sixteen.
“We are excited about the experience that collectively these professionals bring to the association,” said ITGA President Steve Patterson. “Their passion and dedication to campus community work is inspiring.”
These newly elected board members will begin their terms July 1, 2023:
Alexander Wray, a Canada Graduate Scholar, Salzburg Global Seminar Fellow in the World Urban Parks' Emerging Urban Leaders program, also a Ph.D. Geography candidate at The University of Western Ontario, is developing a research practice around town and gown, primarily focused on housing and community amenities. Wray is also President of the Town Gown Association Ontario.
Greg McDanel received the 2016 Public Service Award from the Northwest Missouri State University Alumni Association and was also named one of the "50 Missourian's You Should Know and in the "40 Under Forty" 2020 class by Ingram's Magazine. As City Manager of Maryville, Missouri, McDaniel has over 18-years of local government experience and 10+ years in city management.
Kelsey Otero, Senior Director of Community Engagement at Marquette University, serves as Co-Chair of the Near West Side Commercial Corridor Working Team and in 2019 was recognized as one of Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 winners.
Walter Woods, Coordinator for Outreach and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, earned a MA degree in Organizational Management, has over 20 years of non-profit leadership experience and is pursuing his doctorate in Organizational Leadership.
Summur Roberts, Director of Neighborhood Initiatives - Health Science Campus at Loyola University Chicago, has more that 20 years in higher education with 15 years of public and civic engagement strategic planning and leadership experience, and co-chairs ITGA’s Racial Justice and Equity Committee.
“I am interested in joining the ITGA Board of Directors because it is an organization that is both university and community centric,” said Kelsey Otero. “ITGA’s mission closely aligns with my professional interests. I have spent the last eight years working to build unique university-community partnerships and welcome the opportunity to support this work on a larger scale.”
ABOUT ITGA
The International Town and Gown Association (ITGA) serves as the only global non-profit organization focused on the dynamic between colleges and their host communities. Founded in 2008 and based in Clemson, South Carolina, the ITGA offers members resources, education, networking and solutions to the challenges, emerging issues and unique opportunities found in town and gown relationships. Our members are a diverse group of higher education administrators, elected officials, community groups and campus neighbors who collaborate on issues such as economic development, sustainability, housing, diversity and inclusion, quality of life and civic engagement.