Faculty
Conference Chair
Skylar Beaver
Skylar Beaver is the Assistant Director of Advancement at The Lawrenceville School, where she spearheads annual giving campaigns and oversees alumni and family engagement, donor relations, stewardship, and advancement services. With a strong global perspective, she also leads international fundraising initiatives. Her extensive experience spans 16 years in the development field, including leadership roles at The Spence School, Washington and Lee University, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
A respected voice in the industry, Skylar is a frequent presenter with CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education), a past chair of STAFF (Sharing the Annual Fund Fundamentals), and chairs NEAGC (Northeast Annual Giving Conference). Her exceptional contributions have earned her accolades, including the 2023 Diane Thompson Award for Excellence in Annual Giving from NEAGC, a CASE Crystal Apple Award for outstanding speaking, and the distinguished CASE Laureate honor.
Skylar holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and a Master's in Nonprofit Management from SUNY Brockport.
Faculty
Alyson Beckman
Alyson Beckman oversees the Student Alumni Association at UCLA, a 100-member volunteer group comprised of undergraduate students dedicated to building lifelong affinities to UCLA. Under her leadership, SAA has won multiple CASE ASAP awards for organizing programs that connect students and alumni through campus traditions and professional development opportunities. For the past four years, she has overseen the CASE award-winning Dinners for 12 Strangers program.
Beckman pivoted from a career in entertainment and discovered her true calling of developing students personally and professionally. She prides herself in empowering UCLA students to have an impact on their community.
Alyson joined UCLA in 2013 as the Coordinator for the Young Alumni and Student Engagement team. She has her bachelors in Sociology from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Ayanna McConnell
Ayanna McConnell has been named the Acting President and CEO of the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan. McConnell, who has served as the Alumni Association’s vice president for university relations since 2021, has more than 20 years of experience leading student alumni programs at U-M and Eastern Michigan University. She first joined the Association in 2011 to design the student community for the LEAD Scholars program.
In her role as vice president for university relations, McConnell has overseen all aspects of the Association’s university relations, student, and development programs. She has also led the Association’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice strategic initiatives.
Ayanna has presented locally and nationally on alumni/donor engagement, diversity and inclusion, mentoring and networking, and is an active CASE District V volunteer. A lifelong learner, Ayanna concluded her formal academic journey with a graduate degree in Higher Ed/Student Affairs at Eastern Michigan University. She serves communities in Southeastern Michigan through multiple service organizations, and resides with her family in Ypsilanti, Michigan.