Meet the Team

Halla leads the development and alumni relations team that is focused on engaging donors and alumni of the School of Social Work. Halla is a mission-based professional who finds great joy in making an impact on our world through philanthropic engagement with generous donors. In addition to her development experience, she brings a deep passion for social justice issues, diversity, equity and inclusion, and a life-long commitment to improving the lives of others through her service. Halla is a UM-Dearborn alumna, and has been part of the U-M Development community since 2012. She has held roles in development at Michigan Medicine, and most recently she served as the Director of Development at the U-M Institute for Social Research. Halla's favorite place on campus is the School of Social Work!

In her role as Sr. Associate Director, Claire partners with donors, alumni, faculty, staff and students to connect them in meaningful ways. She has worked with donors on gifts to support student scholarships, faculty research and educational programs, and more. Claire is a strategic partner to the executive director of development and alumni relations and is involved in campaign planning and other strategic initiatives. Claire has over 12 years of experience working with donors to raise funds for projects and programs for which they are most passionate.

Claire's favorite spot on campus is Ingalls Mall - a popular location for daily walks, outdoor picnics and campus events. It features a lovely fountain sculpture and is bordered by the Burton Memorial Tower, Rackham Graduate School and the Michigan League.

Emma is a Michigan native and loves all things maize and blue. She has been a member of the School of Social Work development team since 2017. Prior to joining Michigan Social Work, Emma worked as a wedding planner for a local Ann Arbor company where she gained lots of experience with troubleshooting, event design and coordination. On event days, you will find Emma with notes in hand, a smile on her face and doing whatever she can to ensure guests and alumni are having a wonderful time. Her favorite part of her job is being able to meet the incredible alumni and to create fun celebrations that bring us all together. In addition to her event work, Emma serves as the School's annual giving officer where she works to engage donors who wish to make generous contributions to further the mission of the School.

Emma's favorite spot on campus is the Diag, where she likes to take her daily walks and enjoy the beautiful trees.

As a Development and Alumni Relations Officer, Nancy works closely with alumni and donors to engage them with the School. She manages the School's Alumni Board - a 40 person alumni board - and all of its subcommittees, including the distinguished alumni program, nominating committee, scholarship committee, and more. In addition to her board management responsibilities, she works with generous donors who wish to make a gift to the School in a way that is meaningful to them. Nancy has been with the University of Michigan since 2011, and she joined the School of Social Work in 2018. Prior to her current role, Nancy spent eight years working in Development & Alumni Relations and finance.

Nancy's favorite places on campus are walking in the Diag and the Law Quad.

Breanna graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A in Sociology and Social Work ('22). In her role, Breanna serves as the team's Development Assistant where she supports all functions of the development and alumni relations office. Breanna is our team's "go to" person to help get things done! She also provides administrative support to the Executive Director. Breanna is passionate about all things UM and Social Work, and she loves that she gets the opportunity to support the School through our work with generous donors and alumni.

Breanna joined the SSW Office of Development as a student, where she discovered a passion for working as a member of the School of Social Work development office. Immediately after her graduation, Breanna joined the team in her permanent role.

Breanna's favorite spot on campus is the Law Quad, where she enjoys taking walks and enjoying the scenery at any time of the year!

Gabby is in her sophomore year as an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan. During Summer 2022, Gabby participated in the Office of University Development's Development Summer Internship Program (DSIP) and served as an Intern for the School of Social Work's Development and Alumni Relations team. After completing the program, she stayed with the team as a student employee. Gabby is eager to take care of anything that the team needs and helps the team stay organized and on top of things!

Gabby also writes an Opinion Column for The Michigan Daily and works as a speaker coach for the TedxUofM annual conference.

Gabby's favorite spot on campus is the Nichols Arboretum, where she spent a lot of her first year going on nature walks with her friends.

Nikki is in her senior year as an undergraduate student at the U-M School for Environment and Sustainability majoring in environmental science with a minor in gender and health. She joined the team in the Spring of 2023 and had no previous experience with the School of Social Work (other than enjoying some of its study spaces.) She loves working with such a passionate and kind group of individuals and is excited to be helping to support the School’s mission and all of its students!

Outside of her role at the SSW, Nikki is a member of the co-ed professional sustainability fraternity, Theta Alpha Psi, and a guest writer for What The F, a feminist magazine on campus.

Nikki’s favorite spot on campus is the fourth floor of the Dana building. It has a beautiful glass ceiling that lets in plenty of light and provides the perfect space to read, work, or hang out with other students.