Indianapolis, May 22, 2023 – The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) has selected six individuals to join the 2023-2024 IFC Advisory Council. These undergraduate students have served on their respective campus Interfraternity Councils (IFC) and held numerous chapter leadership positions. They include Greg Abraham, University of Arizona; Braeden Boyle, High Point University; Rocco DeLorenzo, Cornell University; Chris Higby, Ohio State University; Charlie Schimmel, Louisiana State University; and Jake Sherman, University of Missouri. Learn more about these individuals below.  

“We are grateful for these young men and their commitment to the fraternal movement,” said Will Foran, NIC Chief Operating Officer. “They play a critical role in continuing to enhance the resources available to Interfraternity Councils by providing strategic feedback and intentionally engaging with other fraternity leaders. We appreciate their willingness to volunteer their time over the next year.”  

The IFC Advisory Council is a unique opportunity allowing undergraduate fraternity members to engage with industry leaders while helping to influence and shape the fraternity experience. They will assist with developing IFC resources, inter/national policy and mentoring other IFC officers. Members will begin meeting later this month and serve in this role for one year.  

Greg Abraham  
Greg serves as the current Interfraternity Council President at the University of Arizona. Prior to this, he served as the president of the Epsilon Alpha chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity. 

Braeden Boyle 
Braeden has served two terms as IFC President at High Point University (HPU). He serves as a student conduct board member in the Office of Student Conduct at HPU and a member of the student government executive council and was recently elected class president. In the Eta Xi chapter of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, Braeden has served as ritual chair, house manager/resident assistant. 

Rocco DeLorenzo 
Rocco currently serves as the Cornell University Interfraternity Council president and previously served as the vice president of membership and alumni development. He has served as risk manager and academic chair for the Alpha Psi chapter of Chi Psi Fraternity. Additionally, he was a member of the Cornell Undergraduate Student Assembly serving as the vice president of finance and as Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management representative.  

Chris Higby 
Chris has served in many roles within the Ohio State University Interfraternity Council including vice president of recruitment, vice president of marketing and as president. He was also a cohort facilitator for the Greek programming board. Within the Ohio Gamma chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, he has served as vice programming of recruitment and vice president of programming.  

Charlie Schimmel 
Currently, Charlie is serving as the Interfraternity Council president at Louisiana State University. Previously, he served as the vice president, new member educator and pledge class president of the Beta Phi chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.  

Jake Sherman 
Jake is the Interfraternity Council president at the University of Missouri-Columbia. As a member of the Gamma Kappa chapter of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, Jake served as the director and senior director of philanthropy and other positions. He is active on campus serving on the steering committee for Rockin’ Against Multiple Sclerosis and participating in the Missouri Real Estate Club, Business Careers in Entertainment and as a member of the Investment Group. 

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The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) is the trade association representing national and international men’s fraternities, including a diverse range of culturally and religious-based organizations. The NIC’s member organizations boast more than 6,000 chapters located on more than 550 campuses in the United States and Canada, with approximately 250,000 undergraduate members and nearly 4.2 million alumni. 

Indianapolis, January 11, 2023 – The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) announces the hiring of Cody Cramer as Director of Communication. In this role he will develop and execute proactive, industry-wide campaigns geared toward telling the story of the fraternity experience; provide support to members and Interfraternity Councils when crisis communication assistance is needed; lead grassroots communication efforts in collaboration with interfraternal organizations and partners; and more. 

“Having experience in higher education and fraternity communications, we are eager for Cody to join our team to further develop and execute public relations initiatives for higher education thought leaders and engage fraternity members around advocacy and legislative priorities,” said Judson Horras, NIC President and CEO.  

Cramer comes to the NIC team from FarmHouse Fraternity where he served as Assistant Executive Director for Communications & Alumni Engagement. For the past two years, Cramer has been highly involved with the Fraternity Communications Association serving as Brown Bag Chair and Programming Chair, receiving the Association’s Chairperson of the Year Award in 2022. From 2013-2020, Cramer worked at Oklahoma State University with a focus on communications and first-year student success.  

“I am excited to be joining the team as the Director of Communication. The value provided by fraternities and sororities is unmatched and I look forward to working with our partners to continue to advance the fraternal movement,” said Cramer. 

Since graduating from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor’s in agribusiness, including a minor in marketing, and a master’s in agricultural communications, he has been an active member of many professional organizations including Edmond Young Professionals, Oklahoma Colleges Public Relations Council and Stillwater Chamber of Commerce. Cramer is a member of FarmHouse Fraternity. 

Current Director of Communication Hillary Brewer will transition to Director of Marketing after Cramer’s start date. In this role, she will nurture and grow the NIC’s and Foundation for Fraternal Excellence’s reputation for being forward-thinking, supportive communication partners in the industry with a focus on executing impactful digital marketing campaigns. 

Cramer will begin on January 30 and can be reached at cody.cramer@nicfraternity.org following his start date. Brewer can still be reached at hillary.brewer@nicfraternity.org. 

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The Foundation for Fraternal Excellence (FFE) is comprised of more than 65 men’s, women’s and co-ed fraternal educational foundations and operates to advance the various needs of the dynamic industry. The FFE provides operational support for new and emerging fraternal foundations, working hand-in-hand with various fraternal communities and the NIC to strengthen and improve the entire fraternity/sorority experience through a culture of care, connection and research. 

The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) is the trade association representing national and international men’s fraternities, including a diverse range of culturally and religious-based organizations. The NIC’s member organizations boast more than 6,000 chapters located on more than 550 campuses in the United States and Canada, with approximately 250,000 undergraduate members and nearly 4.2 million alumni. 

Indianapolis, October 21, 2022 – The Foundation for Fraternal Excellence (FFE) and North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) announce the hiring of Desiree Paulhamus as Director of Programs. In this role, she will manage all aspects of flagship FFE and NIC programs as well as implement new and existing initiatives that will help members grow and strengthen the future of the fraternal experience.

“Desiree is the kind of professional who can take on anything and excel. She’s passionate about the education and leadership opportunities that exist within the fraternity/sorority experience, and I have no doubt that will translate to her work with FFE and the NIC. I’m looking forward to working alongside her and seeing how her thoughtful approach help us fulfill our missions with greater impact,” said FFE Executive Director Ashley VanDewark.

Paulhamus comes to the FFE/NIC team from The EMpact One Foundation where she served as Director of Development and Communications. From 2016-2021, Paulhamus worked at the Tri Sigma Foundation as the Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives. During this time she was involved with FFE and served as a volunteer member of the Advance Planning Committee.

“I’m excited to step into the Director of Programs role. Having worked at a sorority foundation, I’ll strive to be a strong and collaborative partner with our members to meet the needs of the fraternal industry, along with our philanthropic efforts as a greater community,” Paulhamus shared. “I look forward to sharing my strengths and talents to serve both the professional staff and volunteers in new ways.”

She is a devoted volunteer giving her time to organizations including the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Tri Sigma Sorority and the National Panhellenic Conference Foundation. She is a member of Tri Sigma from the University of Central Arkansas.

Paulhamus will begin on November 3 and can be reached at desiree.paulhamus@fraternalexcellence.org following her start date.

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The Foundation for Fraternal Excellence (FFE) is comprised of more than 65 men’s, women’s and co-ed fraternal educational foundations and operates to advance the various needs of the dynamic industry. The FFE provides operational support for new and emerging fraternal foundations, working hand-in-hand with various fraternal communities and the NIC to strengthen and improve the entire fraternity/sorority experience through a culture of care, connection and research.

The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) is the trade association representing national and international men’s fraternities, including a diverse range of culturally and religious-based organizations. The NIC’s member organizations boast more than 6,000 chapters located on more than 550 campuses in the United States and Canada, with approximately 250,000 undergraduate members and nearly 4.2 million alumni.

Indianapolis, September 14, 2022 – The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) and Foundation for Fraternal Excellence (FFE) announce the departure of Mike McRee as Chief Operating Officer on Sept. 23. On Sept. 26 he will begin his tenure at Offprem Technology as the director of education, nonprofit and government solutions.

As COO since 2016, McRee has served both the NIC and FFE as the primary contact for all Alliance Partner initiatives and supported institutions in the Midwest/Western U.S. and Canada on the campus support team. “Mike’s leadership has been invaluable to the NIC and FFE. We can’t thank him enough for his outstanding contributions that contributed to the advancement of fraternities and sororities,” said Judson Horras, NIC president and CEO.

With McRee’s departure, FFE Executive Director Ashley VanDewark will assume all Alliance Partner communication and initiatives and NIC Vice President of Campus Support Dan Faill will support campuses in the Midwest/Western U.S. and Canada.

“I am humbled and honored to have had the opportunity to serve and work for so many valued staff, headquarters, campus and alliance partners, students, colleagues and mentors at the NIC and FFE for the past six and a half years,” said McRee, “Our staff believes that relationships move the needle and I feel lucky to have developed and learned from so many others along the way. I know our member organizations and campuses will be in excellent hands with Jud, Will and the campus support team and I couldn’t be more excited that Ashley will be taking over our Alliance Partner program.”

VanDewark has served as FFE’s executive director for four years. In this role she has worked closely with McRee regarding the Alliance Partner program largely as it relates to NIC/FFE events including the Annual Meeting of Members, Seminar, Summit and Advance. Alliance Partners can begin directing communication to VanDewark at ashley.vandewark@foundationfe.org as she transitions to assume this role.

In addition, FFE is excited to announce that a new position has been created to support both NIC and FFE programs and events. The Director of Programs will support FFE’s mission of enhancing the skills and knowledge of associated professionals and volunteers as well as the NIC’s mission to enhance the fraternity experience. This role will manage impactful industry programs including but not limited to Seminar, Summit, Advance, PRIME, IFC Academy, Launch, IMPACT, NIC/FFE awards programs and more.

The Director of Programs position description can be found on the NIC and FFE websites with applications directed to VanDewark at ashley.vandewark@foundationfe.org. McRee can be reached at mikemcree@gmail.com.

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The North American Interfraternity Conference is the trade association representing 58 inter/national men’s fraternities. The NIC’s member organizations boast more than 6,000 chapters located on more than 550 campuses in the United States and Canada, with approximately 250,000 undergraduate members and nearly 4.2 million alumni.

The Foundation for Fraternal Excellence is comprised of more than 65 men’s, women’s and co-ed fraternal educational foundations and operates to advance the various needs of the dynamic industry. The FFE provides operational support for new and emerging fraternal foundations, working hand-in-hand with various fraternal communities and the NIC to strengthen and improve the entire fraternity/sorority experience through a culture of care, connection and research.

Indianapolis, September 13, 2022 – The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) announces the hiring of Russell Best, Dan Faill and Todd Sullivan as Vice Presidents of Campus Support beginning Sept. 19. As Vice Presidents of Campus Support, each will be focused on shaping positive fraternity experiences, coaching Interfraternity Councils (IFCs) and officers, and serving as a primary NIC representative to IFC officers, advisors, campus partners and alumni volunteers.

Best comes to the NIC from the University of Cincinnati Foundation where he has served for six years, most recently in the role of executive director of alumni and donor experience. Prior to the UC Foundation, Best worked for the University of Cincinnati supporting fraternity and sorority life and served on Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s staff as director of expansion and regional director. He actively pursues strategies that champion inclusivity, activate alumni, build a culture of philanthropy, provide resources to alumni, drive brand awareness and elevate reputation. Best brings more than a decade of higher education experience to the role.

On joining the NIC staff Best said, “I am very much looking forward to educating and advocating for the fraternity experience on behalf of our members and alongside industry partners, alumni, student leaders and campus administrators. After six years in alumni relations at my alma mater, I’m excited to return to the fraternal world.”

Best received Master of Community Planning and Bachelor of Urban Planning degrees from the University of Cincinnati.

Faill brings more than 15 years of work in higher education to the NIC team. In 2018, Faill started a company of his own – Faill Safe Solutions, LLC – through which he traveled the country, or presented virtually, speaking to communities and organizations advocating for safe and positive student experiences. Prior to starting his own company, Faill worked in fraternity and sorority life and alumni affairs at UCLA, Elon, Loyola Marymount and University of the Pacific. As a large part of his work, Faill challenges the paradigm of “tradition” to help others think critically about the situation and the bigger picture to become a better agent of positive social change.

“I’m excited to step back into my roots of advising and advocating for safe and transformative fraternal experiences, only this time I get to work with a plethora of campuses in a region I’ve called home for over 15 years,” Faill said regarding the VP role.

Faill holds a Master of Arts from the University of the Pacific in educational administration and leadership of student affairs and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in communication and leadership studies where he joined Theta Chi Fraternity.

Sullivan joins the NIC staff having worked at Drexel University for the past five years as the director of fraternity and sorority life. He has been an active fraternity and sorority life advocate for two decades and served in various director-level roles at the University of Connecticut, Tufts and Florida International. Consistently supporting member growth and development in alignment with values and standards, Sullivan believes in enhancing the member experience on and off campus to support learning outcomes and growth for a diverse student population.

On accepting the role Sullivan said, “I’m excited to continue building fraternal partnerships across higher education, connecting a diverse array of students with the resources they need to be successful.”

Sullivan holds a Master of Science in higher education and student affairs from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts in film studies from the University of California at Santa Barbara where he joined Delta Upsilon Fraternity.

“We are thrilled to have three professionals joining our team who bring more than 40 years of industry experience, each having held campus-based roles as well as various stints at their respective fraternity headquarters,” said Judson Horras, NIC president and CEO, “In the last twelve months the NIC has launched the IFC Advisory Council; absorbed the cost of PRIME and IFC Academy into IFC dues providing more accessible programming; partnered with Tikkit to enhance event safety; distributed data detailing the positive impact of fraternity; and more, and we’re excited to have Russell, Dan and Todd on board to continue to advocate for and champion the fraternal experience.”

Upon joining staff, Best will support institutions in the South and can be contacted at russell.best@nicfraternity.org; Faill will support institutions on the West Coast and can be contacted at dan.faill@nicfraternity.org; and Sullivan will support institutions in the Northeast and can be contacted at todd.sullivan@nicfraternity.org.

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The North American Interfraternity Conference is the trade association representing 58 inter/national men’s fraternities. The NIC’s member organizations boast more than 6,000 chapters located on more than 550 campuses in the United States and Canada, with approximately 250,000 undergraduate members and nearly 4.2 million alumni.

Indianapolis, August 5, 2022 — The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) announces that Jackie Hackett will depart her full-time position on August 5 to assume the role of Assistant Executive Director at NIC member fraternity Sigma Alpha Mu. Hackett will work part-time assisting the NIC and Foundation for Fraternal Excellence (FFE) throughout the execution of our Dual Meeting at the end of August.

As a member of the NIC team since November 2018, Hackett has been responsible for successfully leading NIC educational programs such as UIFI, LAUNCH, IMPACT, PRIME and IFC Academy—including successfully transitioning PRIME, Academy and LAUNCH to virtual experiences and developing new and updated resources for Interfraternity Councils and officers. This past year she served the NIC in the role of Vice President of Campus Operations working with institutions throughout the Southeast and Midwest. 

NIC Chief Strategy Officer Will Foran added, “Jackie has been instrumental in successfully adapting NIC programs to virtual platforms while actively deploying newly imagined IFC resources. She continually works to build collaborative partnerships with student leaders and campus partners to enhance the fraternity experience. She will be missed, and we know that she will bring the same dedication to her role at Sigma Alpha Mu.” 

Hackett is a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Marshall University and her master’s degree in student affairs in higher education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. 

Communication regarding campus support previously provided by Hackett should be directed to campus@nicfraternity.org while the role is vacant. Communication regarding NIC/FFE Dual Meeting registration should still be directed to Hackett at jackie.hackett@nicfraternity.org.

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