(Oxford, OH) The Delta Zeta Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of new Trustees to the Board: Diane Chamberlain Cesarz, Lambda Theta Chapter, Michigan Technological University, Deana Lewis Kaplan, Theta Iota, Western Carolina University and Trudy Wheeler, Delta Omicron, Northwestern Oklahoma State University. Each of these members will serve a two-year term.
Diane joins the board with over twenty years of professional management experience with a focus on diversity and inclusion practices and value-based decisions. Her alumnae volunteer experience with Delta Zeta includes State Alumnae Chair, Area Alumnae Director, Vice President of Alumnae for Lambda Theta Chapter Housing Corporation and Chapter Association Contact. Diane also is an active member of our Metropolitan Detroit Alumnae Chapter. She is a past recipient of the Outstanding Michigan Delta Zeta Award. Outside of Delta Zeta, she gives graciously of her time and talent by serving on the Michigan Technological University Alumni Board of Directors and its Finance committee. She supports a variety of organizations including Ronald McDonald House, Meals on Wheels and the Michigan Council of Women in Technology.
Deana joins the board with eleven years as a nonprofit leader dedicated to growing community through strategic planning, goal setting, relationship building and inclusivity. Eight of those years were spent in Greek foundation fundraising as a staff member for the Alpha Phi Foundation and the Phi Kappa Psi Foundation. Currently, she serves as the Managing Director of Development for Bottom Line’s Chicago region, a nonprofit organization that partners with degree-aspiring students from first generation and low-income backgrounds as they get into college, graduate, and go far in life. Outside of her professional capacity, Deana has shown her generosity through volunteering her time and talent with the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Illinois serving on the Chicago Walk Planning Committee, the NIC Foundation serving on the Greek Retreat Planning Committee, the National Panhellenic Conference serving as a Scholarship Reader and the Delta Zeta Foundation serving as an Advisory Committee member.
Trudy joins the board with over thirty years of Delta Zeta volunteer experience at the local, regional and national level, with her most recent volunteer role being a Foundation Advisory Committee member. Other roles included National Chapter Adviser for the Delta Omicron Chapter, National Alumnae Program Chairman, National Field Representative, Regional Collegiate Director, Panhellenic Representative and President (twice) of the Louisville Alumnae Chapter and President of the Dallas Alumnae Chapter. Alongside her volunteer work with Delta Zeta, she gives graciously of her time and talent with a number of other nonprofit organizations including Leadership Louisville, The Woman’s Club of Louisville, where she currently serves as the immediate past president, Sterling Service Tea Ministry, the Miss University of Louisville Pageant, The Heauser Hearing Institute and The Louisville Deaf Oral School Foundation. Trudy also brings a unique perspective to the board with over forty years of professional training and experience as an actress, teacher and public speaker.
Diane M. Stecher, Past National President, Iota Xi Chapter, University of Missouri/St. Louis has been appointed by National Council to serve as the Vice President – Museum on the Foundation Board of Trustees. She is the third Delta Zeta leader to serve in this role following Lucile Crowell Cooks, Norma Minch Andrisek and Ruth Weider Patterson. Diane joins the Board with over thirty years of Delta Zeta volunteer experience at the local, regional and national levels including as an Alumnae Chapter Vice President, Alumnae Chapter President, College Chapter Director, Alumnae Chapter Treasurer, National Council member, National Finance Committee member, National Constitution Committee member and most notably serving as Delta Zeta Sorority National President from 2014-2018.
As we welcome Diane to the Board, we want to thank our outgoing Vice President-Museum, Ruth Weider Patterson, Beta Chi Chapter, Wittenberg University, Distinguished Past National Officer and Past Foundation President, for her years of service and dedication to the Sorority, Foundation and Historical Museum. A celebration and recognition of Ruth was held November 19, 2023.
On behalf of the Foundation, we also express heartfelt appreciation to outgoing Trustee, Kim Saari Johnston, Kappa Chapter, University of Washington, for her devoted leadership. Kim served on the Board of Trustees from 2017-2023, including service as the Vice President from 2018-2022.
Notes of appreciation to Kim Johnston and Ruth Patterson may be sent to Delta Zeta National Headquarters, 202 E. Church Street, Oxford, OH 45056.
The following Foundation Board of Trustees will hold positions in their respective offices through the spring of 2024: |