UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Alumni Association welcomed new volunteer leadership on July 1, with Susan Robinson, class of 1994, beginning a two-year term as president. Fellow leader Melissa Brickhouse, class of 1999, started her two-year term as vice president on the same day.
Brickhouse earned her degree in management science and information systems from the Smeal College of Business in 1999. Robinson graduated from Penn State in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in health policy and administration degree with minors in business and economics.
“I am deeply honored to serve as president of the greatest alumni association on the planet,” Robinson said. “Our Penn State Alumni Association creates meaningful opportunities for alumni to connect with each other and the University, implements top-notch programs that elevate success in every chapter of life, and helps us all discover new depths of our Penn State pride. Our dedicated leadership, experienced staff, and passionate volunteers collaborate on and deliver audacious impact now and for generations of Penn Staters to come. It is who WE ARE and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Robinson succeeds Anand Ganjam, class of 2015, who will serve a two-year term on the Penn State Board of Trustees as the immediate past president of the Alumni Association.
“Susan Robinson is a tireless advocate for Penn State and her fellow Penn Staters, and we’re excited for her to bring that commitment to her role as president,” said Ryan Jones, interim executive officer of the Penn State Alumni Association. “She is a champion for organizational excellence, meaningful inclusion, and the power of Penn State to change lives. Her experience and perspective will be invaluable as she steps into this role.”
Robinson will lead the association’s 92-member alumni council, an all-volunteer governing body that advises and guides the Penn State Alumni Association on programs and initiatives to uphold its mission of service and support to Penn State. In addition to Robinson and Brickhouse, seven alumni leaders were voted onto Alumni Council, and seven appointed members also start their three-year terms on July 1.
Elected members are:
- Darlene Dunay, class of 1979, Eberly College of Science
- Michael Martocci, class of 1988, Smeal College of Business
- Jay Weitzel, class of 1974, College of the Liberal Arts
- Johanna Ramos, class of 1992, 1999 (graduate), College of Engineering
- Brian Sielski, class of 1988, College of Engineering
- Patrick M. Cook, class of 1991, College of Engineering
- Tom Maziarz, class of 1993, College of Engineering
Appointed members are:
- Nilda Cid Gumbs, class of 1992, Bellisario College of Communications
- Leila Farzam, class of 2014, Penn State Altoona; class of 2016 (graduate), class of 2021 (graduate), College Education
- Clarabelle Lin, class of 1994, College of Engineering
- Donovin Lindsay, class of 2014, Penn State Wilkes-Barre; class of 2021 (graduate), College of the Liberal Arts
- Jay Ludy, class of 1984, Smeal College of Business
- James McCarty, class of 2013, Penn State Berks; class of 2016 (graduate), College of Education
- Tiffany Veet, class of 2014, College of Engineering
Susan Robinson
Robinson is the 84th president of the Penn State Alumni Association; her two-year term as president runs through June 30, 2027. A life member of the Penn State Alumni Association, Robinson has volunteered with the Alumni Association for almost 30 years, including serving as the president of the New York City Chapter of the Alumni Association from 1996 to 2000 and serving in various roles on Alumni Council. She was appointed to Alumni Council in 2017 and later elected in 2020. Throughout her tenure, she chaired the Nominating and Governance committees and was an active participant on Budget and Finance, the Power of the Penn State Network, and the Development and Fundraising committees. In 2023, she was elected to the position of vice president.
Robinson graduated from Penn State in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in health policy and administration degree with minors in business and economics. She later received her master of public administration degree, specializing in health policy and management, from New York University, the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
Professionally, Robinson is an adviser and consultant, working with business leaders on efforts that impact revenue, relevance and reputation. Her previous projects have included interim executive leadership, organizational turnarounds, program launches and leadership workshops for top talent; competitive differentiation and growth assessments; and strategy, horizon and transformation planning.
She is a sought-after speaker whose engagements have included corporate and conference keynotes, commencement addresses, workshops, and client initiatives where she blends 25+ years of multi-sector leadership with her experiences being legally blind, to shift thinking, elevate potential and inspire action. In her 2017 TED Talk, “How I fail at being disabled,” she challenges stereotypes regarding individuals with disabilities.
She lives in New York City and is on the advisory board for the New York City Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association, is an executive board member of InTandem Cycling, and is the immediate past vice-chair of the New York State Preferred Source Program for People Who Are Blind.
Melissa Brickhouse
Brickhouse was elected to the position of vice president in 2025 and began her two-year term in July 2025. A life member of the Alumni Association, Brickhouse remains dedicated to giving back and empowering future leaders through service and strategic impact.
With over two decades of experience in healthcare and technology, she currently serves as the operations director at Cigna Healthcare. In this role, she enhances service delivery and drives compliance and quality across complex healthcare systems. Her work consistently focuses on leveraging data, improving systems, and aligning operations with strategic outcomes.
Her deep commitment to Penn State is reflected in her volunteer service, including roles as chair of the Technology Committee, vice chair of the Governance Committee, and chair of the Audit & Risk Committee for the Alumni Association. In these roles, she has contributed to strengthening institutional oversight and governance.