Meet the Editorial Advisory Board
An editorial board that contributes to the editorial planning and development of the university's magazine was created in 2007, drawing together a number of key campus and alumni representatives. Members of the Editorial Board have been selected because of their expertise and commitment to the overall success of the university. Members of the editorial board are:
- Susan Anderson, who joined the Office of University Relations at St. Bonaventure in March 2003 and presently serves as director of fundraising communications. She is the published author of 13 romance novels and more than 20 magazine articles. An award-winning author, she has written for such publishers as Avon Books, Berkley Publishing Group, Dorchester Publishing and Kensington Publishing Corporation.
- Lisa Biedenbach, a journalism/mass communication graduate from the Class of 1976, served nine years on SBU’s National Alumni Board and currently serves on the Enrollment Committee of the Board of Trustees. She coordinates alumni events in Southwest Ohio as well as volunteers for the Office of Admissions by writing to prospective students and attending college fairs. She works hard to keep alumni connected to Bona’s. She is married to Robert Wuerth, who is a Bonnie at heart and thinks she should be on the Bona payroll.
- Br. F. Edward Coughlin, O.F.M., a 1970 sociology graduate of St. Bonaventure, was appointed vice president for Franciscan mission in 2005 after serving for nine years in administration of the Holy Name Province. Br. Ed has been a member of the faculty of The Franciscan Institute since 1985 and served as The Institute’s director for six years, from 1991 to 1996. He was a University trustee from 1985 to 1990. Br Ed was also a member of the University’s Counseling Center staff and adjunct faculty member in the School of Education from 1974 to 1997.
Beth Eberth is director of University Communications at St. Bonaventure. She joined the University in 2001 after 12 years at the Olean (N.Y.) Times Herald, where she worked as a reporter, features editor and assignment editor. In addition to her duties as Bonaventure magazine editor, she produces a weekly e-newsletter for faculty and staff, helps oversee the office’s internship program, and designs and edits a variety of printed and electronic publicity materials. In 2004, her design of the 2003 orientation guide received the Excellence in Design Award from the National Orientation Directors Association. Eberth holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pa. Her husband, John, is a member of the SBU Class of ’89 and anticipates their son, Kevin, will be enrolled in the fall of 2023.
Joe Flanagan, ‘74, is the director of Alumni Services. He graduated from St. Bonaventure with a BBA in management in 1974, and received a master’s degree in counseling from SUNY Oneonta in 1977. A native of Binghamton, he was a member of the Residence Life staff and Residence Director in Devereux Hall from 1977-1979. From 1979-1983, he served as the director of Alumni Services, then returned to Bona’s in 1992 to assume the position he currently holds. He is the president of the Western New York Alumni Directors, a member of the Saints Peter and Paul welcome committee in Hamburg, a volunteer for Friends of the Night, and a Eucharistic Minister. He also serves on Hamburg’s Villagers Committee — a group of volunteers that helps strengthen and support life in the village. He has served on the board of Mt. Irenaeus and is a retired high school and NCAA women’s basketball official. He is married to Mary (Rosinski) Flanagan, St. Bonaventure class of 1975. They have two children: Adele and Joe.
Steve Mest, ‘91, has been a member of the Athletics staff at St. Bonaventure since the fall of 1998. He was named to his role of associate athletics director for external relations in June 2007. He leads all athletics fundraising, including major gift solicitations, the Bonaventure Athletic Fund (BAF) annual appeal, the Sixth Man Club and the Women's Basketball Backers, and has oversight of the Department's sales, marketing and public relations staff. From 2007 through the fall of 2009, he also was responsible for the Corporate Partner program as well as marketing, promotions, special events and licensing efforts. Mest was associate AD for communications from 2005-07 and was assistant AD for communications from 1998-2005. During his eight years as primary publicist for the Bonnies' nationally-recognized men's basketball program, St. Bonaventure had 11 players earn All-Conference honors and three achieve All-District recognition. He worked with the 2000 NCAA Tournament team and two more clubs that played in the NIT. Under his direction, St. Bonaventure partnered with College Sports TV On-Line for all of its online ventures, including the Department's website, www.gobonnies.com, and the "Bonnies All-Access" audio and video platform. In the 2004-05 year, www.gobonnies.com was listed among the top 20 most-visited collegiate Web sites in its class. Mest also helped create the Bonnies Radio Network for men's basketball, with partner stations in Buffalo and Rochester as well as the Coach's Radio Show, the first of its kind at St. Bonaventure. Mest earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication from SBU in 1991 and a master's degree in professional leadership from St. Bonaventure in 2004. He was a member of the Bonnies golf team for three years and captained the squad his senior year. Mest and his wife Angela live in Olean and have three children: Sammy, Anna and Joe.
- Tom Missel, director of media relations and marketing at the University. Missel was director of publications at the University from 2001 until August 2007. He came to St. Bonaventure from the Olean Times Herald, where he was a sports writer, reporter and editor for 15 years. A 1986 graduate of SUNY Fredonia, Missel won several AP awards for writing while at the Times Herald.
- Dr. Todd Palmer, who is an associate professor of management in the School of Business and head of Entrepreneurial Values Program. His primary areas of research are on service learning and social entrepreneurship. Palmer’s recent achievements include the creation of Pinder’s Point, an Economic Development Zone in the Bahamas; overseeing the fifth annual entrepreneurial service trip to the Bahamas; overseeing the second cohort of SBU student teachers in the Bahamas scheduled for January 2008; entering into a three-year partnership with Community Blood Banks to create a new type of high school blood drive competition to change life-long blood donation habits; starting a joint education/business class to create and market real educational toys in partnership with Smethport, Pa; and starting an ongoing program with Portville Central Schools cumulating in the creation of a ice skating rink to be marketed by Portville students (supervised and taught by SBU students).
- Carri (Gregorski) Prue, 2004 journalism and mass communication graduate, is a senior account executive of public relations at Eric Mower and Associates (EMA) in Syracuse, N.Y. In addition to executing all editorial projects and media relations for national business-to-business clients, Gregorski manages EMA's public relations intern program. She serves as president of the Syracuse Ad Club, local chapter of the American Advertising Federation, and she joined SBU’s National Alumni Association Board in 2006. Gregorski participates in local recruitment events for the Office of Admissions, a practice that began with her days as a student ambassador. She is the 2004 Mark Hellinger Award recipient and a 2002 Jim Murray Scholar.
- Dr. Emily Sinsabaugh, who joined St. Bonaventure as vice president for University Relations in February 2007. Prior to her appointment, she worked at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in several posts, including as the Executive to the President for University Communications and Administrative Initiatives and as an adjunct instructor in the Department of Speech and Communication Studies and as a media technician in the Office of Television and Media Services. She also has experience in television, working part-time from 1988 to 1995 at the ABC affiliate in Erie, Pa., as an assignment editor, reporter and news videographer.
- Jordan Steves, a 2009 journalism and mass communication graduate, is the assistant editor of The Chautauquan Daily and lecture associate in the Department of Education at Chautauqua Institution. In those positions, he helps manage a seasonal daily newspaper with a 30-person staff comprising mostly college interns and assists in shaping and coordinating Chautauqua's famed morning lecture platform. He also is editor of the Word, the Chautauqua region's biweekly arts magazine. While a student, he served as a director at The Buzz, editor of its magazine, Buzzworthy, and created and wrote The Bunion, a Bonaventure-centric satirical news website, for his senior capstone. He is the 2009 Mark Hellinger Award recipient.
- Mary Jane Telford, ’75, who is director of volunteer relations in the Office of Admissions. Telford began her career at St. Bonaventure as an admissions counselor and as the head coach of the women’s basketball team. After leaving the University in 1993, Telford was a guidance counselor in Salamanca and then became the principal and chief executive officer at Archbishop Walsh High School in Olean. In 2000, she returned to her alma mater in the Office of University Relations where she contributed to the fundraising efforts of the University. As director of volunteer relations, Telford coordinates the SHARE Bona’s program in which volunteers assist with various admissions recruiting activities.
- Jocelyn Thomas, of Somerset, N.J., who has held a variety of communications positions since graduating from St. Bonaventure in 1977. Thomas, director of communications for Holy Name Province Franciscans, served on National Alumni Board from 2001 to 2007. A member of Parkinson’s Unity Walk board of directors in New York City, Thomas is active in committees and ministries of her parish, St. Matthias Church. She enjoys traveling and participated in SBU’s pilgrimage in May 2008.