Ithaca, New York – November 8, 2011 – Stéphane Jean-Baptiste and Jessie Stone He have been tapped to head-up the School of Business’ innovative Business-Link Professions Program at Ithaca College.
Stéphane, an impassioned entrepreneur, non-profit leader and marketing professional, who most recently served as CEO and Creative Director of Nouveau Concepts, will serve as the Alumni and Corporate Relations Coordinator. Stéphane succeeds Kelly Penwell, who left Ithaca College in June. He will report to Dean Mary Ellen Zuckerman.
“I am excited about leveraging my marketing and communications skills to meet the goal of creating innovative and sustainable alumni and corporate relations partnerships. This will provide students with unequaled access and opportunity to the Ithaca College network,” said Stéphane. Based out of the School of Business’ Park Center in Ithaca, Stéphane will spend a lot of his time on the road meeting with alumni and establishing corporate contacts in the New York Metro area as well as upstate hubs which include: Syracuse, Rochester, and Albany.
Stéphane, a native of Haiti, holds a BA in Communications from Temple University, is a 2010 Pennsylvania Fellow for Progressive Leadership, and began his career with the University of Pennsylvania as Marketing Coordinator for the Graduate School of Education. He then served as Lead Designer and Account Executive at Azuna LLC, a media firm headquartered in South Korea. Subsequently, Stephane launched his own firm, Nouveau Concepts. For the past six years Stéphane has used his business talents to help generate creative ideas, plan and coordinate the logistics of complex projects and provide marketing strategy to over 200 regional and international clients.
Jessie Stone He, an established fundraising consultant and non-profit executive, served for the last five years as the Director of Development for the Broome Community College Foundation. Jessie will serve in an interim capacity as the Professional Development Coordinator following the recent departure of Bethany Kilgore. A formal search to permanently fill the position will commence next spring. She will also report to Dean Zuckerman.
“Working with students and connecting them to opportunities that will propel them forward professionally is both rewarding and challenging. I hope to build and strengthen the foundation Bethany established in her time at Ithaca College and continue the work she was doing to reach out to the leaders of our Business Advisory Council,” noted Stone He.
Stone He, a native of upstate New York, received her BS in Economics from Binghamton University and her MPA from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. Prior to her work in higher education, Stone He served as the Director of Development for the YWCA of Cortland, and began her non-profit career working for the Visiting Nurse Service in New York City. She also serves as a special consultant for Kim Kaiser and Associates, LCC, a firm specializing in national corporate sponsorship campaigns.
“Due to the uncertain economic climate, the Business-Links Professions Program will give our students the competitive advantage needed to secure their professional aspirations. That is why I am elated to have Stéphane Jean-Baptiste and Jessie Stone He on our team” said Dean Mary Ellen Zuckerman.
Established in 2008 in response to student concerns about job preparedness, the Business-Link Professions Program connects current School of Business students with Ithaca College alumni and corporations through a range of networking events, workshops, class presentations, mentoring, jobs and internships. Start-up funding for the program was provided through the generosity of alumni donors under the leadership of the Business Advisory Council (BAC).
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20111108121259756