Meet the Alumni and Parent Relations team

Randy Ness ’77
Position Title: Director of Alumni and Parent Relations
Main Responsibilities Include:
• Planning, policy, and budget
• Communication with parents and alumni
• Alumni and Parents Councils
• Alumni Awards
• Affinity groups (Alumni and parents networking circles based upon profession)
• Event planning, particularly for the annual Alumni Golf Outing
A Favorite Messiah Memory: As a student at Messiah, Ness was selected to serve as a residence hall assistant, bestowing upon him the traditional task of asking a female hall to act as his floor’s “sister house.” He made the request via telephone, and the woman who answered the call is now his wife. “She had a pleasing voice,” Ness recalls.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Cappuccino Chocolate Chip from Brusters

Paula B. Hunsberger '93
Position Title: Assistant Director of Alumni and Parent Relations
Main Responsibilities Include:
• Homecoming, Spring Reunion Day, and Senior Week
• Reunions, receptions, and various other events
• Student Alumni Association
• Senior activities with the Career Center
• Affinity groups
A Favorite Messiah Memory: During her four years of study at Messiah, Hunsberger is most thankful for the deep relationships she formed. She notes that she not only “met [her] closest friends here,” but was also able to create close ties with professors due to the ideal ratio of faculty members to students.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor(s): Mint Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Ripple

Michelle Blackford
Position Title: Coordinator for Regional Leadership Programs
Main Responsibilities Include:
• Regional program and events planning for alumni and parents
• Annual Youthworkers Conference
• Alumni and Parents Admissions network
• Affinity groups
A Favorite Messiah Memory:
Although a graduate from Eastern University, Blackford’s time as a Messiah employee has provided her with numerous opportunities to serve the worldwide community, including a five-week-long trip she took with her husband and 13 Messiah students in 1999. She says, “Like all the trips Messiah plans, it really impacted me—it changed my entire worldview.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Vanilla (with hot fudge)

Janice Natale ’92
Position Title: Assistant to Alumni and Parent Relations
Main Responsibilities Include:
• Support of other staff members
• Event logistics and registration
• Alumni records
• Supervision of student assistants
A Favorite Messiah Memory: Natale appreciates the rich experiences she had as a Messiah student, particularly in her ability to help edit the Minnemingo Review, manage two of the campus’ athletic teams, and participate in the Student Activities Board. She also remains deeply aware of the relationships she established while in college, remarking that “it’s your college friends with whom you have those really special bonds” which last all through life.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Milky Way