Carlow University elected four new members of its Board of Trustees at the June meeting.
| Marketing and Communications | For Immediate Release |
| Drew Wilson, Director, Media Relations | July 23, 2020 |
| 412.578.2095 (phone) | |
| 412.260.6807 (cell) | |
| agwilson@carlow.edu |
Pittsburgh, Pa. – Four new trustees were elected to the Board of Trustees at Carlow University during the June meeting of the Board.
“Our four new trustees bring valuable experience and expertise to our board, as well as a passion for Carlow, our mission, and our community,” said Suzanne K. Mellon, PhD, president of Carlow University. “I am excited to welcome them to the board and look forward to working with them to further the mission of the university.”
The four new trustees are (more complete bios follow the release):
Karen Manna, vice president and senior investment analyst, Federated-Hermes, Inc.;
Steve Massaro, president, Massaro Corporation;
Lourdes Sánchez-Ridge, partner at Pietragallo, Gordon, Alfano, Bosick, Raspanti, LLC;
Carolina Vélez, account executive, Microsoft Corporation.
The new trustees began their service to the university on July 1, 2020.
### About Carlow University
Carlow is a private, co-educational, Catholic university located in the heart of Pittsburgh’s “Eds, Meds, and Tech” district. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1929, Carlow’s curricula and partnerships reflect its strong commitment to social justice; ethical, forward-thinking and responsible leadership; and service to the community that has a meaningful impact. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in two colleges: the College of Health and Wellness and the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Health and Wellness includes the departments of Nursing, Respiratory Care, Healthcare Data Analytics, Health Management, and graduate degrees in Speech-Language Pathology and the Physician Assistant programs. Graduate programs in Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy will soon be added.
Carlow University also believes in the education and growth of students both inside and outside the classroom, where they can join student government, clubs, and academic honorary societies where they can develop skills in judgment, leadership, analysis, decision-making, and communication. For student-athletes, Carlow’s 14 athletic teams are known as the Celtics, a reflection of the university’s Irish heritage and roots.
Bios of Carlow University’s New Trustees
Karen Manna is Vice President and Senior Investment Analyst at Federated Investors, where she is responsible for research in the domestic fixed income area, concentrating on high grade corporate securities. Previous associations include Senior Investment Analyst/Portfolio Manager, Tax-Free Money Market and Bonds; Senior Product Manager, Fixed Income & Institutional; Director, Research and Fixed Income Marketing, Federated Hermes; Fixed Income Product Manager; Real Estate Portfolio Analyst, Fidelity Management Trust Company. Karen earned a Bachelor of Science from Pennsylvania State University and an M.B.A. from Boston College. She joined Federated in 2004 and has 19 years of Investment Experience.
Steve Massaro, is President of Massaro Corporation. He is a graduate of Catholic University of America where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business, Management and Marketing. He has spent his entire career at Massaro, a well-established construction company in Pittsburgh started by his father and now overseen by Steve and his brothers. The Massaro Corporation did the renovation of University Commons in 2015. The Massaro’s are a family that is very engaged and philanthropic in Catholic circles and the community in general where the brothers serve on numerous boards.
Lourdes Sánchez Ridge is a Partner at Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP. She practices in the areas of government enforcement, corporate compliance and internal investigations, government related civil litigation, and the False Claims Act. Prior to joining Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP, Ms. Sánchez Ridge was the Chief Legal Counsel/City Solicitor for the City of Pittsburgh where she was responsible for all legal matters concerning the City of Pittsburgh while supervising the law department. Ms. Sánchez Ridge served as a Federal prosecutor in Washington, DC where she handled a myriad of cases including financial crimes, narcotic rings, violent crimes and homicides. As an Assistant United States Attorney, she conducted numerous grand jury investigations, argued motions, conducted bench and jury trials and sentencings. Ms. Sánchez Ridge is also deeply involved in the community. She serves as a Governor for the Allegheny County Bar Association, as well as a Board Member of the Board of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. She served as the Chair of FamilyLinks, a social service non-profit organization, the Chair of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce where she was the Founder of the Hispanic Scholarship Program; a Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs; and, a Director at the Allegheny County Community College Foundation and Global Pittsburgh. Ms. Sánchez Ridge has also earned several awards: the Carol Los Mansmann Helping Hand Award, National Football League (NFL) Hispanic Leadership Award and the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Hispanic Bar Committee El Sol Award.
Carolina Vélez is an Account Executive at Microsoft Corporation where she manages Microsoft‘s Enterprise relationships across several industries including retail, global manufacturing, utilities, and professional services. In addition, Carolina is an adjunct professor at Washington & Jefferson College where she teaches a course she created in the Conflict Resolution Studies concentration Carolina also sits on the Community Advisory Board for WQED, and is a Steering Committee Board Member for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Young Member Group of North America. Previously at Microsoft, she worked on the Customer & Field Advocacy Team as a facilitator of dialogue between customers and the sales team to prevent litigation. Prior to that she worked at a law firm in Manhattan specializing in financial services. She graduated from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in May 2014, with a Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution and Concentrations in Litigation and Family/Matrimonial Law. While in Law School, she was selected and participated in the Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Team in Hong Kong and practiced in the Divorce Mediation Clinic. Carolina is an Approved Mediator through the New York Peace Institute, and received her Basic Mediation Training at Columbia Law School. A native of Pittsburgh, PA – Carolina earned her Bachelors and Masters from Carnegie Mellon University. She currently resides in the Strip District with her husband, Adam.