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Carolyn Brehm

Carolyn Brehm is founder and CEO of Brehm Global Ventures LLC, a consulting firm that advises private-sector businesses and other entities on global government relations and public policy strategy.

Carolyn Brehm is a corporate executive and lecturer with more than 40 years of experience in global government relations, public policy and international business. She worked at two Fortune 100 companies and several non-profits and business associations over the course of her career in Washington, DC and Asia. She is the Founder and CEO of consulting firm Brehm Global Ventures LLC and lectures on commercial diplomacy, government affairs and political risk. Ms. Brehm retired in 2017 from The Procter & Gamble Company as Vice President for Global Government Relations and Public Policy where she created and led P&G’s team of sixty government relations practitioners based in key markets across the globe. She was responsible for public policy and legislative advocacy to protect and grow P&G’s business, advising four company Chairmen and CEOs over her seventeen years there. During a 13-year stint with General Motors Corporation, Ms. Brehm served as chief international lobbyist in Washington as well as in business expansion roles in Shanghai and Hong Kong. She led Asia operations in Hong Kong for ORBIS International, a global NGO working to eliminate avoidable blindness. Ms. Brehm has taught as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and University of Michigan and is a regular lecturer for the Washington Campus.

Gail Brekke '11 Hon.

Gail Brekke ‘11 Hon. is Director of Business Development for Vlock Family Realty, Inc. Previously a top television executive in some of the nation’s largest markets, Ms. Brekke has built a reputation as a consummate professional serving in the highest ranks of corporate media. A former Vice President with LIN Television based in New Haven, CT and nationally headquartered in Providence, RI, Ms. Brekke also served as Vice President and General Manager of KXAN NBC 36 in Austin, TX, KITN-TV Fox 29 in Minneapolis/Saint Paul, WGBO-TV in Chicago, IL, WNOL-TV in New Orleans and KRBK-TV in Sacramento. She was also the President and Owner of Black Diamond Communications, Inc. in Minneapolis.

Currently, she serves a board member of the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven. At the University of New Haven, Ms. Brekke serves as a member of the Emeritus Board of Governors, the Arts & Sciences Advisory Board, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee, and the Compensation Committee. She received an Honorary Degree from the University in 2011. Ms. Brekke earned her bachelor of arts degree from the University of North Dakota and her MBA in Marketing & Sales from Webster University. She is married to Jim Vlock, retired Chairman and CEO of Fox Steel Co. of Orange and President of Vlock Family Realty Inc.

Daniel F. Gourash ‘80

Vice Chair, College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board

Daniel F. Gourash ‘80 is a partner in the law firm Seeley, Savidge, Ebert & Gourash Co., LPA located in Westlake, Ohio. He is Director of the SSEG Tort Defense, Product Liability and Complex Litigation Division. In this capacity, he leads various trial and appellate teams in the efficient resolution of complex civil litigation spanning a variety of subject areas, including insurance coverage, toxic/mass torts, products liability, class action defense, business and personal defamation claims, and commercial and intellectual property disputes. Mr. Gourash also advises companies regarding a variety of business strategies involving contracts, warranties, warnings and risk management in a wide array of areas, including the nascent cannabis and hemp industries.

Mr. Gourash received his BA from the University of New Haven summa cum laude in 1980 and his JD from the Duke University School of Law in 1983. He is licensed in Ohio, has been admitted pro hac vice in 26 states, and is a member of multiple federal district courts, circuit courts of appeal, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He has long been active in the organized bar serving as Chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division 1993-94; Chair of the Lawyers Conference of the ABA Judicial Division 2005-05; Member of the ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section Council 2005-08; A founding Member, Chair, and Immediate Past Chair of the Ohio State Bar Association Committee on Insurance Coverage Specialization from its inception to the present. He currently serves as Vice-Chair of the ABA/TIPS Committee on Cannabis Law and Policy. Mr. Gourash has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Bar Foundation, the Rockwell Springs Trout Club, the Vestry and as Senior Warden of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Lakewood, Ohio and has been active in the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. At the University of New Haven, he serves on the Arts & Sciences Advisory Board.

Rich Hanley '78

Rich Hanley is a Professor Emeritus of Journalism at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He is a graduate of the University of New Haven ’78 and Wesleyan University ‘93, Hanley served as a journalist for local, national and global media, including Time magazine, for 23 years in print, television and online before joining Quinnipiac in 2001.

He has produced, written and directed several Emmy-nominated documentaries for CPTV and PBS. He was recently nominated for a Boston/New England Emmy in the Writing category for his 2025 documentary on the effort to save a century-old tradition of ski jumping in a small Connecticut town. It stands as his eighth Emmy nomination.

Hanley oversaw graduate programs in journalism and interactive media for many years in addition to his teaching at Quinnipiac. He founded the university’s pioneering sports journalism graduate program in 2014.

In 2007, Hanley received the Charter Oak Society Distinguished Faculty Member Award from Quinnipiac, and in 2017 he became the first-ever Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine Outstanding Capstone Mentor award for his work with a medical student in developing studies and training programs for youth hockey coaches to spot concussion symptoms in their players. He is the 2023 recipient of the Neilson Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Hanley is frequently interviewed by reporters for stories at the intersection of politics, technology and journalism, appearing in media outlets ranging from the New York Times to Variety to offer insights and background information.

Hanley was honored by Quinnipiac with the position of 7Professor Emeritus following his retirement in 2023. He continues to teach undergraduate and graduate courses, including a popular seminar on the history of American football.

Peter Johnson

Chair, College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board

Peter Johnson retired from Eli Lilly & Company in 2014 where he served as the Vice President of Corporate Strategic Planning from 2001-2014. He joined Lilly in 1986 and during his career held a variety of positions in Finance, Manufacturing Operations and Strategy. From 2011 - 2016 he was an Adjunct Professor at Miami University’s Farmer School of Business where he was named MBA Faculty of the Year four times.

From 2015-2017 he was the Executive in Residence in Strategy at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He was named Teacher of the Year in 2017. In 1986 he earned his MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business and in 1981 was awarded a BA in English from the University of New Haven.

Ann Nyberg

Ann Nyberg has spent nearly 50 years in television news. She’s the longest-serving female news anchor/reporter in Connecticut television history. She anchors the noon, 4 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. weekday newscasts and produces and hosts her own show called “NYBERG.” It spotlights innovators, entrepreneurs, and those in the arts, among others.

In November 2015, Nyberg was inducted into the prestigious Silver Circle. It’s an honor given to television professionals who have made significant contributions to their community and the vitality of the television industry. It celebrates television pioneers and is given out by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Boston/New England Chapter. Nyberg has set the bar high and has made significant contributions to her southern New England community.

Nyberg was inducted into the Connecticut Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2025. Nyberg has been continually voted “Best News Anchor” in “Connecticut Magazine” for years.

Nyberg has been nominated for multiple Emmys. Highlights of her storytelling include assignments to the communist country of Cuba, the Vatican to cover Pope John Paul II and a trip to Cher’s house for an interview.

In 2017, Nyberg was recognized by Harper’s Bazaar Magazine during its 150th anniversary as a woman of success who pays it forward.

Nyberg has been a storyteller her entire life. It all started with a diary her mother gave her for Christmas when she was just 8 years old, and the rest is history. Nyberg’s first book, “Slices of Life, A Storyteller’s Diary,” debuted in October 2015; it’s based on her diary. Her second book, published in October 2016, is on the legendary Connecticut film actress Katharine Hepburn. It is called “Remembering Katharine Hepburn: Stories of Wit and Wisdom About America’s Leading Lady.”

She began her journey in broadcast journalism immediately following graduation from Purdue University, where she earned a degree in journalism. Nyberg was a television journalist in Indiana and Oklahoma before making Connecticut her home. She and her husband have three daughters, three grandchildren and two Golden Retrievers, Trip and Sherman.

Nyberg feels strongly about philanthropy. In 1993, she founded the Toy Closet Program at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Hundreds of thousands of toys have been given to children of all ages to help ease their trauma.

A lover of the arts, Nyberg is a founding board of trustees member of the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook. It is the only theater in the world named after the iconic four-time Academy Award-winning Connecticut actress.

In 2018, Nyberg was awarded the “Spirit of Katharine Hepburn Award.” It is given annually by the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center to an individual who embodies the spirit, independence and character of the legendary four-time Academy Award-winning Connecticut actress. Others who have been awarded the bronze Statue of Hepburn are legendary talk show host Dick Cavett, Academy Award-nominated actress Glenn Close, tony and Emmy award winning actress Christine Baranski, Oscar, Grammy and Emmy award winning singer-songwriter, Cher, actor Sam Waterston, tennis legend Martina Navratilova, actress Candice Bergen, Academy award winning and activist, Jane fonda and Golden Globe winner, Annette Bening.

In 2023, Ann received the Distinguished American Award from the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame/New Haven County chapter. In 2024, Nyberg received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of New Haven.

Nyberg also owns a boutique in Madison, Connecticut, called Annie Mame, another great place to collect stories. It’s named in tribute to one of her favorite movies, “Auntie Mame,” which was released in 1958 and starred Rosalind Russell, a Waterbury native.

Michael O'Malley, Ph.D.

Michael O'Malley, Ph.D., is an organizational psychologist, author, educator, and leadership consultant whose work explores how people, organizations, and communities flourish. As co-founder of Leadership Mosaics, he combines behavioral science, visual design, and analytics to help leaders better understand how they think, act, and influence others.

Throughout his career, Dr. O'Malley has advised boards, executives, and organizations across a wide range of industries and has held senior leadership roles with several global consulting firms, including serving as President of Human Capital at Promontory Financial Group, now part of IBM. He currently instructs, researches, and consults at the Yale School of Medicine, where his work spans leadership, human resources, organizational behavior, and quantitative methods.

A frequent keynote speaker and media commentator, Dr. O'Malley has appeared on CNBC, CBS, and Fox, and has been a keynote speaker at several high-profile organizations including the United States Department of the Interior, the Financial Time Innovation Conferences, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the Henry Jackson Society of Parliament.

Dr. O'Malley is the author of seven books on leadership and organizational development and four children's books. Though written for very different audiences, all of his books explore a common question: How do people realize their potential and help others do the same? Whether writing about honey bees, leadership, resilience, or kindness, his work reflects a deep interest in how individuals and communities grow stronger together.

Dr. O'Malley holds a bachelor's degree from Case Western Reserve University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a Ph.D. in Social Psychology and Quantitative Methods from Vanderbilt University. Outside of his professional work, he enjoys the arts and speaks conversational Italian.

Richard Smith, '80 B.A., '83 JD

Attorney Smith owns and manages SmithLaw, P.C, a boutique firm specializing in real estate transactions, estate law and litigation and is a member of the Connecticut, Federal and United States Supreme Court Bars. Richard also served as a member the Connecticut General Assembly as the State Representative for the 108th General Assembly District from 2010 to 2020 and was appointed as an Assistant Republican Leader and Republican Policy Chairman. Richard received numerous awards from Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) and was named a Community Champion in Connecticut and a Legislative Champion nationally for his advocacy against drunk driving.