John Christopher

John E. Christopher is a Founding Partner of Fraternal Law Partners. He helps fraternal clients navigate the legal challenges of non-profit organizations, including seeking and maintaining tax-exempt status, corporate governance matters and grant-making. He also advises national fraternities and sororities, their chapters and their foundations diverse issues including corporate governance and fund stewardship, domestic and foreign grant-making, maintaining the corporate integrity of affiliated organizations, policy and procedure drafting and review, self-dealing and excess benefits transactions review and guidance, and representation of organizations facing IRS audit, issues related to risk management and housing issues. He is a frequent contributor to the Fraternal Law Newsletter, a quarterly publication dedicated to the legal issues relevant to Greek life organizations. He regularly presents at conventions and leadership institutes on issues related to taxes and tax exemption, corporate governance and other topics.

Lianne Kowiak

Lianne Kowiak is a hazing prevention advocate and part of the Hazing Prevention Coalition having spoken to close to 8,000 students over 8 years at universities and high schools. Her son, Harrison, lost his life as a result of fraternity hazing during his sophomore year in college at the age of 19.

Her mission is to raise awareness and education to the dangers of hazing and to save lives. Lianne is a recipient of the Hank Nuwer Anti Hazing Hero Award and has appeared on Dateline NBC, CNN, BBC, Huffington Post Live, HLN, and other news media outlets to spotlight the dangers associated with hazing.

Suzette Walden Cole, M.Ed.

Suzette Walden Cole was recently appointed the Lead Consultant for the Fraternal Health and Safety Initiative (FHSI). Prior to her appointment, she served as the supporting consultant and lead author for two of the program module areas. She is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Initiative, client support, updating the curriculum, and ensuring the efficacy of the programs through ongoing assessment efforts. Suzette worked for ten years at Illinois State University; the last four of which she served as Director of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution.

She was instrumental in overhauling Illinois State’s student organization conduct process, now a premiere model in the field. She is a past faculty member for the Student Organization Institute, and serves as a full-time consultant, trainer and speaker on related topics at regional/national conferences, inter/national organization trainings and colleges/universities. As a risk management consultant, Suzette seeks to help others realize their potential—speaking, consulting and presenting to colleges, fraternal organizations and students across the country.

Suzette is a doctoral candidate in the Education Administration and Foundations at Illinois State University, studying the factors that contribute to the development of culture in student groups, student organization conduct and accountability processes, and effective strategies for cultivating change within student groups. Suzette earned her Master of Education degree in College Student Personnel Administration with an emphasis in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Mercer University in Macon, GA.

Scott Bova, CRFE, currently serves as the President of the Triangle Education Foundation. Scott joined the Triangle Foundation staff in June of 2000. As President, Bova is responsible for the daily operations of the Foundation and all avenues of income. Under his leadership, Triangle has seen a 600% growth in its endowment. In addition, the annual fund income and average gift has increased 200% during his tenure. As a result of this success, the Foundation has been able to increase support of Triangle’s educational programs by 55%.

Bova received a bachelor’s degree in Sports Marketing and Media Relations from Ohio University, where he joined his fraternity, Phi Kappa Theta. He is a current member of the Indiana Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, is a Director and Treasurer of HazingPrevention.org and is a popular presenter and speaker on alumni relations, volunteer management, board operations and fundraising.

A retired Partner for the Law Firm of Faegre, Baker, and Daneils, named as one of the Best Lawyers in America for Tax Law and named by Indianapolis Monthly Magazine as the Best Federal Tax Lawyer. Served as a past Director and Treasurer of the North-American Interfraternity Conference Foundation and general counsel for the Triangle Education Foundation. Trustee with the Indiana Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, Past President and Board of Directors for the Carmel Symphony Orchestra, and Past President and Treasurer of the Indiana Teachers’ Retirement Fund. Member of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity.

John Shertzer

John Shertzer is a 1998 graduate of Miami University where he served on the executive board of both Theta Chi Fraternity and the Interfraternity Council.  He worked for the North-American Interfraternity Conference as a Membership Service Consultant and then attended graduate school at Iowa State University where he earned a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies with an emphasis in higher education administration.  After graduate school worked at Iowa State University and the University of Maryland in student affairs roles.  John returned to the North-American Interfraternity Conference where he served as the Vice President for Leadership Education.  Today, John serves as the Executive Director of the Kiwanis Youth Programs and a member of the senior leadership team of Kiwanis International. In 2007, John began sharing this thoughts about the betterment of the fraternity and sorority community through a thought-provoking blog that challenges the status quo, poses questions about affiliated members’ choices, and asks the members of the larger fraternity & sorority community what can be done to advance the missions, values, and purposes of our fraternal organizations on a daily basis.

Founder of HazingPrevention.Org, member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, worked in and around higher education for her entire 20-year career for her national sorority, for the North-American Interfraternity Conference and the National Panhellenic Conference, for CAMPUSPEAK Recognized numerous times by the Association of Fraternity & Sorority Advisors for her volunteer service and writing, developed curriculum on a variety of topics and served in a number of volunteer leadership roles.

Member, Phi Kappa Psi; Board Member, Phi Kappa Psi Foundation; Phi Kappa Psi National Leadership Award recipient; North-American Interfraternity Conference Philanthropist of the Year; Founder, Institute for Greek Advancement; Founder, American Leadership Academy.

Member and former Supreme Prior of Sigma Alpha Mu; Trustee of Sigma Alpha Mu Endowment Fund since 1977; Member and President, NIC Board of Directors; Board Member, National Interfraternity Foundation; Recipient of NIC Gold Medal.

Meghan Ward-Bopp

Member, Alpha Chi Omega; National Risk Management and Standards Specialist, Alpha Chi Omega; Vice-President of Member Involvement, NIC; Ward-Bopp has served with teams of assessors for the Fraternity & Sorority Coalition Assessment Program; Awards Judge, Mid-America Greek Council Association (now the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values).

Member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Pi Delta Epsilon Journalism Honorary, and Phi Alpha Theta History Honorary; Developer of first national risk management and insurance programs for fraternities and sororities; Holder of extensive publications and copyrights in the fields of fraternity and sorority risk management; Underwriter for Lloyd’s of London, Lloyd’s Fraternity Program since 1985.

Member, former board member, and Executive Director of Theta Chi Fraternity; Past President, Fraternity Executives Association; Recipient, FEA Distinguished Service Award; Silver Medal award winner, North American Interfraternity Conference. Westol has given hundreds of presentations to the Greek community on topics such as hazing, risk management, motivation, values, ideals, and leadership.

Member and former Executive Director of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity; Consultant to Triangle; Member and President, NIC Board of Directors; Recipient of NIC Gold Medal; Director of Development for Delta Zeta; In 2004, the NIC Foundation’s award for development professionals was named after Jenkins.