2024-26 Fraternity Council Nominees
Fraternity President
Slated | Dr. Amy R. Ayres, Alpha Iota-Oklahoma
Dr. Amy Ayres serves as Vice President for Student Affairs and Title IX Coordinator at Oklahoma City University. With 27 years’ experience in higher education, Amy has made it her life work to support and develop college students through student success initiatives that create and foster a sense of belonging and connection. She received her Doctor of Education degree at the University of North Texas after completing dissertation research titled “College Student Adaptability and Greek Membership.” After almost 20 years in the Lone Star state, serving students at UNT and the University of Texas at Arlington, Amy returned home to the Sooner state.
Raised in rural Oklahoma, Amy has a genuine appreciation for what sorority membership can do for young women of all backgrounds. Amy and her wife Nicole live in Oklahoma City with their tribe of dogs and cats and enjoy concert going and supporting locally owned shops and restaurants.
Amy was elected Fraternity President in 2022 after serving on the Fraternity Council as Council Trustee: Collegians. As President, Amy also serves on the Delta Gamma Foundation Board of Trustees and as National Panhellenic Conference Delegate. In college, she was chapter president at the University of Oklahoma and then traveled for two years as a Collegiate Development Consultant. Amy’s Delta Gamma involvement also includes Fraternity Director: Chapter Development, Region 6 Director, Regional Collegiate Recruitment Specialist, Fraternity Director: Panhellenic Resources, Regional Collegiate Specialist, Council Appointed Coordinator and Lewis Institute facilitator. She received the Fraternity’s Outstanding Panhellenic Advisor Award and supported NPC as an Area Advisor.
Council Trustee: Collegians
Slated | Kristina Magovac, Delta Eta-Cal State, Sacramento
Kristina, an initiate of Delta Eta-Cal State, Sacramento, is currently serving as a Council Appointed Coordinator for Zeta Epsilon-Santa Clara. Her Delta Gamma experience includes Fraternity Director: Chapter Advancement, Region 8 Nominating Committee representative, Regional Collegiate Specialist, advisory team chair among numerous collegiate advisory roles and collegiate chapter president.
Over the past 15 years, she has participated in numerous committees and special projects. She is a proud recipient of the Cable Award and a member of the Sacramento alumnae chapter.
Kristina began her career as a professional makeup artist, later expanding into retail management for MAC Cosmetics and various brands. She has had the privilege of doing bridal makeup for well over a dozen Delta Gamma sisters as well as many various major milestone events. As a licensed esthetician she expanded her knowledge and offerings within the industry and has a passion for all things beauty.
Over the past decade, Kristina has gained success within HCM sales organizations, currently leading a Northern California team as a Sales Director. She and her long-term boyfriend, Luis, live in Sacramento with their cat Leo. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, sporting events and working on her home.
Council Trustee: Alumnae
Slated | Dr. Melissa Thompson, Gamma Zeta-Louisiana State
Dr. Melissa Thompson, Gamma Zeta-Louisiana State is a consultant and coach at a consulting firm, Success Labs, where she leverages her expertise in communication, strategic planning, and leadership development for clients in industries including healthcare, manufacturing and higher education.
As a Delta Gamma volunteer, she currently serves as the Fraternity Director: Alumnae Engagement, where she facilitated the 2023 alumnae engagement survey, expanded the alumna initiate program, spearheads the Member of Impact recognition program and serves as a co-lead for the strategic plan under the Connecting Generations action arena.
Previous Delta Gamma volunteer roles include Region 3 Alumnae Specialist, Delta Gamma PRO, multiple roles for the Baton Rouge alumnae chapter, including president, vp: membership and vp: communications, and multiple adviser roles for Gamma Zeta-Louisiana State, including recruitment, communications and new members.
Melissa currently serves as an organizer and speaker coach for TEDxBatonRouge and is an adjunct faculty member in the LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business. She received her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from LSU and her master’s and doctorate in communication theory from the University of Memphis.
Originally from Searcy, Arkansas, Melissa made Baton Rouge her permanent home in 2012. In her free time, she enjoys being at Lake Bruin with her family, boyfriend, Patrick, and sweet pup, Tallulah. She is a board member for the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, a founding member of the Echo Alliance supporting Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, and is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Baton Rouge.
Council Trustee: Fraternity Programming
Slated | Shenea Stephenson Strader, Eta Iota-Nevada, Reno
Shenea hails from Reno, Nevada, where she lives with her Sigma Phi Epsilon husband, Chris, their five-year-old twins, Siena and Silas, and their two dogs, Cooper and Chloe (who are also twins!).
She attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where she was an establishing member of Eta Iota chapter, where she served in multiple leadership roles. Shenea earned degrees in international business, marketing and Spanish, as well as a minor in economics, and also holds a Master of Business Administration.
As an alumna, Shenea has delighted in volunteering for Delta Gamma at the local and regional levels. For over 15 years, she has served in multiple positions in Regions 7 and 8, including multiple collegiate advisory positions such as Honor Board Adviser and ATC. At the regional leadership level, she currently serves as Region 7 Director. She has also served as Region 7 Housing Specialist, Region 8 Collegiate Specialist and New Chapter Coordinator. Shenea’s passions include facilitating at Fraternity leadership academies such as Lewis Institute, Anchor Academy and its predecessors, as well as traveling to chapters to facilitate the Act with Intention series. She has been instrumental as co-chair currently for the Fraternity’s strategic planning track, including the micro-chapter committee pilot.
Shenea is an active volunteer with her alma mater, having served on the Alumni Council since 2017, including as president. She also sits on the University of Nevada, Reno Foundation Board of Trustees. Passionate about community, both local and international, Shenea is also a member of the Rotary Club of Reno, Soroptimist International of Sierra Reno, Altrusa International of Reno/Sparks, Junior League of Reno and the Reno Elks Lodge. A certified Project Management Professional, she spent over a decade in corporate America in project and program management. Presently, Shenea is the president and CEO of Obviate, her family’s management service organization. Shenea enjoys traveling, animal rescue, advocacy for the special needs community and treasures volunteering for Delta Gamma and other organizations near and dear to her heart.
Council Trustee: Membership
Slated | Natalie Cooper Grindle, Gamma Sigma-Houston
Natalie joined the Gamma Sigma chapter through Continuous Open Bidding (COB) in the spring of 2004. As a collegian, she served as vp: Foundation, vp: membership (two terms) and member of Honor Board. Upon graduation, Natalie traveled as a Collegiate Development Consultant, 2007-08. She considers her time traveling the country for our Fraternity to be instrumental in shaping her personality and leadership skills. As an alumna, Natalie has served as a membership adviser, Collegiate Recruitment Consultant, Panhellenic Support Specialist, Regional Collegiate Recruitment Specialist, and a facilitator for ASTP and other leadership seminars in DG. Natalie is currently serving the Fraternity as the region 6 Regional Collegiate Specialist.
Natalie is a proud Texas native, growing up on the coast in a town called Bay City. She graduated Summa cum Laude from the University of Houston with bachelor’s degrees in marketing and management and a minor in Spanish. She has worked in energy trading and marketing for fifteen years, including liquified natural gas, natural gas, power and environmental products. Natalie is currently employed by Shell Energy as a gas and power originator.
Natalie lives in Houston, Texas, with her son Cooper and three dogs, Lola, Teddy Rex, and Vada. In her spare time, she enjoys watching Cooper play baseball, traveling with friends and family, enjoying live music and indulging in the arts when possible. Natalie’s hobbies include interior design and decorating, as well as fashion. Natalie describes her life as a relentless pursuit of progress with pragmatic empathy and logic.
Council Trustee: Communications
Slated | Danette Beck, Delta Iota-Georgia
Joining Delta Gamma at the University of Georgia in 1990 as a first-generation Greek, Danette did not fully understand the personal and professional impact it would have on her. Volunteering is a privilege Danette enjoys in several organizations centered on mentoring women and recruiting them to pursue roles in non-traditional industries. Danette held board chair positions for the Los Angeles Blind Children’s Center and the UGA Business School Alumni Board, leading teams through change management, rebranding and overall communications and marketing strategies.
Danette has served the Fraternity and Foundation in diverse roles spanning decades of service. She currently serves as Fraternity Director: Alumnae Development and is responsible for developing branding, recruitment and communications strategies for alumnae groups. In addition, she has served on the rebranding working group and as a member of the shared vision strategic plan subcommittee developing the Fraternity-wide communications strategies. Past roles include Region 8 Foundation Coordinator, Foundation Director: Training and Communication, Director: Extension Development, Region 1 Alumnae Specialist, Alumnae Development Consultant and Fraternity Management Corporation Member-at-Large.
Professionally, Danette leads the industry-aligned strategy for a financial services firm. She has been accountable for internal and external communications, branding and sales efforts. Her leadership has resulted in a 30% increase in engagement and sales.
She regularly speaks at international conferences reaching thousands of individuals conveying industry business strategies and market updates. She resides in New York with her husband, Gavin. In their free time, they enjoy traveling, hiking, visiting family and cheering on their Georgia Bulldogs.
Member Nominated | Samantha Siffring, Epsilon Nu-James Madison
Samantha (she/her) is an initiate of the Epsilon Nu chapter of Delta Gamma at James Madison University. Samantha has a B.S. in psychology and marketing and a M.A. in counseling. She lives in Colorado with her husband, Stuart, their three children, Reid, Oliver and Lila, their dog, Chloe, and cat, Greta. Samantha loves traveling, reading (mostly romance novels), antiquing and cheering for the Denver Nuggets.
Professionally, Samantha and her sister Brenna, Delta Kappa-South Florida, built and run a million-dollar business providing marketing coaching and consulting for women-owned small businesses. Samantha also hosts the Simple Online Business podcast and is the author of Copy That Compels, a guide to content creation for small businesses.
As a volunteer for Delta Gamma, Samantha has served locally in nearly every adviser position, as alumnae chapter president and vp: communications, and as house corporation secretary. She has served region 7 as the Regional Collegiate Recruitment Specialist and Nominating Committee Representative. Samantha is currently serving as the Director: Extension and as the volunteer lead of a subcommittee working to create a comprehensive communications plan for the Fraternity.
Fraternity Treasurer
Slated | Susan Meyer Kornegay, Eta-Akron
After over 38 years as a financial advisor/planner, branch manager and consultant/coach to financial advisors across the country, Susan Meyer Kornegay retired in 2022, closing Pathfinder Inc., the company she and her son Adam had started in 2009.
An active member of the Financial Planning Association and former treasurer of its East Tennessee chapter, several of Susan’s articles were published in the FPA’s Journal for Financial Planning. She was also active in Kingdom Advisors, where she was a member of their Champions Forum and led the establishment of the KA Women’s Community.
Susan’s background includes a bachelor of arts in education from the University of Akron and a master of arts in biblical studies from Covenant Seminary. She was a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ for 35 years and earned the Certified Kingdom Advisor® certification in 2017.
Initiated at Eta-Akron chapter in 1966, Susan credits her election as the chapter’s treasurer for her pivot from teaching high school French and English to her career in financial services. She has been a member of Delta Gamma alumnae groups in six states and served as house corporation president and treasurer for Alpha Epsilon-Washington University, chapter operations adviser for Gamma Alpha-Tennessee, Regional Finance Specialist and Regional Director for region 2 and currently Fraternity Treasurer.
Susan and her husband Jerry are active in their local church and enjoy University of Tennessee theatre productions, road trips in their campervan, and family time with their son, daughter-in-law Amy and grandchildren Abby and Ben.
View the 2024-26 Fraternity Council Elections Process here.