UCF Alumni Board Welcomes New Members
The UCF Alumni Board, led by its chair, Matt Assenmacher ‘93, welcomed five new Elected Directors and four new Committee Advisors this summer. The board is made up of dedicated volunteers who share their time and expertise to strengthen programs and services that benefit over 334,000 alumni.
Elected Directors and Committee Advisors
Ruth Colombe ’12, Engagement Committee Advisor, is a seasoned marketing professional currently working at Microsoft as a Marketing Communications Manager. Ruth earned her bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the College of Business and her master’s in Business Administration from Mercer University. Ruth stays involved as an AlumKnight by serving on the UCF Content Advisory Board and recently served as a panelist for the UCF Alumni ChargeOn Panel: Alumnae Leading the Charge during Homecoming 2020.
Michele Engle ’88, Elected Director, is the CEO of Commercial Air Conditioning and Electric, Inc., a private woman-owned company based in Longwood, Florida. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Modern Language from the College of Arts and Humanities and a minor in Business Administration. Michele currently serves as chair of the UCF Parent & Family Philanthropy Council.
Kurt Halls ’93, Elected Director, is the Sr. Program Manager/Sr. Recruiter for The Gates Foundation and an accomplished corporate recruiter with a background in IT, sales, accounting & finance, marketing call centers, engineering, pharma, healthcare and executive recruiting. He is also the owner of Caribeque Seasoning and Rub Company. Kurt earned his bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication from the College of Sciences.
Victoria Manglardi ’08, Elected Director, is an attorney at Martinez Manglardi PA. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies and minor in Criminal Justice from the College of Community Innovation and Education. She currently serves as Immediate Past Chair of the UCF College of Community Innovation and Education Alumni Chapter.
Kelly Quintero ’13, Philanthropy Committee Advisor, is the director of Advocacy & Government Relations for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, the largest hunger relief organization in the region. Kelly earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and minor in Women’s Studies from the College of Sciences and is a recipient of the 2021 UCF Alumni 30 Under 30 Award. Kelly currently serves as Chair-elect for the UCF Young Alumni Council.
Tiffany Sanders ’99, Advocacy Committee Advisor, is a Brand and Marketing Strategist at Knight Agency. She has over 20 years of marketing experience with private and public sector organizations in Orlando and New York. Tiffany earned her bachelor’s degree in Advertising/Public Relations from the Nicholson School of Communication and Media and has been an active member of UCF Town & Gown since 2017.
Robert Strong ’92, Philanthropy Committee Advisor, is a vice president for Qualitest, the world’s largest pure-play quality engineering services firm. Rob earned his bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the College of Undergraduate Studies and is married to UCF alumna Kimberlee Mikol Strong ’93, chair of the UCF Nicholson School of Communication and Media Advisory Board.
Cortez Whatley ’13, Elected Director, serves as the senior aide and chief of staff to Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe. He is a member of both the NAACP of Central Florida and the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida Young Professionals Board, Club Blue. Cortez earned two bachelor’s degrees in Legal Studies and in Public Administration and a minor in Political Science from the College of Community Innovation and Education. He earned his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis.
Shawn Young ’99, Elected Director, is the president of Entertainment Outfitters, LLC, a full service custom apparel and accessory manufacturing and design firm that specializes in offering retail solutions for the tourism, hospitality and retail industries. Shawn earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the College of Business.
Advancing the UCF Alumni Mission
UCF alumni are a community of people who share a UCF experience, care about the university and want to stay connected to it. Your support helps UCF continue to grow and provide opportunities for alumni, current and future students, community partners and friends.
