Engaging Our Alumni

In November 2015, Ann Pryor returned to her alma mater to become Vice President, Alumni Affairs. She leads a staff of eight to serve CofC’s nearly 95,000 alumni. 

Ann earned her BA degree in political science from the College in 1983 and moved to Washington, D.C., to begin her professional career on Capitol Hill. 

Prior to joining the College staff, Ann was Chief Operating Officer of The Cultural Landscape Foundation in Washington, D.C., and directed its business operations, communications, and marketing programs. She worked for the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) for 13 years. As Director of Public Relations from 2002-2008, she increased media coverage of the landscape architecture profession and rebranded and marketed the ASLA’s annual meeting and EXPO, doubling attendance and revenue in four years. She established ASLA’s social media presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. In 2008, she was promoted to Publisher of Landscape Architecture Magazine, directing a team of 11 in producing two-thirds of ASLA’s annual revenue. In 2005-06, she led a capital campaign to build a green roof on ASLA’s headquarters building in downtown Washington. In 2014, she launched the capital campaign to renovate the building for LEED Platinum certification.

From 1998-2002, Ann served as Director of Regional Alliances for McGraw-Hill Construction, promoting Architectural Record and Engineering News-Record magazines, among other brands. She was Director of Government Affairs for the American Institute of Architects from 1989-1995, representing the architecture profession before Congress and the White House on issues including historic preservation, small business, and surface transportation. She worked at the AIA chapter level from 1995-1998. From 1987-1989, Ann was Director of Publications & Program Services for the National Industrial Transportation League. 

Ann is a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She and her husband, Greg, reside in Charleston with their three dogs.

Karen is the Director of Communications for the Office of Alumni Affairs at the College of Charleston. She is also Executive Secretary of the College of Charleston Alumni Association. She has worked in Alumni Affairs at the College of Charleston since 1991. Karen served as Assistant Director under Tony Meyer ’49 until 1995 and assumed the role of Director of Alumni Affairs after his retirement. In 1999, she was elected Executive Secretary of the Alumni Association and in 2005, she was named Director of Alumni Communications.

In her role as Executive Secretary, Karen works closely with the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors and committees in fulfilling the goals of the Association’s strategic plan to help alumni stay informed, get involved and give back. She has focused efforts in creating a pipeline of potential Alumni Board members who will mirror the demographics of the alumni body. She led the Association’s efforts in creating the first Alumni Awards Gala in 2000 and has championed the creation of more than 20 new alumni scholarships since 1991, including the new scholarship in her name. As Director of Alumni Communications, Karen reviews communications sent to alumni and works with Alumni Affairs staff in preparing the ever-popular “Class Notes” for the College of Charleston Magazine and the alumni e-newsletter, Cougar Tales.

She has served as advisor for the Student Alumni Associates and as the faculty/staff advisor for Chi Omega. She has also been president of the Chi Omega House Corporation for over 20 years.

Karen earned a B.S. degree in psychology from the College in 1974. Following graduation, she moved to Rochester, NY, and worked as a clinic manager at the University of Rochester’s Strong Memorial Hospital. In 1988, she moved to Mount Pleasant and was elected to serve as a member of the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. She has two children, Ashley Jones Smith ’00 and Clayton Jones, and one granddaughter, Baylor Smith.

Meredith became Associate Director of CofC Clubs for the College of Charleston Office of Alumni Affairs in September 2016. She directs operations for more than 40 Alumni Association clubs across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, to connect with more than 90,000 alumni worldwide.

In addition, Meredith manages over 160 individual club events and an annual budget of nearly $50,000. She ensures chapters operate within the Alumni Association bylaws and mission, which is to provide support to the College of Charleston. She collaborates with Career Services, Admissions, the Cougar Club, the Black Alumni Council, other location-based clubs, and corporate employers in order to engage alumni in events and programs around the country.

Prior to her current position, Meredith was the Assistant Director of Chapter Development for the College of Charleston Alumni Relations office for nine years. In this position, she oversaw chapter event planning, scheduled and promoted alumni chapter events, and organized events in collaboration with the Admissions Office and Cougar Club. In this role, she developed the annual Club Leaders Conference, which is in its ninth consecutive year.

Meredith first joined the College of Charleston Alumni Relations office in January 2006 as the Events Coordinator, where she coordinated and executed major events hosted by the College of Charleston Alumni Association.

Meredith earned a B.A. degree in English from Clemson University in 2004 and an M.A. degree in English from the College of Charleston in 2016. She is a member of Kappa Delta. Meredith and her significant other, Kevin, reside on Johns Island with their dogs, Finnegan and Honey.

Najeema Davis Washington joined the Alumni Affairs team as Associate Director, Alumni Engagement and Career Services. Ms. Washington is a proud alumna of Spelman College where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Political Science, minoring in English. She earned her MPA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Ms. Washington worked from 2010-17 as a Senior Analyst for the Government Accountability Office in Washington, D.C., and has led her own digital strategy and social media consulting firm since 2011. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Ms. Washington is a native Charlestonian, graduating from Ashley Hall, and has a great affinity for the College as she attended both ECDC and the Governor's School here, learned to swim in the Stern Center pool and attended basketball camps under Coach Kresse. In her new position, she will develop communications programs, workshops, and resources to support our alumni in advancing their careers.

In May 2015, Laney took over as Assistant Director of Alumni Events for the College of Charleston Office of Alumni Affairs. In this role she plans, coordinates, and executes the Alumni Association’s signature events during Fall and Spring Alumni Weekends, including the Alumni Awards Gala and A Charleston Affair. In addition, Laney manages the Alumni Association’s governance meetings, receptions, and other events throughout the year.

She collaborates with dozens of College departments and outside vendors to successfully execute events for alumni. Laney also recruits and directs dozens of student, alumni, and staff volunteers to assist with events. Net proceeds from these events benefit the Alumni Association’s programs and scholarships for the College.

In 2016, Laney successfully completed her Certification in Meeting Planning, the most prestigious certification in the meeting and events industry, allowing her to use the honorific “CMP” after her name.

Laney earned her BA degree in hospitality tourism management and business administration in 2012 from the College. After graduation, she worked in the Charleston hospitality industry for several years before returning to serve her alma mater.

Laney is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and serves as a chapter advisor at the College. She and her husband, Matt, reside in West Ashley.

Alumnus Darren Callihan ’16 joined the Alumni Affairs Office in September 2019 as Assistant Director, Marketing & Communications for the College. He earned his BS in marketing from the College and enjoyed playing on CofC’s intramural teams.

In Darren's previous role as the Marketing Account Manager at Turbo Medical Marketing, he oversaw the digital marketing efforts for over 60 accounts across the continental US, including website updates, social media and email campaigns, and contact strategy for each client. Prior to his position at Turbo, he worked at Palmetto Moon for over seven years, where he specialized in social media and email marketing, event planning, branding, and customer service. He coordinated multiple campaigns for five new stores and managed daily marketing needs for 15 markets across four states.

Darren is a Goose Creek, SC, native and loves photography, playing tennis, and spending time with his two rescue dogs, Royal and Dixie.

In November 2018, Brianna Sabacinski '16 joined the Alumni Association Office as the Alumni Engagement Assistant at the College of Charleston. She earned her BS in communication from the College and is a member of the Zeta Lamba Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta. During her spring semester of her senior year at the College, she was the Event Coordinator Intern at the Alumni Affairs office, working under the Assistant Director, Events, to help plan and execute events during Spring Alumni Weekend, including A Charleston Affair.

Upon graduating, Brianna spent three months in Madrid, Spain, as a live-in au pair for two Spanish children and traveled throughout the Iberian Peninsula. Before coming back home to her alma mater, she worked in goverment services recruiting on the national level, multifamily property management on the local/regional level, and spent a significant amount of time working in the food and beverage industry in Charleston.

Brianna is a Charlton, Massachusetts, native, but has lived in the Charleston area since transferring from UNC Greensboro at the beginning of her sophomore year. She now lives in the Park Circle neighborhood of North Charleston, SC, with her significant other, Corey, and their dog, Margot.