Commencement 2024: Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipients

Commencement Speaker

Patti Phillips is the chief executive officer of Women Leaders in Sports, a vibrant community of nearly 6,000 members with a mission to develop, connect, and champion women to advance and be a powerful influence in sports. Under her leadership since 2010, the organization has gone through a brand transformation, experienced triple-digit growth in membership, and established itself as the premier leadership association for women in sport. Phillips has dedicated her career to coaching, mentoring, and inspiring women at all levels, in all industries. Prior to joining Women Leaders, Phillips served as the Executive Director of the Kansas City Sports Commission’s Women’s Intersport Network, a nonprofit dedicated to leadership development in girls and women through participation in sports. She has influenced the world of leadership and sports from countless angles as CEO, executive director, NCAA program coordinator, color analyst, and coach. Phillips received the NCAA’s Champions of Diversity Award in 2015 and the Petey National Leadership Award in 2017. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City and is past president of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Known for her authenticity and tireless commitment to women’s advancement and development, Phillips is a well-known keynote speaker on leadership, teamwork, and culture. She earned her BA from Baker University and her master’s in athletic administration and sports psychology from the University of Kansas. 

Honorary Degree Recipients

Fran Craig graduated with honors from Saint Mary’s College in 1964 with a BS in mathematics. Early on Craig recognized the need for web-based data solutions that give users real-time insights, facilitate decision making, and contribute to long-term growth. After working in several technology positions, Craig founded her own company, Computer Strategies, in 1988—from her dining room table. She built the company with the goal of creating a great team, knowing the team would do great things for their customers.The company has since evolved into Unanet, a software product company with over 375 employees. Until her retirement in 2019, Craig served as CEO, leading the company’s strategy and positioning, guiding recruitment efforts, and forging key relationships within the industry. She remains on Unanet’s Board of Directors. Craig broke many glass ceilings in her career, flourishing in what remains a male-dominated field. Craig has given back financially to many women's and STEM-focused organizations, including Saint Mary's College. One of her passions is to increase the number of women in computer science and mathematics fields. She has returned to campus to speak with Saint Mary's students about her entrepreneurial journey. Craig remains active with nascent technology companies, especially those owned by women. She mentors and speaks publicly on corporate culture, entrepreneurship, and women in business and leadership.

Norma Pimentel, a Sister with the Missionaries of Jesus and licensed professional counselor, is the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in San Juan, Texas. In this position since 2004, she oversees the ministries and services for the Diocese of Brownsville. This includes emergency assistance, homelessness prevention, disaster relief, food programs, clinical counseling, and humanitarian relief to immigrants. Under her leadership, the organization has housed and assisted well over 100,000 people at the border. A daughter of Mexican immigrants herself, Pimentel has spent her life in radical imitation of Christ reaching out to the poor. Her tireless humanitarian work to provide a safe space for refugees and immigrants along the U.S.-Mexico border has been praised by Pope Francis and many other organizations across the country. In 2020, she was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world. Pimentel also received the Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame for her outstanding service to the Catholic Church and society. Pimentel earned a BA in fine arts from Pan American University; an MA in theology from St. Mary’s University; an MA in pastoral counseling from Loyola University Chicago.