President's Business Council Announces New Chair

Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, has announced that Elizabeth A. Madden ‘96, Principal, Global Head of Employee Experience and Engagement at Davidson Kempner Capital Management, will serve as the new chair of the President’s Business Council (PBC).

A founding member of the PBC, Madden has been actively serving the University community through the PBC for more than 20 years, most recently serving as its vice chair. She succeeds Francis J. Pearn ’83, P’16, Managing Director and Global Chief Compliance Officer at JPMorgan Chase & Co., who has served as PBC chair since 2019.

“As we navigate this period of transition for the PBC, I want to thank Frank Pearn for his dedication, mentorship, and leadership over the past four years,” Father Marina said. “I am delighted that Elizabeth has agreed to serve as PBC chair. Her work with the PBC has served the University well for more than two decades, and I am grateful that she will continue to move us forward as PBC chair.”

“For more than 20 years, the PBC has given me the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue with the next generation of Royals,” Madden said. “By helping to connect current students with alumni leaders, we continue to  strengthen the purple tie that binds the University community together and help build future leaders.”

Throughout her career, Madden has served as a thought leader, strategic partner and consultant by advising hedge fund founders, C-suite executives and internal business leaders. She has significant global experience in recruiting, HR policy and procedures, employee relations, strategic project management and senior leader coaching. As global head of Employee Experience and Engagement, Madden oversees all of Davidson Kempner’s inclusion and belonging, employee development, well-being and philanthropic initiatives. Through her work with the leadership and partners of the firm, she is intimately involved in transforming the employee experience.

Madden earned her B.A. from the University, her Executive Coaching certification from Columbia University and her M.A. in Higher Education from New York University, where she began her career working at the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Prior to joining Davidson Kempner, she spent 18 years at Goldman Sachs in New York and Hong Kong and nearly a decade leading the Prime Brokerage HR Consulting Practice, where she helped hundreds of new and existing hedge funds manage all aspects of the employee life cycle. She also serves as a leader with the Managed Funds Association as founding member for two of their Steering Committes, Human Resources and DEI.

The President’s Business Council was launched in January 2001 to provide networking opportunities for alumni and friends, to promote engagement with University students and to inspire philanthropy in support of the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. These objectives remain at the core of the PBC and are relevant ways for alumni, parents and friends to meaningfully connect with the University and its students in the service of strengthening the Scranton network in and beyond the business sectors.

During the academic year, the PBC conducts student networking trips to Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. These trips provide a unique opportunity for current students to travel and discover more about the industries represented as well as to meet and network with PBC members and other regional alumni and friends. In conjunction with the University’s Kania School of Management (KSOM), the PBC coordinates the Career Coaches program, which matches a student with a business executive in a player/coach relationship that further strengthens the student’s soft skills in preparation for internship and career opportunities. Since October 2002, the PBC has held its Annual Award Dinner in New York City. The gala has established itself as one of the marquee events of the year and has generated more than $20 million for the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.

For more information on the PBC and the many ways to become involved, visit scranton.edu/pbc.