After eight years, Katharine Buckley McNamara ’81, the first woman to direct the College’s Office of Public Affairs, has left the position to become the vice president of the Close Up Foundation in Alexandria, Va. McNamara will lead the foundation’s marketing division. Close Up is the nation’s largest nonprofit citizenship education organization.

Under McNamara’s leadership, the scope of the public affairs mission at Holy Cross was expanded—new technology was implemented to increase the national visibility of the College and to communicate the Holy Cross mission more effectively and extensively. She led the effort to upgrade the tabloid-style periodical Crossroads to the current full-color Holy Cross Magazine. In addition, McNamara oversaw the creation of the College’s first Web site and directed the Admissions marketing study and the redesign of Admissions materials.

“Kathy has handled her role as the College’s primary spokesperson with grace, professionalism and skill,” says Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president of the College. “She has helped to get out the good news about Holy Cross through an ever-expanding variety of media outlets. We wish Kathy and her family well, but we will miss her very much.”

Katharine Buckley McNamara '81