Penn State Forward announces its 3 trustees candidates, including World Cup champ Ali Krieger
A progressive coalition of students and alumni, Penn State Forward, announced Monday the three candidates it’s supporting for three open alumni seats on the university’s board of trustees — and among them is professional soccer player Ali Krieger, a former Olympian and two-time Women’s World Cup champion.
Krieger, who made more than 100 career appearances for the U.S. Women’s National Team, joins fellow candidates Melinda Kuritzky and Uma Moriarity on the Penn State Forward slate. Kuritzky is a Harvard-educated lawyer and international risk expert, while Moriarity is a sustainability advocate who leads climate-smart investment strategy at a $14 billion real-estate firm.
The trustees’ 2023 nomination phase will wrap up at 5 p.m. Feb. 25, so it’s not yet known how many total candidates will run for the three open alumni-elected seats. But Penn State Forward, a grassroots coalition that started only two years ago, has proved itself to be an early force after one of the candidates it supported in 2022 — decorated atmospheric scientist Christa Hasenkopf — was elected to serve on the board after beating out two incumbents.
In a news release, Krieger, an LGBTQ advocate, said she was looking forward to the opportunity to make Happy Valley more inclusive.
“I’m excited to create impactful change at Penn State’s highest level,” she said in the written statement. “It would be an honor to sit on the board of trustees and shape important decisions that will matter for years to come.
“I’m thrilled to be running for the board and ready to motivate needed change at Penn State to create a more safe, inclusive and welcoming community.”
Alumni can vote online as early as April 10, with the voting deadline set for 9 a.m. May 4. Alumni who do not receive a ballot in their email can request one online.
Penn State Forward and its candidates focus on five central pillars — climate action, educational equity, student safety, university transparency and workers’ rights. The group’s founder, 2022 graduate Nora Van Horn, decided to start it while still attending because she felt the university was “stagnant” in many of those areas.
“Each of this year’s candidates will make a positive impact on the board,” Van Horn said in Monday’s release. “We face a budget deficit and public scrutiny about our failures to deliver on equity commitments and create fair workplaces. The board self-reports a need for legal skills. Ali, Melinda and Uma will fill important knowledge gaps if elected. Moreover, their bold vision for Penn State and their drive to fight for institutional change offer a new voice and a choice for alumni this coming election — one to move Penn State Forward.”
There are nine alumni-elected trustees on the 38-member board, and terms are staggered so an election is held every year for three open alumni seats. Each term lasts three years.
Penn State Forward will host a virtual “Meet the Candidates” event on Jan. 14. Details on that, the coalition and each candidate’s platform can be found at psuforward.org.
Some background on each of Penn State Forward’s candidates:
Ali Krieger: A 2006 Penn State graduate, Krieger was a two-time soccer All-American who helped guide the Nittany Lions to four straight Big Ten titles. She’s since gained national acclaim and has garnered honors on an international level, playing on three Women’s World Cup Teams (with two championships) and participating in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Now, at the age of 38, she plays for NY/NJ Gotham FC in the National Women’s Soccer League. She’s been connected to several nonprofits, including as an ambassador for “Athlete Ally,” which works to end homophobia/transphobia in sports. She married her longtime partner, Ashlyn Harris, in 2019 and the couple adopted their second child this past August.
Melinda Kuritzky: She graduated from PSU in 2006 with degrees in both International Politics and Spanish, before earning her master’s in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School and her law degree from Harvard Law School. It’s difficult to sum up her resume, as she’s worked for the United Nations, World Economic Forum and now the U.S. Department of State. She’s represented governments in Latin America, Africa and Asia in disputes arising out of foreign investment in oil and mining; she represented asylum seekers, pro bono, in federal immigration court; she analyzed international investment treaties with an eye toward sustainable development; she was a keynote speaker on global risks; and she now represents the U.S. on international disputes and advises on international law. She was named one of the “Outstanding Young Alumni” by Penn State in 2019-2020.
Uma Moriarity: A 2014 Penn State graduate, with dual bachelor’s degrees in accounting and finance, along with a master’s in accounting, Moriarity has quickly risen in her young career. She works for CenterSquare Investment Management, a $14 billion real-estate firm, where she leads on climate-smart investment strategy. (Her title is as a Senior Investment Strategist and the Global Environmental, Social and Governance Lead.) She also serves on the board of directors for Green Building United, whose vision is to create a sustainable and healthy environment; and she is on Penn State’s Smeal Sustainability Advisory Board.
