National Alumni Board

Barrera was elected as the first Latina president of the Illinois Association of School Nurses (IASN) in 2020 and served during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is an expert panel member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee with ANA-Illinois and an elected member of the Board of Directors. Barrera was appointed to the IDPH Diversity in Health Care Professions Task Force and the Governor's Illinois Terrorism Task Force's School Safety Committee. She is a vital member of the American Public Health Association's Nursing Section (APHA-PHN) and co-founder of the Society of Latinx Nurses (SOLN), focusing on increasing the pipeline of Hispanic/Latinx nurses. She is a past Fellow of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE) and one of the founders of the Nurse Heroes for Zero campaign. She has been recognized for her leadership and community work by several organizations, both locally and nationally. Most recently, she was named to the 40 Under Forty in Public Health list by the de Beaumont Foundation and recognized as Nurse Influencer of the Year by ANA-Illinois in 2023.

Davis earned his undergraduate degree in biological sciences from Saint Xavier University and later returned to earn his master's degree in the healthcare administration. His experience as a student helped shape a lasting connection to the University. Today, he serves as an adjunct faculty member teaching business in the Graham School of Management and as a member of the Saint Xavier University National Alumni Board. He has also supported the University through mentoring, career development initiatives, student engagement workshops, panels, character coaching, and other alumni-focused efforts.

Professionally, Davis brings more than 10 years of experience in project and program management across healthcare, technology, financial services, artificial intelligence, and other regulated environments. As an award-winning, PMP-certified project management professional, he specializes in helping organizations bring structure to complex initiatives by aligning people, processes, resources, schedules, risks, budgets, and business objectives.

One of the primary reasons Davis returned to Saint Xavier University was to give current students access to knowledge, resources, and connections. His goal is to share the lessons and experiences he gained later in life, provide students with a clearer blueprint for navigating their academic and professional careers, and help create connections that can open doors beyond the classroom.

In addition to supporting students, Davis is passionate about contributing to the University's continued growth by bringing his experience in project management, business, strategy, and execution to initiatives that strengthen the University and its community.

Through his roles as an alumnus, educator, board member, and business professional, Davis remains committed to helping Saint Xavier students prepare for what comes next while continuing to give back to the institution that played an important role in his own development.

As a non-traditional student, Gallarzo is passionate about supporting others pursuing educational and personal growth while balancing real-world responsibilities. He is honored to serve on the Saint Xavier University National Alumni Board and contribute to strengthening alumni connections and student support initiatives.

He will be opening a wellness center in Evergreen Park in the coming months that will have saunas, cold plunges, IV therapy and hyperbaric oxygen while also having a patent pending for a new oxygen delivery device. Higgins lives in Mount Greenwood, where in his free time he trains by swimming in local pools and working out at the Shannon Center, and is excited to be a part of the alumni board. 

Hunter boasts an impressive career spanning over 17 years, leading HR in industries including manufacturing, transportation, health care, not-for-profits, and municipalities. Her passion, industry experience, and entrepreneurial journey have afforded her the opportunity to become a sought-after speaker and panelist for many local chambers of commerce, business organizations, and, most recently, DeVry University!

Hunter's academic background includes a bachelor's degree in business management from Saint Xavier University (2007). In addition, she acquired a master's degree in human resources management from Keller Graduate School of Management in 2015. She accomplished graduating from both programs with honors!

Hunter has also attained the distinguished SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) certification and serves as a SHRM pre-certification course instructor.

Above all, Hunter is most proud of being a woman of God, a wife, a sports mom, and a philanthropist, using part of her company's profits to help families pay for fertility and IVF costs.

Ihmud is entering her second year as president of SJP, where her work centers around bringing guest speakers to campus, showcasing Arab culture, and raising awareness of Palestinian experiences both in Palestine and throughout the diaspora. She recently joined WEB as vice president, where she hopes to bring actionable ideas that uplift women entering the broad business environment. Her involvement extends beyond SXU as secretary of the SJP Chicago Chapter Board, allowing her to remain engaged with Palestinian advocacy and student organizing on a broader level.

Outside of her University involvement, Ihmud teaches Islamic studies on Saturdays at her community mosque, an experience that allows her to give back to younger members of her community. During her time at SXU, she has received two Outstanding Freshman and Sophomore Arab American Leadership Awards and was nominated for the Scarlet and Gray Vice President Award in spring 2026. At the heart of her involvement is a commitment to lifelong learning, remaining community-centered, and recognizing the people who have supported her along the way. Saint Xavier has become a place Ihmud proudly calls home because of the mentors, peers, and community who have invested in her growth. She hopes to carry that same sense of support forward, remaining a resource to others, making a meaningful impact in her future workplace, and one day giving back to SXU students and alumni in the same spirit that shaped her own experience.

Born in Palestine, Ihmud carries a deep appreciation for her heritage into many parts of her life, including her love for Tatreez, the traditional art of Palestinian embroidery. Outside of school and work, she enjoys traveling to new countries and cities, swimming, and spending time with her nieces and nephews. She rarely passes up an opportunity to dress up and loves photographing just about every experience along the way, preserving the people, places, and moments that make life memorable.

Knudsen holds a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from UIC and currently works as a nursing manager for Rush Medical Center.  You will still find her at the Shannon Center gym every morning, where she is an active community member -- a Cougar for life!

As a business banker for Wintrust, Reyes has implemented many of the foundational skills he acquired at SXU. He spends a lot of time getting to know his clients, their industries, and their business models, which has given him a deep appreciation for entrepreneurs and their dedication to building and sustaining a business from the ground up. He is also able to give back to the community through charitable work and donations. Wintrust encourages its employees to give back to the community. He greatly enjoys working for an altruistic corporation.

Reyes focuses on networking and relationship building and has recently been invited to become an Entered Apprentice with the Illinois Freemasons. The lodge he pledged to in Oak Lawn has a fantastic group of very diverse men. They have supported the Chicago Food Depository by spending a Saturday packaging food for distribution and have recently volunteered their time to clean a highway. He is looking forward to starting this new path, continuing to give back to the community, and taking advantage of the character-building opportunities the organization offers.

This focus has brought Reyes full circle back to SXU. He is very honored and excited to become a board member for the Alumni Association, and he looks forward to using his skills and resources to provide for the next generation of SXU alums.

Vantrease currently serves as an educator at St. Thomas the Apostle School in Chicago, where she is committed to creating engaging, student-centered learning experiences and fostering a strong sense of belonging within the school community. Beyond the classroom, she has contributed to school-wide initiatives, faculty leadership, student programming, and community-building efforts.

In addition to her career in education, Vantrease is a Chicago-area real estate professional. She brings her strengths in communication, organization, relationship-building, and advocacy to her work with buyers and sellers throughout Chicago and the surrounding communities.

Across both education and real estate, Vantrease is passionate about connecting with people and making a positive impact in the communities she serves. She credits her Saint Xavier University experience with helping to shape the values of service, leadership and lifelong learning that continue to guide her professional journey.

Beyond her professional achievements, Verser is also deeply committed to giving back to the community.

She is a member and actively involved in Iota Phi Lambda Sorority Inc., Alpha Beta Chapter, where she is the Chair of their youth group.  She has a passion for the youth and mentoring them. 

Her commitment to social responsibility and her strong business acumen make her an asset to any organization. Verser is excited to bring her skills and passion to the board and help drive the organization toward a brighter future.

Ward is an educational leader and scholar. After obtaining a master's degree in secondary education (English language arts) from Saint Xavier, she became a licensed professional educator in Illinois. She worked as a high school English teacher at Chicago Public Schools for several years. Over the last decade, she has diversified her teaching experiences, which now include teaching English as a Second Language at Malcolm X College, training instructional coaches at Chicago Public Schools, and teaching undergraduates at Northern Illinois University in the Center for Black Studies. A lifelong scholar, Ward is a doctoral candidate in the College of Education at NIU and is expected to earn an Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction this year.

Servant leadership is one of Ward's core values, as demonstrated by her service within Chicago Public Schools and Northern Illinois University. Ward leads the Teacher Leaders of Color affinity group at CPS to support BIPOC educators. Additionally, Ward served as a founding member of the Academic Student Equity Committee within the College of Education at NIU, bridging the knowledge gaps related to gender, sexuality, racial, ethnic, and learner identities between students and professors within the college.

When Ward has spare time, she enjoys playing golf, crocheting, and traveling with her family and friends.

After completing his MBA, Wirth was selected for the highly competitive Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program (GHATP) offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Following the 12-month fellowship, he joined PerfectServe, Inc. in Chicago as a healthcare consultant before beginning a 12-year tenure at Hospital for Special Surgery. During his time there, he held leadership roles in Operational Excellence and Strategy and Business Operations for Ambulatory Services, most recently serving as Vice President of Experience and Workforce Intelligence.

Wirth recently transitioned into the education sector, where he serves as Executive, People and Organization, at Success Academy Charter Schools, one of the nation’s largest and highest-performing public charter school networks.

He currently resides in New York with his wife, Marissa, and their dog, Ford. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys traveling, playing sports, attending live events, DIY home projects, and building software applications.