Board of Trustees
& SBEA Staff
South Bend Education Alliance Board of Trustees
Jory Fitzgerald, President
Miguel Salazar, Vice-President
Stephen Luecke, Secretary
Jason Whitmer, Treasurer
Tim Baker
Alex Bowman
Julie Curtis
Sharon Jones
Kate Lee*
Linda Lucy*
Jennifer Pittman
Jim Seitz
Aviva Wulfsohn
* indicates ex-officio members
South Bend Education Alliance Staff
Kris Arizmendi Choinacky
Chief Executive Officer
In July 2025, Kris Arizmendi Choinacky was named the first CEO of the South Bend Education Alliance! Kris is no stranger to South Bend, born and raised here. She is an alumna of Washington High School. Kris continued her undergraduate education at Holy Cross College and University of Indianapolis and holds a Masters of Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame. Kris has over 15 years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector, as well as many years of community engagement and volunteer work. She came to the SBEA after 3 years as the Executive Director of the SBAA, and was excited to take on all of the challenges and opportunities of this new organization! Kris has a deep passion for the South Bend community through her advocacy and involvement with local boards and committees.
Kara O'Malley
Director of Programs and Communications
Kara O’Malley grew up in the Chicago suburbs and first came to South Bend as a student at the University of Notre Dame, where she earned both her bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree. She spent a decade working in nonprofit and faith-based organizations in South Bend and Boston before joining the South Bend Education Alliance in 2023.
In her role with SBEA, Kara combines her background in nonprofit administration and business to support programs that expand opportunities for South Bend students and educators. She also serves as grant writer for the South Bend Chamber Singers and performs with the ensemble, continuing a lifelong love of music that began through school and extracurricular arts programs.
Meg Smyth
Director of Operations
Meg Smyth obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communication from Cornerstone University in 2019. In 2022, she and her husband, Dan, moved to northwest Indiana for her to pursue a role in nonprofit operations and communications. What was initially just an opportunity to gain more experience in communications, grew into a passion for the nonprofit sector. Meg is so excited to be a part of the team at South Bend Education Alliance, and is a huge advocate of enhancing educational experiences. She is excited to bring her positivity, creativity, and nonprofit expertise to the team. In her free time, Meg enjoys spending time with her husband, 2 cats (Addie and Bailey) and 2 dogs (Mabel and Ruby).