Meet Dominican University’s Newest Trustees

Dr. Mohamed Askar is a professor of management in Dominican’s Brennan School of Business and has been with the university for 15 years. As a member of the Faculty Senate’s Planning and Budgeting Committee, he has contributed to the development of the university’s strategic plan and to the restructuring of academic governance. He has also served on the Board of Directors of Palos Community Hospital and is president of the Ginger Creek Homeowners Association in Oak Brook.

With more than 30 years in the banking industry, Vicky Arroyo is the director of the Economic Equity Advisory Group at BMO U.S., providing capital to help remove barriers facing minority businesses, communities and families. She previously served as president and COO of The Resurrection Project, a social impact nonprofit organization. Arroyo also holds positions on the boards of the Chicago Low Income Housing Trust Fund, National Equity Fund, The Resurrection Project, Community Initiatives, Inc. and Kenosha Innovative Neighborhoods.

Mary Pat Berry received her BA in American studies from Rosary College and her MA in reading from Cardinal Stritch College. She worked as a reading specialist before becoming owner and president of a real estate holding company serving the trucking industry. Berry currently serves as a cancer research advocate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Carbone Cancer Center and at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. She is the founder of two nonprofits and has served in leadership roles at several community, university and government organizations.

A business management major and Mazzuchelli Scholar, junior Aldo E. Cervantes is president of the university’s Campus Activities Board. As a Torch Leader, he helps first-year students transition to college. Last summer, Cervantes was a student leader during the ¡El Futuro Is Here! national conference at Dominican, which was aimed at advancing culturally sustaining practices in ministry.

Vanessa Jackson received a BA in sociology from Dominican and is the former chair of the university’s Alumnae/i Leadership Council. She has a professional background in career services and is vice president of marketing and communications for The LemonAd Stand, a design and marketing agency based in Maywood. Previously, Jackson worked as the director of career services at the Illinois Institute of Art and at Kaplan University.

Dominic J. Nakis most recently served as interim chief financial officer and executive consultant at Sutter Health, a nonprofit healthcare delivery system based in northern California. He has approximately 40 years of leadership experience in the healthcare industry, including 17 years as chief financial officer for Advocate Aurora Health and its predecessor organizations. In 2011, Nakis was recognized as the Chicago CFO of the Year among not-for-profit organizations by the Financial Executives International, Chicago Chapter.

A former member of the Brennan School of Business Advisory Council, Joyce St. Clair is a retired executive vice president and chief human resources officer for Norther n Trust. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Bread Financial, the Shedd Aquarium Board of Trustees, the Dean’s Council at Indiana University and the board of the Indiana University Women’s Philanthropic Leadership Council. She previously served on boards for Northern Trust Investments and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.