BOSTON, MA– Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics and Recreation, Dr. Jacqueline Schuman, has announced the selection of Katie Hallahan as the new Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
"I am extremely excited to welcome Katie to our team and our university," said Schuman. "During the search process, Katie quickly rose to the top of the candidate pool as her work with College Sports Associates and the athletic department at the University of North Carolina gives her a unique perspective on how high-functioning athletic departments run from both an operations and human resource standpoint. Katie will play an important role in both areas at UMass Boston."
Hallahan arrives at the harbor campus after most recently serving as a research and data analytics intern with one of the top search firms in college athletics, Collegiate Sports Associates Executive Search and Consulting (CSA). In this role, she was responsible for supporting and expanding candidate database pools for executive searches, including NCAA Division I athletic directors and coaches in football, as well as men's and women's basketball. At CSA, Hallahan also worked closely with the leadership team on consulting projects where she aggregated data and delivered insights for NCAA Division I institutions on surveys and provided gap analysis where she compared performance to desired outcomes.
"I would like to thank Dr. Jacqueline Schuman for this amazing opportunity," commented Hallahan. "Her leadership and vision for UMass Boston Athletics to become the nation's top public NCAA DIII program inspires me. The future for UMass Boston is bright, and I can't wait to see how this already successful department continues to evolve in the years to come."
In her new role, Hallahan will provide complex administrative support to the Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics and Recreation (VCAR). She will plan, facilitate, and coordinate department-wide initiatives, projects, and committees that help accomplish the department's strategic outcomes. In collaboration with Human Resources, Hallahan will lead the development and implementation of a high-performing talent management program within UMass Boston Athletics.
In addition to her work at CSA, Hallahan has spent two years as a Graduate Assistant in NCAA Compliance and Event Management with the University of North Carolina Athletic Department. While working with compliance, Hallahan created educational resources for coaches and staff on recruiting, time management, playing and practice seasons, new staff onboarding, personnel responsibilities, and name, image, and likeness. Additionally, she worked with senior-level leadership to research the impact of the transfer portal on UNC Athletics, trends in men's basketball selection criteria, a time management plan audit, and missed class reviews of student-athletes.
Hallahan holds a Master of Arts in Exercise Science and Sport Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Science in Education with a minor in Leadership from the University of Minnesota. While in school, she was a member of the Women's Rowing Team at both the University of Minnesota (2018-2022) and the University of North Carolina (2022-2023).
Hallahan will begin her new role with the Beacons on July 1, 2024.
--ROLL BEACS--
