Meet the Team

CONTACT
Phone: 508-831-6052
Fax: 508-831-6004

Office of Vice President – University Advancement

LIfetime Engagement and Advancement Communications

Foundation Relations

Leadership Giving

Cate McLaughlin
Assistant Vice President, Leadership Giving, Advancement

Phone: +1 (508) 8316921

Cate is a seasoned professional in the fields of philanthropy and nonprofit management, with a career marked by notable accomplishments. Holding key leadership positions at institutions such as Simmons University, Tufts University and UWMBMV, Cate has spearheaded transformative initiatives that have redefined success in fundraising and advancement.Her expertise lies in the development and execution of fundraising strategies that consistently surpass goals, fostering meaningful relationships with donors and stakeholders, and championing diversity, equity, and inclusion within advancement teams. ...

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Government & Community Relations

Advancement Services & Information Technology

Corporate Partnerships Office

David Ortendahl
Executive Director, Advancement, Advancement

Phone: +1 (508) 8315831

Dr. David (Dave) Ortendahl currently serves as Executive Director, Corporate Partnerships for WPI. In this role, Dave oversees the central Office of Corporate Partnerships (OCP) team and corporate collaborations for the university. OCP fosters strategic collaborations and serves as a catalyst for work between industry and academia at WPI. The team generates holistic partnerships that encourage agile solutions and positively impact faculty research and student development.Over the years, Dave has served at both private & public institutions in Higher Education. He has served in divisions of ...

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Lisa Drexhage
Associate Director, Corporate Relations, Advancement

Phone: +1 (508) 8315635

Lisa Drexhage currently serves as Associate Director of Corporate Relations for WPI. In this role, Lisa supports the Executive Director with the administration of a comprehensive and holistic Corporate Relations strategy including a strong focus on facilitating outreach operations and managing projects.   Lisa has excelled as a project manager in the non-profit, real estate & higher education settings supporting construction, placemaking and fundraising activities. After 8 years of leading and executing complex economic development and community development initiatives, ...

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Peter Huie
Director, Corporate Outreach, Advancement

Phone: +1 (508) 8314917

“WPI is a university with prestigious history and world-changing achievements. Being able to help students who will become part of this history makes me very proud of my role as an influencer.” Within this capacity, Pete collaborates with development and operations to deliver graduate programs and professional development workshops to meet the needs of both individual students and corporate clients. With over 19 years of experience in high profile and strong relationship management, Pete demonstrates the ability to develop and effectively manage WPI’s educational services. Customer ...

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Caitie Reidy
Assistant Director, Corporate Stewardship, Advancement

Phone: +1 (508) 8316958

Caitie Reidy currently serves as the Assistant Director, Corporate Stewardship in the Office of Corporate Partnerships. In her role, she supports the Executive Director of Corporate Partnerships and the Office of Corporate Partnerships team with account cultivation and stewardship, supporting the university’s holistic corporate partnership strategy to benefit faculty and students. Caitie joined WPI in 2018 as a member of the Academic & Corporate Engagement team as the WPI Boston Seaport Office Coordinator and from 2019 – 2021, Caitie was a member of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship ...

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Principal Giving

Karen Sharpe
Assistant Vice President, Charitable Advising, Advancement

Phone: +1 (508) 8316307

Karen E. Sharpe is a seasoned strategist and fundraiser with 20 years of experience in higher education leadership and advancement.She brings a unique blend of skills honed in journalism, communications, and small business ownership to her work in institutional development. Karen is a passionate advocate for the mission of higher education, and for literature arts, and creativity, believing their power lies in fostering a thriving civil and democratic society.Karen is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and has held fundraising leadership roles at Fitchburg and Worcester State universities and ...

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