Col. (ret) Robert DeSousa Named Chair of Manor College Board of Trustees
Col. DeSousa has been part of Manor’s Board since January 2018.
Colonel (ret) Robert DeSousa has been named the Board Chairman for Manor College, the institution announced on October 26. DeSousa has been a member of the Board since 2018 and has served as Manor’s Board Vice Chairman for the past two years.
“Bob’s as solid as they come,” Dr. Jonathan Peri, Manor College President, said. “His credentials are impeccable, his professional skills have depth, his service to our country speaks for itself and, on top of it all, he is an all-around thoughtful and generous person who cares about our students and our Basilian mission.”
DeSousa is Counsel at Eckert Seamans, a full service Law firm. He previously served as the State Director for United States Senator Pat Toomey and retired from the Judge Advocate General’s Corp in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
“Manor College is the most economically independent College in Pennsylvania,” DeSousa said. “It fosters a ‘You Belong Here’ atmosphere while helping an often underserved community build the foundation for a prosperous life. I am honored to assume the duties of Chairman of the Board of this great school”
DeSousa replaces Danielle Preston, who concluded her third term as Board President in October. She was elected as a Trustee Emerita during the October 2026 Board Meeting.
Additional Board of Trustees Notes
- James Nevels, who served most recently as Board Treasurer, stepped down from the board following the October meeting. Nevels has been a part of the Manor College community since 2016, when he served as Manor’s Commencement Orator. He became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2019. Nevels will remain on the college’s Investment Committee as a general member.
- Sandy Girifalco will become Manor’s Board Vice Chairperson. Girifalco, a two-time trustee, has served Manor for nearly 15 years.
- Jane Zegestowsky will replace Nevels as the Board’s Treasurer. Zegestowsky previously served as the Strategic Planning Chair and has been a part of the Board since 2021. Zegestowsky, a Manor College faculty member for 28 years, will become the Chair of the Finance and Audit Committees.
- Stasia Mento-Moloney ‘26 will serve as the Board Secretary. The two-time Trustee will remain the Student Affairs Committee Chair.
- Dr. Brenda Roselle was named the Strategic Planning Committee Chair and Leslie Turner became the Investment Committee Chair.
- Two new Trustees were elected, Sr. Dia Zagurska, OSBM and Sr. Joann Sosler, OSBM.
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