Strong community connections, well-rounded experience and unprecedented energy and enthusiasm are some of the attributes Linda M. Calandra and Diana Bates Mock bring to the table as the newest members of the Fresno Pacific University Advancement Division.
"Bringing Linda and Diana on board, especially at the same time, is an accomplishment that holds great promise for the university," says Mark Deffenbacher, vice president of advancement and university relations. "These two are highly regarded in the community for their professional expertise as well as their involvement in public service. They bring experience in areas that will substantially benefit our image and our operation. I couldn't be more pleased to have them here."
Calandra, a former Fresno City Councilwoman, is the new director of annual giving and donor relations. Her wealth of leadership experience is evidenced by her most recent role as director of development for Fresno Christian Schools. Other past and current community affiliations include the Fresno Philharmonic Association, Downtown Association, Friends of the Library, Leave a Legacy and Leadership Fresno.
Mock, the new director of media and community relations, came to the university from the private sector. Formerly the director of public relations for Thielen & Associates, a regional advertising/public relations firm based in Fresno, she also owned a writing/consulting business for a number of years and taught in the mass communications department at California State University, Fresno. Mock serves on a number of boards and marketing advisory committees throughout the community, including One by One (Fresno Leadership Foundation), Community Food Bank and Salvation Army.