Heather Samson Calabrese joined the Office of the Secretary in October 2013. She oversees communications initiatives within the Office of the Secretary; major university events including Commencement; and university lectures including the Grand and Terry lectures. Prior to joining Yale, Heather was an independent nonprofit consultant and the chief operating officer of United Way of Greater New Haven. She is active in Greater New Haven civic efforts and serves or has served on several community boards, including Elm Shakespeare, New Haven Reads and The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s Fund for Women and Girls.