Misericordia University Appoints New Members to Board of Trustees

Misericordia University Appoints New Members to Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees of Misericordia University (MU) elected four new members at its annual meeting.  

Joining the board are Ivette Diaz, RSM; Bill Jones '85; Sal Savatterri, Jr., Esq. '95 and Paul Rushton, Esq.

"The Misericordia University Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome our newest members," said Deborah Smith-Mileski, D.Ed. '75, chair, Board of Trustees. "Our university community is truly blessed by their willingness to join the Board to perpetuate our mission. Their experiences and values align with many initiatives that grow out of the strategic planning process. These new members are dedicated individuals who are well-known and highly respected in the community and committed to serving others. I look forward to working with them to meet the challenges of modern higher education and guide Misericordia University as we celebrate our centennial anniversary and beyond."

Ivette Diaz, RSM has been a member of the Sisters of Mercy since she entered the community in Dobbs Ferry, NY in 1988. She currently serves as the Interculturality Resource Coordinator, Institute of the Sisters of Mercy. Sr. Ivette is very familiar with the Misericordia University community, traveling here several times each year to offer retreats for students.

Sr. Ivette holds a bachelor's degree from Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY and master's degrees in religious education and social work from Fordham University. In her current position with the Sisters of Mercy, Sr. Ivette develops intercultural workshops, educates the sisters and colleagues on the issues of interculturality, and serves as chairperson of the Interculturality Workgroup for the Sisters of Mercy.

In addition to her roles with the Sisters of Mercy, Sr. Ivette currently serves or has served on several boards, including Mercy Investment Services, Association of Latin Missionary Sisters in America, Mercy First Board of Trustees, Mercy Suburban Hospital and ARISE Adelante in McAllen, Texas.

Bill Jones, president and CEO of the United Way of Wyoming Valley, is a lifelong resident of northeastern PA. Jones is a well-known and respected leader in the non-profit community and has led the United Way of Wyoming Valley since 2012. Prior to his current role, Jones served as vice president and chief operating officer of Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania for 12 years and was in the banking industry for 15 years. He was also an adjunct faculty member in the College of Business at Misericordia and previously served as an ex-officio member on the board of trustees when he was president of the Misericordia Alumni Association.

Jones has served on a number of non-profit boards over the years and is currently on the boards of the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Diamond City Partnership. He also serves on the Misericordia University’s College of Business Advisory Council. He has a great deal of experience in financial management, resource development, public policy and advocacy, marketing, strategic planning, and program development.

He is a 1985 graduate of Misericordia University, holds an MBA with a concentration in finance from Wilkes University, and is a graduate of the Stonier School of Banking.

Jones and his wife, Janet, reside in Mountaintop, where he is an active member of the community and St. Jude Parish. The couple has two adult daughters, Caroline and Rachel.

Paul T. Rushton, Esq., is a partner in the law firm of Rosenn, Jenkins and Greenwald, LLP and is the chairperson of the firm's business and finance department.  

His clients come from numerous industries including architects, engineers, physicians, dentists, lawyers, insurance and investment brokerage, construction, water bottling, landscapers, hunting and lake clubs, restaurants, bars, advertising, manufacturing, technology, real estate investments, education, stone, timber, and oil and gas. He is known in legal and business circles for his thoroughness, attention to detail and for constantly considering ways to further his clients’ goals.

In addition to his legal practice, Rushton is actively involved in the Wyoming Valley community, currently serving or having served on more than a dozen boards of directors and committees, including the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry, the Greater Wilkes-Barre Growth Partnership, The Institute, and the United Way of Wyoming Valley, as well as various committees of those organizations, including the Governance Committee of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry, which he chairs. He is a member of the Leadership Wilkes-Barre class of 2008.

Named a Rising Star by Philadelphia Magazine and Law & Politics, Rushton was recognized by The Times Leader as one of the area’s “Top 40 Under Forty” professionals. A cum laude graduate of Susquehanna University, Rushton earned his law degree from the Dickinson School of Law of The Pennsylvania State University, where he served as an Associate Editor of the International Law Journal.

Rushton has strong family ties to the university, as his mother is a member of the class of 1971. He has visited the campus many times and has worked on various legal matters involving Misericordia while practicing law with Rosenn, Jenkins and Greenwald, LLP.

Salvatore Savatteri, Jr., founder and principal of the Savatteri Law Firm, P.C., concentrates his global practice on U.S. immigration, citizenship, consular law and global migration.  He is recognized by his peers as one of the country’s leading immigration lawyers and has practiced for over two decades. He represents clients in numerous sectors including healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, hospitality, logistics, consumer products, technology, sciences, professional services, religious institutions and academia. 

Savatteri represents his firm’s clients before the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Labor.  His representative matters include adjustment of status, immigrant visa processing, labor certification, temporary worker visas, academic/exchange visitors, waivers of inadmissibility, foreign investment, employment eligibility audit/compliance, citizenship and outbound global migration. 

Savatteri is a member of the Pennsylvania and Maine bars. He received his bachelor’s degree from Misericordia University, his master’s degree from the University of Scranton and his law degree from Widener University School of Law.  

Savatteri is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.  He has served on the Executive Board of the Association and is a Past Chairman/President of the Association’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Chapter. He is actively involved in a liaison capacity with numerous United States government agencies and a frequent contributor to scholarship in the field.  

Savatteri has served for a five-year term to the diplomatic position of Consultant Attorney for the Consulate General of Mexico – New England.   He is a sought-after speaker for domestic and international immigration law conferences.

Daniel J. Myers, Ph.D., president of Misericordia University, thanked outgoing Board members Mark Van Loon and Sister Mayon Sylvain for their many years of service as trustees. Van Loon served for nine years and Sister Mayon for 21 years.

"I want to thank Sister Mayon and Mark for their support during my first two years as president and the challenges the university community faced during that time. To have board members serve for as long as they each have, especially Sister Mayon's remarkable 21 years as a trustee, is a testament to their dedication to supporting and advancing the mission of Misericordia University. We are all grateful for their leadership, thoughtfulness and insights they brought to the Board."

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