YSU Foundation announces new trustees and officers for 2026-2028 term

The Youngstown State University Foundation’s annual board meeting was a special one, according to school officials. .

The YSU Foundation Board of Trustees announced the appointment of William A. Cafaro, Joe DeSalvo, Kathy Harley, and Josh Prest as four new trustees to its Board of Trustees, with three-year terms that began on May 11, 2026. The Foundation also announced that Attorney Jude Nohra is the newly appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees, having previously served as Vice-Chair for the past two years. Additional officers were appointed and announced by the Board of Trustees, including Scott Schulick, Vice-Chair, Ted Schmidt, Treasurer, Martha Bushey, Secretary, John Moliterno, Assistant Treasurer, and Rick Blase, Assistant Secretary. “The YSU Foundation has a rich history and tradition of outstanding leadership from the Board of Trustees, including individuals of a variety of professional backgrounds. We thank and welcome Will Cafaro, Joe DeSalvo, Kathy Harley and Josh Prest for agreeing to join the Board and share their knowledge and expertise to advance the Foundation’s mission,” said Attorney Jude Nohra, the new Board Chair. William A. Cafaro, the son of Anthony Cafaro, Sr., is a current Co-President of the Cafaro Company and Chairperson of the Cafaro Family Foundation. Cafaro graduated from YSU in 1992 and has an MBA from Duquesne University. The Cafaro Family has donated over $9 million to YSU and the YSU Foundation, making them members of the Penguin Pinnacle Notable Giving Society. The Cafaro Family has a long-standing tradition of family members serving on the YSU Foundation Board: William M. Cafaro served from 1968-1995; Anthony M. Cafaro, Sr., served from 1999-2022; and Capri Cafaro has been on the Board since 2022. Both William M. and Anthony Sr. have been bestowed Trustee Emeritus status. Joe DeSalvo graduated from YSU in 1993 with a B.S. in B.A. in Marketing Management. Joe joined DeSalvo Construction in 1996, beginning his career in the field as a general laborer and then as an assistant estimator/project manager. Joe became an estimator/project manager in 1998 and was then promoted to executive vice president in 2004. In 2013, Joe was named president of DeSalvo Construction. He is a member of the Howland Rotary and the Warren Education, Civic & Cultural Foundation. DeSalvo also serves on the boards of the Executive Board (Past President) & CAP Trustee Builders Association Western PA & Eastern OH, Trustee Local 8 Pension Fund, Mahoning and Trumbull Insurance Fund, AGC Ohio – Executive Board of Directors, and the Mahoning Valley Construction Coalition, and Opera Western Reserve. Kathleen Harley is the current President of St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital with over 43 years of healthcare experience. She received her BSN from Penn State University and her MBA from YSU. She has worked with YSU’s Health & Human Services faculty to strategize opportunities for programs and student opportunities, including St. Elizabeth Health Center School for Nurse Anesthetists. She is a member of the Mercy Health Rehabilitation Hospital and the Mercy Health Behavioral Hospital boards, the St. Mary Magdalene Parish Finance Committee, the St. Vincent DePaul Facility Committee, and serves on the Youngstown Cityscape Board of Directors. Josh Prest is the Founder and CEO of Prest Public Strategies and the Executive Director for the Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission. He graduated from YSU with a B.A. in Political Science in 2013. He is a member of the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber Government Affairs Council, the Greater Cleveland Partnership Government Affairs Council, the City Club of Cleveland, the Rotary Club of Youngstown, and a commissioner for the Ohio Commission on Eastern European Affairs. He is also a board member of the OH-WOW Children’s Science Center and Students Motivated by the Arts (SMARTS). The Board of Trustees meeting opened with a special resolution that bestowed Trustee Emeriti status upon both Mr. Tom Fleming and Attorney Carl Nunziato. Fleming has served on the Foundation’s board since 2005 and served as chair from 2012 to 2014. Nunziato has served since 2008 and was a driving force in the creation of YSU’s Carl A. Nunziato Veterans Resource Center. Also at the meeting, Paul McFadden, Foundation President, announced his intention to step away from his role effective October 1, 2027. McFadden has served as President of the YSU Foundation since 2012 and has held various development leadership positions with YSU and the YSU Foundation since 1992. Originally hired by Athletic Director Jim Tressel in 1992 as Director of Athletic Development, McFadden served in that role until 1997, when he joined the University’s central development office as a Development Officer. In 2000, YSU President David Sweet promoted him to Chief Development Officer, overseeing all University fundraising activities. In 2012, the YSU Foundation Board of Trustees appointed McFadden as President of the YSU Foundation. During his tenure, McFadden has played a leadership role in six major fundraising campaigns, most recently the We See Tomorrow Campaign, led in partnership with then University President Jim Tressel, which surpassed its $125 million goal. In 2014, the University and the Foundation entered into an agreement allowing the YSU Foundation to assume responsibility for all development activities on behalf of both organizations at no cost to the University, resulting in annual savings of more than $2.5 million. Under McFadden’s leadership, the YSU Foundation has experienced significant growth. Since 2012, Foundation assets have increased from $180 million to more than $410 million, and the Foundation’s annual allocation to the University increased from $5.5 million to 11.5 million. During that same period, the number of endowed scholarships has more than doubled, growing from 550 to 1,185. Immediate Past Chair Nader Atway reflected on McFadden’s remarkable contributions.

“We have been fortunate to have Paul McFadden as our President for the past 14 years and the Board is immensely proud of the work and leadership he has provided to take the Foundation to the next level,” Atway said. Newly elected Chair Jude Nohra also offered his remarks on behalf of the Board: “While we knew this day would ultimately come, we are saddened to accept Paul’s decision to step down, and we recognize all that he has accomplished over his 34-year career serving YSU and the Foundation. We are appreciative of his ability and willingness to give us ample time to ensure a thorough search for Paul’s successor and a seamless leadership transition.” With McFadden’s departure not occurring until October 1, 2027, the YSU Foundation Board will use the coming months to conduct a deliberate and comprehensive search for the Foundation’s next President. The Board is committed to identifying a leader who shares the Foundation’s core values and is prepared to build upon the strong foundation that McFadden established during his tenure. The YSU Foundation stated it thanks McFadden for his extraordinary service, his tireless commitment to excellence and YSU, and the profound difference he has made in the lives of countless students and Penguin supporters throughout his distinguished career.