TEMPE, Ariz. – The Sun Devil Club, the fundraising arm of Sun Devil Athletics has announced a new slate of terms for the Sun Devil Club Board Executive Team, including the naming of Chris Michaels as Board President. Michaels has served on the board for 7 years and is the first woman to be elected as President of the Board.
A valley native, Michaels graduated from Arizona State University in 1987 with a B.S. in Health Sciences. Her Sun Devil roots run deep as her father, Doug, played on ASU
Baseball's first College World Series team in 1964. As someone who lives and breathes the Maroon & Gold and has her whole life, to hold this position is an honor," Michaels said. "Collegiate Athletics is going through a major transformation and I am excited to be able to do what I can to help impact the student athletes at Arizona State University."
Chris and her husband, Chuck, started an undergraduate scholarship program at ASU in 2003. Since then, they have supported over 100 Sun Devil students and are currently funding the academic pursuits of 30 students.
Michaels replaces Scott Donaldson, who served four years as the Board's highest-ranking member, guiding the group through significant tax law changes and much of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During Donaldson's term as President, the Sun Devil Club launched fundraising initiatives around the Multi-Purpose Arena, Title IX's 50th Anniversary and so much more while building sustainability through increased sport-specific resources and endowment support. With Michaels now at the helm, the charge will be to elevate these campaigns, identify additional areas of needed support and rally Sun Devil Nation.
"We want to emphasize how gracious we are for Scott Donaldson's four years of service to the Sun Devil Club Board," said Sr. Associate Athletic Director Scott Nelson. "A two-term President, Scott stepped up big time during a very difficult period and helped lead us through it, and for that we will be forever grateful."