McKenna Pencak is the associate director of professional development and alumni engagement for the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. In this role, she oversees professional development programming and opportunities for undergraduate and master’s students in the Keough School’s global affairs programs. She also serves as a liaison to the Keough School’s alumni network.

Pencak has worked in various roles at the University of Notre Dame since 2010. Most recently, she served as the associate director for iNDustry Labs, where she oversaw operations for a unit that connects regional companies and economic development organizations to campus resources.

Prior to working at iNDustry Labs, Pencak spent more than ten years helping undergraduate and graduate students meet their academic and professional goals. She served as the associate director for the Notre Dame Scholars Program, where she managed academic and professional development programming, enrichment funding and alumni relations for the university’s twenty-six merit scholarship programs. She also served as program manager for the Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program, the university’s first merit scholarship program, and assistant director of communications and outreach for International Student & Scholar Affairs, where she oversaw all office communications, international student programming, and international student orientation.

Prior to working at Notre Dame, Pencak coordinated national consumer education programs, communications and media relations for Bridgestone Retail Operations, the world’s largest network of company-owned automotive service providers

Pencak received her master of arts in international education from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont, and a bachelor of arts in communications and Spanish from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. She also holds a University of Cambridge certificate in English language teaching to adults, which she earned in Buenos Aires, Argentina.