Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Leading Alumni House into the Future

In the fall of 2019, Chevanne J. Graham DeVaney '95, P'21, P'23 was named Director of Alumni and Alumnae Relations, replacing long-time directors Jared Weeden '91 and Kathy Killius Regan '82, P'13. She brings a wealth of experience and extensive knowledge of the Colleges to the role.

DeVaney earned a bachelor's in English from William Smith College and a master's in higher education administration from the University at Buffalo. She began working at HWS in 1998, serving in a variety of roles in the Office of Advancement and the Higher Education Opportunity Program before joining the Office of Intercultural Affairs as assistant director and advisor to international students. As director of Multicultural Affairs at Keuka College, she served as interim director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program, Title IX investigator, coordinated the Women's Center, chaired the Gender Education and Advocacy Committee and oversaw the LGBTQA+ Resource Center. She returned to HWS in 2016 to serve as the associate director of annual giving.

"It's as if everything I did in the past 24 years led me right here," DeVaney says. "When I work with and talk with our alums, it feeds my soul. I am incredibly privileged to have this opportunity to serve my alma mater and I intend to honor the trust the Colleges have put in me by listening closely to all alumni and alumnae - to respect the legacy they've built while looking toward the future."

DeVaney has served the Colleges in a variety of roles and is a co-founder of the Afro Latino Alumni and Alumnae Association.

She's looking forward to helping alums stay connected to one another and the Colleges. "I want to uphold the traditions of Hobart and William Smith and make sure everyone finds their place here," she says. "And I want to help our alums understand how they can make a transformative difference in the future of the institution. After all, no one knows the Colleges better than they do."