Dolly Duffy Will Retire From Notre Dame Alumni Association
The long-time leader of the University of Notre Dame organization will step down from her role in June 2027.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in People
Dolly Duffy, the first woman to lead the University of Notre Dame Alumni Association, announced that she will retire effective June 30, 2027. She has served the university for more than 18 years, including a 15-year tenure as executive director.
Why it matters
Duffy played a key role in expanding the reach of the organization to a global and digital audience, managing a network that includes 160,000 alumni and 262 clubs worldwide.
Duffy oversaw growth for an organization serving 160,000 alumni across 262 global clubs. Additionally, her tenure included the development of the FaithND Daily Gospel Reflection, which currently maintains more than 100,000 subscribers.
The players
Dolly Duffy
She is the outgoing executive director of the University of Notre Dame Alumni Association and the first woman to hold the position.
University of Notre Dame
This is a private Catholic research university located in South Bend, Indiana, that serves as the headquarters for the alumni association.
The details
During her time as executive director, Duffy guided the association into a new era of digital connectivity through programs such as FaithND, ThinkND, and IrishCompass. The university plans to initiate a global search to identify her replacement.
Timeline
Dolly Duffy joined the Alumni Association in 2008.
Duffy was named executive director in 2011.
The retirement announcement was published on September 29, 2026.
Duffy will officially retire on June 30, 2027.
Market Landscape
This transition follows the established pattern of leadership turnover at major academic institutions, where long-tenured executives are replaced through formal search committee processes. The university now seeks to maintain its global engagement trajectory amid this change in management.
Alumni can expect continued access to digital platforms like FaithND and IrishCompass as the university transitions leadership. The search process will determine the future direction of engagement services for the 160,000-member community.
The takeaway
Duffy leaves behind a modernized framework for alumni engagement that emphasizes digital reach over traditional club structures. Future leaders will be tasked with sustaining the high subscription growth seen in the university's faith-based digital content.
What happens next
A global search for a new executive director will be conducted leading up to the effective retirement date of June 30, 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about organizational leadership changes in the People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Notre Dame News.
