Quincy University board welcomes five new trustees

Published 2:32 pm Monday, August 10, 2026

QUINCY — Quincy University has added five new members to its Board of Trustees: Megan Breheny, Michael Elbe, the Rev. William McIntyre, Jarja Phillips, and Bryan Stokes, bringing the board’s total membership to 25.

“Quincy University is fortunate to welcome this exceptional group to the Board of Trustees,” Jean Buckley, chair of the university’s Board of Trustees, said in a statement. “Each brings unique expertise, wisdom and a deep commitment to service. Together, they will help guide the university as we continue advancing our Catholic and Franciscan mission and serving our students.”

With the new additions, the board now includes 14 Quincy University alumni and four Franciscan friars, along with leaders drawn from higher education, business, communications, ministry, human resources, and community organizations.

“We’re grateful these outstanding individuals have agreed to serve Quincy University,” university President Brian McGee said in a statement. “They bring tremendous experience, sound judgment and a shared commitment to our Catholic and Franciscan mission. I know they’ll strengthen an already exceptional Board of Trustees, and I look forward to working with them as we continue preparing our students for lives of purpose and service.”

Breheny, a 2006 Quincy University graduate, is a communications and public relations professional based in Decatur who has worked in government relations, nonprofit leadership, media, and public affairs. She spent a year in the Illinois governor’s office focused on government relations and constituent engagement after graduating, and later served as a liaison for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. She co-hosts a talk radio program called Soy City Buzz with her father, fellow QU alumnus Kevin Breheny, and works as parish engagement coordinator at Holy Family Catholic Church in Decatur. She also serves on the university’s comprehensive campaign steering committee.

Elbe, a 1986 graduate of the university, served as president and CEO of John Wood Community College from 2014 to 2022 after joining the institution in 1990, previously holding roles including vice president for student services and director of student life and athletics. Over a 35-year career in higher education, he also worked at the University of Dubuque and the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He has served on the boards of the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Adams County, and the Great River Economic Development Foundation, where he served as chair, and currently sits on the Tri-State Development Summit Board, the Liberty Bank Board, and the Blessing-Reiman College of Nursing & Health Sciences Board. His community service honors include the 2018 Joe Bonasinga Award and the 2021 Thomas A. Oakley Award. Elbe holds an education specialist degree from William Woods University, a master’s degree in education from the University of South Alabama, and a bachelor’s degree in education from Quincy University.

McIntyre, a Franciscan friar and priest, serves as vice president of mission and ministry at Padua Franciscan High School in Cleveland. From 2023 to 2025, he worked at Mount Irenaeus, a Franciscan retreat in Friendship, New York, where he held roles in the university ministries department and served as an adjunct professor of world languages and cultures at St. Bonaventure University. He previously served in Franciscan parishes in Wilmington, Delaware; Durham, North Carolina; and Macon, Georgia. McIntyre earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences with a minor in theology from St. Bonaventure University in 1987 and a Master of Divinity from the Washington Theological Union in 1995. He became a professed Franciscan friar in 1990 and was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1995.

Phillips, a 1998 graduate of the university, is a retail executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience at companies including Walmart, Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Kohl’s. She currently serves as vice president of human resources at Kohl’s, leading HR strategy for more than 70,000 associates across 1,150 stores, after previously serving as senior director of human resources for Comcast NBCUniversal’s cable division. She began her career at Walmart as a manager-in-training before advancing through roles in store operations, human resources, and labor relations. Her honors include the Ohio Diversity Council’s Glass Ceiling Award and a Human Resources Excellence Award. Phillips holds an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Stokes is president and owner of Quincy Recycle, a waste stream management and recycling company headquartered in Quincy. He joined the family business in 1995 as operations manager and has since helped lead its expansion throughout the Midwest. He earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Illinois State University, serves on the board of the Moorman Foundation, and is active in community initiatives. Stokes and his wife, Brooke Stokes, a 1999 Quincy University graduate, have been longtime supporters of the university.

Founded in 1860 by Franciscan friars, Quincy University is a small Catholic university offering undergraduate, graduate, and adult education programs that integrate Franciscan values with career preparation. The university competes in NCAA Division II athletics.