Meet Alumni Association President Patty Caballero
From first generation college student to AU parent, new Alumni Board president Patty Caballero, SOC/BA 鈥91, Kogod/MBA 鈥00, takes great pride in her relationship with the university. Knowing she is just one of 150,000+ alumni stories that represent the promise of AU, Patty says she is excited about the chance to engage more alumni in the life of the university. She wants all alumni to reconnect with that spark that brought them to AU.
鈥淲hen we walk across that stage and grab a diploma, we carry the name of the university for the rest of our lives,鈥 she says. This is what inspires Caballero鈥檚 continued involvement with the university.
Born in New York and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Caballero 鈥渇ound a little piece of home鈥 in the strong international community at AU. She also joined Delta Gamma sorority and worked in the development office at AU鈥檚 Washington College of Law. As a first-generation college student, Caballero says coming to AU was mind-opening and transformative. 听鈥淚 think we all live in bubbles of some sort, and at AU, you鈥檙e in a bubble bath. We are exposed to many different ways of thinking,鈥 she says.
Caballero felt well equipped by her AU education when she entered the workforce. She began her career in public affairs in DC, working on campaigns for the US and foreign governments. Her path then shifted to corporate communications and PR work for agencies in Washington and New York City. Caballero joined a Fortune 100 company for more than a decade, and there she was introduced to healthcare communications. She now runs her own consultancy with a focus on 鈥渢ranslating medical and technical intricacies into storytelling.鈥
While balancing her professional and family lives, Caballero also makes time to return to AU and give back to the institution that greatly impacted her. She has volunteered in various ways over the years, most recently through service to the Alumni Board, which she joined in 2020.
During her term as AUAB president, Caballero hopes to create an even more engaged and active Alumni Board, encouraging each member to tap their personal passions to push the university forward. 鈥淓ach of us comes to AU for a particular reason, and each of us takes away a specific affinity,鈥 she says.
For Caballero, making an AU education part of her family tradition is also a part of her story. Not only are she and husband Don Lisco, CAS/BA 鈥91, Kogod/MBA 鈥99, AU sweethearts, but their youngest daughter, Amelia, is now an AU student. She even lives in the same residence hall that her parents lived in decades ago.
Making history as the first Hispanic president of the Alumni Board, Caballero recognizes the value of giving back to the university. She aims to inspire all alumni to use their skills and experiences to connect with the university in unique and meaningful ways. 鈥淭he stronger the school, the stronger your degree,鈥 she says.