1818: A Saint Louis University Alumni Podcast

Meg Connolly (A&S ‘90, GRAD ‘92) is a two-time Saint Louis University graduate who has been a member of the alumni and development teams for over 30 years. Her favorite Billiken memories include SLU’s 200th celebration under the Gateway Arch, men’s basketball and women’s soccer NCAA tournament pregames, and getting married in the St. Francis Xavier College Church. Connolly is fortunate to have engaged with so many wonderful graduates and friends of the University from across the country — alumni who literally change the world in ways only Billikens can. She is thrilled to share more SLU conversations and stories through the 1818 podcast.

Tony Minor (A&S ‘03) is a longtime leader in alumni and donor engagement at Saint Louis University, where he currently serves as an assistant vice president. During his 20-plus years in higher ed advancement, he’s led teams across alumni engagement, annual giving, stewardship, marketing and events — all with the goal of building stronger connections between SLU and its community of graduates and supporters. Minor got his start in the Office of the President and has grown his career entirely at SLU. He’s a proud Billiken, holding degrees in English and communications, and is passionate about ensuring SLU’s alumni feel connected.

Dr. Janet Oberle has climbed through the administrative ranks in the Saint Louis University department of athletics since arriving on campus as a member of the Billikens' inaugural women's soccer team in 1996. As deputy director of athletics and senior woman administrator, Oberle's responsibilities include departmental operational oversight when the director of athletics is away from the office on University business. Additionally, she oversees areas related to student-athlete welfare – academics, compliance, sports medicine and sports performance – and is the sport supervisor for men's and women's soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball, men's and women's cross country, and men's and women's track and field. In addition, Oberle serves as the department's liaison to multiple campus areas and as a Title IX deputy. In 2019, Oberle was one of 22 senior athletics administrators invited to participate in the prestigious NCAA Pathway Program. The yearlong program’s goal is to prepare these individuals to excel as directors of athletics or conference commissioners. In addition to her SLU responsibilities, Oberle served a successful stint as chair of the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Committee during the 2014-15 season. That appointment followed a multi-year stretch as a member of the committee. Oberle joined the SLU staff in 1997 as the women's soccer graduate assistant and became the program's first full-time assistant coach in 1998. She helped the Billikens capture the 1999 Conference USA regular-season title. In 2003, Oberle joined Saint Louis' administrative staff as director of compliance and was named assistant director of athletics for compliance and student services in 2006. In 2011, she was named associate director of athletics for sports programs and compliance. She was elevated to her current role in the summer of 2014. A St. Louis native, Oberle earned a Ph.D from Saint Louis University in 2019, a master's degree from SLU in 1999 and a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in 1996. Oberle serves as president of the Special Needs Soccer Association (SPENSA), a St. Louis-based not-for-profit soccer program for young people with disabilities.

Jordair Jett is the founder of Players First, an organization in Saint Paul, Minn., that hosts basketball training opportunities and camps. A former basketball guard for the Saint Louis University men’s basketball team, he played in 134 games and scored 1,239 points over his four-year career with the Billikens. Jett was named Atlantic 10 Conference men's basketball Player of the Year in 2014, the same year he graduated from SLU’s College of Arts and Sciences with a degree in communication. He is ranked 18th all-time in scoring at SLU and was voted to the A-10 All-Defensive team, first-team All-Conference and NABC first-team All-District selection. During his senior year, the Billikens were A-10 regular season champions and reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament. He was among 16 players named to the Saint Louis Billikens' All-Century Team in 2015. After SLU, Jett played professional basketball in Australia and New Zealand from 2015 to 2019. Since then, Jett has committed himself to coaching, mentorship and education.

Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad A&S ’92) is the assistant vice president for brand management at Saint Louis University. A member of the Division of Marketing and Communications staff since 1993, she oversees SLU’s web, digital content and graphic design teams. She is also the editor of Universitas, SLU's alumni magazine. Geiser has received several awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and, in 2012, was named a Saint Louis University Woman of the Year. She served on the Jesuit Advancement Administrators executive committee for several years and chaired the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities Marcom Summit in 2024. A native St. Louisan, she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Saint Louis University.

Megan Favignano-Mansouri is the digital content specialist for Saint Louis University's development communications team. Her passion is storytelling and uplifting the voices of the community. Megan is an award-winning storyteller with a decade of experience working in journalism, public relations, and marketing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with certificates in Environmental Journalism and Leadership from Webster University. In her free time, Megan enjoys watercolor, family game nights, walks with her two dogs and exploring St. Louis with her husband.