SMCM St. Mary’s College of Maryland Welcomes Two New Trustees to Board

St. Mary’s College of Maryland Welcomes Two New Trustees to Board Michael Bruckler June 25, 2021 - 2:10 pm
June 25, 2021
Melanie L. Hilley ’92 and Jesse Price ’92 pictured


St. Mary’s College of Maryland welcomes two new trustees in June: Melanie L. Hilley ’92 and Jesse Price ’92. Both will serve six-year terms of service on the College’s Board of Trustees.

“I am excited that St. Mary’s College is adding two new Trustees with such important and relevant experience. The fact that both are St. Mary’s College alumni who can share a critical perspective on aspects of the SMCM student experience and what students need to become productive and successful after they graduate is an added bonus. Our Board is student-focused and moderately progressive, taking great strides in solidifying our standing as the National Public Honors College and in its support of initiatives such as LEAD and the recent program prioritization. The new trustees enhance both the diversity of perspectives and student centrism,” said Tuajuanda C. Jordan, president of St. Mary’s College.

On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, we welcome our newest members and look forward to continuing St. Mary’s College’s important role as a premier liberal arts and sciences institution,” said Susan L. Dyer, Board of Trustees chair.

Alumna Melanie L. Hilley ’92 has spent the majority of her professional life as a litigation and compliance attorney, culminating as a principal/owner of PricewaterhouseCoopers US, a “Big Four” accounting firm and member of a global network of trust and consulting firms. She serves as a principal responsible for ethics, compliance and business integrity for the United States and Mexico, and oversight of related international compliance areas. Among her duties are to foster a speak-up culture of ethics and compliance, and to implement key compliance programs focused on financial, market, data and employment integrity. These programs leverage governance structures, comprehensive risk assessments and compliance monitoring, training and awareness assets, and technology automation and offshore resourcing. Previously, she held senior positions at Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., Accenture LLP, FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, f/k/a NASD), and BearingPoint Inc. (f/k/a KPMG Consulting Inc.), among others.

She received her Juris Doctor (cum laude) from the University of Baltimore School of Law and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Baltimore Merrick School of Business, both in 1995. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 1992, with a double major in economics and political science and a minor in Spanish. She was also a member of the sailing team, receiving the following honors: Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association All-American Crew, 1991; Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association All-American Crew, 1992; and St. Mary’s College Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, 2000.

Her volunteer and charity work includes support of humane societies and pro bono legal counsel.


Alumnus Jesse Price ’92 is a lifelong strategist, advocate and coalition builder with decades of experience connecting people and public policy. Currently serving in the U.S. Public Policy division of TikTok, Price is responsible for promoting and supporting related business priorities within government entities and grassroots partnerships as well as technology-focused advocacy organizations. Price’s duties include executing strategies for engaging with policymakers in support of TikTok’s diverse community of content creators and the platform’s continuing operational capability development.

Before joining TikTok, Price served for more than a decade as senior director at Eli Lilly and Company. Price represented Lilly and its interests before Congress, the Executive Branch, and federal regulatory agencies and was responsible for developing and executing legislative and political engagement strategy on a broad range of bio-pharmaceutical, corporate tax and federal healthcare policy issues. Price’s duties also included overseeing the management of the LillyPAC political action committee and employee grassroots education and advocacy programs.

Prior to joining Lilly, Price spent a career in public policy and political advocacy and organization – culminating in a near decade-long tenure on the Capitol H
ill legislative staff of U.S. Representative Melvin L. Watt.

Price serves on the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Corporate Advisory Council and on the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Board of Directors. He is also
Chairman Emeritus of the Greater Washington Urban League Board of Directors.

Price received a Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary’s College in 1992, with a double major in sociology and anthropology.
 
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