St. Bede alum named director of mission advancement

St. Bede Abbey and Academy named Michel Massamba as the new director of mission advancement and major gifts.

Massamba is responsible for the planning, coordination and implementation of a development program that communicates the Benedictine mission of providing a Catholic Benedictine college-preparatory high school education in the Illinois Valley.

“Ultimately, Michel is responsible for executing a plan that will sustain the mission of St. Bede through leveraging current relationships and forging new partnerships to provide resources necessary for a high-quality and vital experience for our students,” Superintendent Eve Postula said.

Massamba is a 2011 graduate of St. Bede Academy and is thrilled to be returning to his alma mater to lead the Office of Mission Advancement and Development.

“Over the past five years, I’ve been involved in organizations that weren’t necessarily Catholic, and I have been craving to come back to a Catholic environment,” he said. “Being back at St. Bede gives me that Catholic atmosphere I need, and it’s an opportunity to help the institution continue to grow and be successful for generations to come.”

In this leadership role, Massamba will collaborate with the abbot and superintendent to strategically grow the reach, revenue and reputation of the abbey and academy. As an experienced grants manager, Massamba brings experience cultivating funds for Youth Guidance and The Salvation Army North & Central Illinois Divisional headquarters, both in Chicago. His skills in research, prospecting, strategic planning and financial management position him well to add long-term planning, goal setting and creating sustainable financial models to support organizational growth and mission success.

“The development, recruitment and fundraising efforts are critical to the ongoing success of Catholic high schools such as St. Bede,” Postula said. “Michel arrives at a moment in our school’s history in which we are primed to grow this effort. He brings an engaging and genuine presence, creative strategic thinking, a commitment to stewardship, leadership skills and a personal dedication to ensuring the Catholic Benedictine experience he received as a student-athlete will be available to others. I am thrilled to partner with Michel to grow our fundraising effort; further engage students, parents and alumni; and advance the important mission of our St. Bede community.”

Massamba and his wife Colleen reside in nearby Ohio, Illinois, with their three children.