Penn State Forward Announces 2025 Election Slate

Penn State Forward has announced its three candidates running for alumni seats on the Penn State Board of Trustees: civil rights and liberties attorney Daniel Zahn, environmental, social, and governance investment strategist Uma Moriarity, and higher education policy expert Katherine Wheatle.
Penn State Forward, a self-described grassroots coalition of students, staff, faculty, and alumni, will support candidates during the election, after successfully electing trustees in both past elections where it fielded candidates.
Moriarity, a senior investment strategist at a $15 billion real estate investment firm, graduated from Penn State with honors and distinction in 2014. Moriarity is the firm’s youngest partner and serves as its environmental, social, and governance strategy leader.
Moriarity first ran for Penn State’s Board of Trustees in 2023 with Penn State Forward, though she lost that race. Her Penn State Forward partner, Ali Krieger, was the only member of the group to win their race.
“I am honored to be representing Penn State Forward again this year,” Moriarity said. “In 2023, thousands of alumni expressed their desire for a better Penn State. I’m excited to continue this movement’s momentum, to put ideas into action, and move our beloved institution forward.”
Katherine Wheatle, a 2008 graduate, is a grant-maker at one of the nation’s largest foundations, where she funds and supports equity and justice nonprofit organizations and leaders. Wheatle’s career has focused on higher education attainment and affordability.
“The future of Penn State is happening now. With all that faces our country, communities, and families today, I feel compelled to run,” Wheatle said. “If elected, I will be a fierce advocate and partner on campus safety, educational equity, and community relations.”
Daniel Zahn, a civil rights attorney at a legal nonprofit that leads nationally on free speech issues, graduated from Penn State in 2020. His work focuses on individual liberties with an emphasis on campus free speech, academic freedom, and due process rights.
“Penn State improved me, and I’m ready to return the favor,” Zahn said. “I will ensure Penn State sets the standard for academic freedom, student rights, and the pursuit of truth, while also building a welcoming, vibrant, and intellectually rigorous environment for generations of students to come.”
The candidates will announce their campaign via a letter to alumni. Nominations for the board open on Tuesday, January 21. Candidates who receive at least 50 nominations, submit all required paperwork, and meet all qualifications will be placed on the election ballot which will be distributed in late April. All alumni and most former students can nominate and vote at PennStateVotes.com.
Your ad blocker is on.
Please choose an option below.
Purchase a Subscription!