Volleyball Hall Of Fame Welcomes New Board President and Member

HOLYOKE — The International Volleyball Hall of Fame announced it has appointed James Leahy as its new president and Nancy Coley as a new member.

A lifelong resident of Holyoke, Leahy has been on the board of the International Volleyball Hall of Fame for two years and brings extensive expertise in fund-raising and operations to his role as board president. While his professional career is in the pharmaceutical industry, he is also co-director of marketing and sponsorship for the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke Inc., a nonprofit that operates one of the largest St. Patrick Day parades in the country. He has also served on numerous other nonprofit boards, including the Holyoke Merry-go-round, the Boys and Girls Club of America, Holyoke Youth Soccer, the Westfield State University Foundation and the Greater Holyoke YMCA and Children’s Museum boards.

Coley is currently the director of Admissions at St. Michael’s Academy in Springfield and was previously a member of the communications team at Holyoke Medical Center for 29 years, serving as its public relations manager. Coley’s marketing and public-relations background will be invaluable as the Hall of Fame continues to unveil its new brand and strategic direction over the next two years.

“The staff and current board of the International Volleyball Hall of Fame are happy to welcome Nancy as a new board member and Jim as president,” said George Mulry, the hall’s executive director. “We have a board that is strategic-minded and governance-oriented, and these members fit those roles very well. We are working hard to extend our reach locally, nationally, and internationally, and both these appointments are positive steps toward that end.”