NDP ANNOUNCES TWO KEY ADVANCEMENT APPOINTMENTS

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November 5, 2025

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Notre Dame Prep welcomes Tanika Phillips and Greg Mallek to its Office of Advancement.

Tanika Phillips named Director of Alumni and Parent Relations

Notre Dame Preparatory School is pleased to announce the hiring of Tanika Phillips as the school’s new Director of Alumni and Parent Relations. In this role, Phillips will lead efforts to strengthen connections among alumni, parents, and the broader Notre Dame Prep community.

Phillips joins Notre Dame Prep from Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU), where she served as the graduate admissions coordinator. She also serves as vice president of SVSU’s Alumni Board of Directors, bringing to her new role a wealth of experience in alumni engagement and relationship-building. She holds degrees in criminal justice and sociology from SVSU, as well as a Master of Business Administration degree and Master of Science in organizational leadership from Northwood University.

“We are excited to have Tanika join the NDP community. She has a deep appreciation for the power of community engagement and a passion for fostering lifelong relationships,” said Matthew Brown, vice president for advancement at Notre Dame Prep. “Those qualities are essential to an independent school like ours, where the strength of our community, and the connections our students, parents, and alumni share, help sustain our mission long after graduation. Tanika’s energy and vision will play a key role.”

Looking ahead, Phillips said she plans to expand alumni involvement through events and storytelling initiatives that spotlight alumni achievements and “celebrate the enduring impact of an NDP education.” She also hopes to create mentorship and career support opportunities, connecting alumni from NDP and its five heritage schools with current students and recent graduates through career panels and mentoring programs.

In addition, Phillips will serve as the Advancement Office liaison to the Parents Club, helping coordinate key community events such as the school’s annual gala.

“What excites me most about beginning a career as the Director of Alumni and Parent Relations is the opportunity to celebrate NDP’s legacy — while inspiring new ways for alumni and families to engage, give back, and grow together,” Phillips said. “I am extremely honored to step into a role where I can help nurture the relationships that make this school such a special place.”

Phillips will join the Advancement Office, located in the Fr. Colin House at 1389 Giddings Road. She can be reached via email at alumni@ndpma.org.

Greg Mallek named Director of Development

This past spring, Saginaw resident Gregory Mallek joined the staff of Notre Dame Prep’s Advancement Office as director of development. Drawing on a 16-year career that bridges the classroom, athletics and educational leadership, Mallek has dedicated his work to fostering environments where students can thrive.

Mallek comes to Notre Dame Prep from Coleman Community Schools as dean of students and athletic director, and most recently as director of athletics at Mid-Michigan College in Mount Pleasant, Mich. He also owned his own restaurant, Spencer’s Route 46, in Saginaw for several years.

“I’ve had the privilege of knowing Greg both personally and professionally for more than 20 years, and I can say with confidence that his leadership, integrity and passion for education make him an incredible addition to our team,” said Matthew Brown, vice president for advancement at Notre Dame Preparatory School. “Greg’s background has uniquely prepared him to build meaningful relationships and strengthen our culture of philanthropy at NDP.  His heart for service and deep understanding of people will be a tremendous asset to our mission."

Mallek's time working with at-risk students in an alternative program and coaching basketball helped shape his approach to service and giving.

“Doing that work showed me the need for support for kids, by giving time, allowing my talents to be useful, and helping them obtain the necessary financial support they needed,” he added. “That’s where my inspiration initially came from.”

Mallek said his experiences working with students and families have given him the foundation he needs to succeed in this new role.

“Working with kids means you’re working with parents, staff, teachers, and community members,” he said. “Creating relationships and developing rapport through these relationships has given me the skills preparing me for my role in development at NDP.”

A lifelong Catholic, Mallek said Notre Dame Prep’s mission and community felt like a natural fit.

“What drew me to NDP was the culture and history of not only our current school, but the heritage schools as well,” he said. “Being at NDP has allowed me to re-engage my faith, connecting me to the institution and the church again.”

As director of development, Mallek said he’s energized by the people who make up the Notre Dame community.

“The students and staff give me excitement,” he said. “Seeing the interactions on campus every day gives so much positive energy.”

Meeting alumni, parents, and community supporters, he added, helps him understand their connections to the school and gives insight into its culture and history.

Mallek’s goals for the coming year are both strategic and heartfelt. He hopes to help advance NDP’s mission on multiple levels, supporting the Notre Dame Fund, future capital campaign, and signature events such as the Booster Club’s annual golf outing, Grandparents Day, and Homecoming. He also wants to foster “a continued positive atmosphere promoting our students to be Christian people, upright citizens and academic scholars.”

When it comes to growing philanthropy and engagement, Mallek believes success begins with connection.

“In simplest terms, it’s about communicating and showing the value of NDP’s mission,” he said. “People are philanthropic for a range of deeply personal and social reasons. My role is to be a conduit for their connection to NDP and help them find their best fit philanthropically with the institution.”

Ultimately, Mallek hopes to strengthen a true culture of giving at Notre Dame Prep, one built on relationships and shared purpose.

“It’s a balance of communicating the values and mission of NDP and its needs,” he said. “Everything is about relationships. How can the Advancement Office and NDP as a whole build relationships that foster support for the students at NDP?”

Looking ahead, Mallek envisions growth, visibility, and community as the hallmarks of the Advancement Office’s future.

“Over time, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents will know who we are and appreciate our support of the Notre Dame mission,” he said.

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.