Kinship On and Off the Court

Meet the Faculty

Before joining Keurig in 1996, Co-Founding Director of ILI Chris Stevens worked in a variety of senior sales, marketing, and management positions at companies like Procter and Gamble and Anheuser-Busch. Leveraging his more than 20 years of experience, Chris developed the Keurig brand, sales, distribution, and marketing strategies, playing a key role in the success and growth of the company. He was also responsible for all aspects of Keurig’s corporate social responsibility practices as part of its commitment to donate at least five percent of pre-tax profits to environmental and social causes.

In the fall of 2012, Chris joined the Mendoza College of Business as a professional specialist teaching undergraduate courses. After retiring from Keurig in 2013, he began teaching M.B.A. courses in business problem-solving, change management, and entrepreneurship at Notre Dame’s South Bend and Chicago campuses. In 2017, he joined Mendoza as a full-time faculty member.

Chris is also the founder and CEO of CS 74 Ventures LLC, a holding company for more than 20 initiatives, in which Chris invests or owns, that commit at least 50 percent of their profits to charitable and social causes. He has been an angel investor in several start-ups; has done acting, broadcasting, and voice-over work; and is the executive producer of the award-winning movie Three Days of Hamlet. He also authored Fighting to Give, a book he self-published about a Notre Dame classmate who died after a courageous battle against ALS; 100 percent of the proceeds fund research for Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Chris received his B.S. in Economics from Notre Dame.

Meet Niele Ivey, Karen & Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach, Women’s Basketball

Coach Niele Ivey has been the head coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s basketball team since April 2020.  She is a former player in the Women’s National Basketball Association for the Indiana Fever, Detroit Shock, and Phoenix Mercury.  Ivey served on the coaching staff for the Fighting Irish for 12 seasons under Coach Muffet McGraw.  She also became the ninth active female coach in the NBA during the 2019-2020 season when she accepted an assistant coaching position with the Memphis Grizzlies.  Prior to her professional career, she led the Irish women’s team to their first NCAA Championship in 2001 as a point guard.

Read more about Coach Ivey

Click here to read more about Coach Ivey’s path to, and success as the current head coach of the Women’s basketball Fighting Irish team.

View the Event

Presented by Inspired Leadership Initiative

Thursday, February 9, 2023 12:30 pm

As the head coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Women’s basketball team, Coach Niele Ivey is responsible not only for leading her team on the court during games and practices, but also off the court and oftentimes behind the scenes.  Join us for this conversation between Chris Stevens, Co-Founding Director of ILI and Coach Niele Ivey, where we will hear more from Coach about her impressive career to date and how our understanding of “kinship” (not serving the other, but being one with the other) can be manifested through the deep and powerful relationships forged both on and off the court.

This conversation was recorded on February 9, 2023.