Cultivating Champions

Moderator:
Sara Liebscher ’91, ’93 MBA,
Associate Vice President Regional Development

Sara Liebscher ’91, ’93 MBA, in her 13th year at the University of Notre Dame, serves as the Senior Director of Athletics Advancement, overseeing fundraising efforts and managing a national portfolio of benefactors. She developed the strategic business plan for Athletics fundraising, leading to record private support and initiatives like fully endowed coaching scholarships and new facilities. Previously, she worked at PNC Bank and coached women’s basketball at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A Notre Dame alumna, she was a four-year monogram winner and team captain. Liebscher also participates in breast cancer awareness, youth coaching, and serves on Habitat for Humanity’s Women’s Advisory Board.

Panelist:
Jack Swarbrick, ’76,
emeritus vice president
and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics

Jack Swarbrick, ’76 was born in Yonkers, New York, and raised in Yonkers and Bloomington, Indiana, Swarbrick is a 1976 magna cum laude graduate of Notre Dame, with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Upon graduating from Stanford University Law School in 1980, he accepted a position as an associate in the Indianapolis law firm Baker & Daniels. He was made partner in 1987 and spent 28 years with the firm. Swarbrick became Notre Dame’s 12th athletics director on July 16, 2008. He and his wife, Kimberly, are the parents of four children: Kate, a 2010 graduate of Saint Louis University; Connor, a 2011 graduate of Wake Forest University; Cal, a 2014 graduate of TCU; and Christopher, a 2015 graduate of Notre Dame.

Panelist:
Bubba Cunningham ’84, ’88 MBA,
Athletic Director at
University of North Carolina

Bubba Cunningham ’84, ’88 MBA, assumed the role of Carolina’s director of athletics in 2011, and has overseen significant achievements. UNC has graduated over 1,500 student-athletes while excelling in various sports, winning 21 national titles and achieving academic milestones. Under Cunningham’s guidance, more than 3,500 student-athletes have made the ACC Academic Honor Roll, and over 46 have been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. His leadership led to the completion of various infrastructure projects and the launch of initiatives like “Complete Carolina” and a Name, Image, and Likeness program. Cunningham’s influence extends beyond UNC; he serves on national committees and supports youth sports. With extensive experience in athletic administration, including stints at Tulsa and Ball State, Cunningham continues to shape Carolina’s athletic future while emphasizing student-athlete welfare. His commitment to excellence and community engagement underscores his impact in collegiate athletics.

Cunningham was born in Flint, Mich., and raised in Naples, Fla. He and his wife, Tina, have four grown children: Matthew, Michael, John and Sarah, and two daughters-in-law, Erica and Emily.