Meet our staff
Zachary Schwan
Director of Leadership Activities
Case Center 207A
zschwan1@skidmore.edu
Originally from Ithaca, NY, Zach Schwan's journey to the Capital Region began in high school, driven by his athletic ambitions. He went on to attend Clarkson University, where he earned his B.S. in Social and Behavioral Sciences while playing as a member of the men's Division I ice hockey team.
Following graduation, Zach moved to Boston, where he gained valuable experience in various administrative roles within education and health & wellness promotions. His pursuit of excellence led him to Chicago, where he earned an M.S. in Sport Management from Northern Illinois University while working full-time in the athletics marketing and sales department at Northwestern University.
After completing his graduate studies, Zach returned to Ithaca to serve as an advancement officer at Cornell University, where he successfully secured philanthropic support for the athletic department. However, the call of Saratoga Springs and a desire to be closer to family and friends drew him to 91¶¶Òù, where he joined the community as the Associate Director of Major Gifts for Athletics.
Zach's passion for student leadership development deepened during his tenure as Director of Athletics at SUNY Adirondack. This experience inspired him to return to Skidmore in August 2024, where he now serves as the Director of Leadership Activities within the Campus Life and Engagement team.
An avid golfer, skier, and outdoorsman, Zach’s love for exploration has taken him to over 30 national and state parks and 24 countries around the world. He is married to Courtney, an elementary school teacher in the Niskayuna School District, and they are the proud parents of their two children, Colton and Clara.
Emily Poole
Associate Director
Case Center 207
emilypoole@skidmore.edu
Emily Poole (she/her) holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from SUNY Cortland. During her time at Cortland, she was actively involved in student activities and organized various weeknight programs, which sparked her passion for event planning and leadership development.
In her current role, Emily supports the Student Events Council (SEC) and oversees the activities of the 100 clubs and organizations at 91¶¶Òù. With a deep love for event planning, Emily plays a crucial role in creating a student-focused event calendar, managing over 2,600 events annually. These events offer a wide range of experiences for Skidmore students, from small gatherings to large-scale productions. Notable events include the annual large-scale concert, with Saint Motel headlining the Fall 2023 show, as well as class year tradition events held both on and off campus, and late-night weekend programming.
A fun fact about Emily is that she has attended over 130 concerts, with her favorite being The Lumineers.
For any inquiries regarding student events, joining the Student Events Council, or club activities, please contact Emily at emilypoole@skidmore.edu.
Kris Leggiero
SGA Accountant
518-580-5776
Case Center 207
kleggier@skidmore.edu
Kris received her associate's degree in accounting from Nassau Community College on Long Island, where she grew up. Kris joined the Skidmore staff in 2001 as the financial advisor to the Student Government Association as well as all student clubs and organizations. Kris provides oversight of the student activity fee allocations and expenditures, financial policies and procedures, as well as leadership training on budgeting and finance. Kris is the primary advisor to the SGA VP of Financial Affairs as well as the advisor to the Budget and Finance Committee.
Nicki Damiano
Coordinator of Club Sports
518-580-8315
Case Center 207
ndamiano@skidmore.edu
Nicki received her B.A. in history education from SUNY Cortland in 2007 and her M.S. in ethnic geography in 2009 from Binghamton University. Nicki first served as Assistant Swimming Coach for Skidmore from 2009 to 2011 and returned in August of 2015 in the same position. Nicki also teaches "Beginning Swimming" and "Swim for Fitness" for the physical activity and recreation program on campus. During her four years away from Skidmore, Nicki served as the Head Swimming and Diving Coach/Aquatics Director for SUNY Cobleskill, where her athletes broke more than 50 schools records and won their conference championship during the 2015 season. Nicki is looking forward to creating a positive environment for all club sports and eager to work with the club officers and students.