Board of Visitors Chair Linda M. LaMagna '83 is the recipient of the 2019 Robert E. Walker Award, in honor of her sustained commitment to Shady Side Academy. The award is named in honor of Mr. Walker, a revered leader of the Academy's Alumni Office, created in his name by the Alumni Council.

LaMagna has been a member of the SSA Board of Visitors (BOV) since 2012. She now chairs the BOV, is a loyal and generous donor to the Blue & Gold Fund and has hosted regional alumni events in her home outside of Charlotte, N.C. She holds an undergraduate degree from Purdue University and a master's degree in international business from St. Mary's College. LaMagna recently retired from corporate America to pursue her passion for design work and started her own firm, 341 Interior Design. The name of the company is inspired from the moment in the middle of the night when she realized she could be doing what makes her truly happy. In addition to her design firm, LaMagna also owns Celedore Fine Wallpapers, a boutique design center in Charlotte, N.C., focused on wallpaper, fabrics and premium paint.

Prior to starting her own company, LaMagna was senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Wound Care/Vascular Division of BSN medical, where she oversaw all the sales and marketing activities for the lymphology, wound care and phrenology therapeutic markets. She joined BSN medical in 2014, bringing with her more than 25 years of management experience in healthcare and related industries. Prior to BSN medical, she was vice president of global marketing and strategic planning for Spiracur Inc., a medical device start-up founded out of the Stanford BioDesign Innovation Program. She also has worked in a variety of senior management positions for ConvaTec, a $2 billion medical device company, including as general manager for German-speaking markets.

She has leveraged her extensive background in sales and marketing, as well as her international experiences living and working abroad, to design spaces that her clients "love to live in" through color, texture, pattern and scale. She resides in the greater Charlotte, N.C., area with her puppy, Mazimillian.

LaMagna will be presented with the Robert E. Walker Award during SSA's Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, at the Alumni and Faculty Mixer on Friday evening, Oct. 11, at the Heinz History Center in downtown Pittsburgh. Homecoming and Reunion Weekend events run from Friday, Oct. 11, through Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019. Learn more and register.

Congratulations, Linda!