2025 Alumless Holiday Special

As 2025 comes to a close, Alumless is considering alumni engagement technology for 2026 and beyond. On our special holiday edition, Chris Marshall and Kim Infanti are joined by Max Leisten from Protopia, Renee Quinn of Givzey, and Steve Rittler of AlumnIQ to reflect on where ed tech for advancement stands today and where it is headed next.

The group explores how engagement teams are thinking about their tech stacks, why integration remains such a persistent challenge, and whether engagement data is finally influencing fundraising strategy in meaningful ways. They discuss the real-world impact of AI right now, the evolving role of engagement scores, and how institutions can balance personalization at scale with the human connection alumni expect from their alma mater.

Looking ahead to 2026, the conversation turns to changing alumni digital behaviors, the future of social media in advancement, and what it truly means to be a digital-first engagement organization. The episode wraps with a holiday edition of Friday Cheers, featuring technology-inspired recommendations to carry into the new year.