Terri Catafygiotu, senior director of Alumni Programs at UT Health Science Center, is one of six University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. (UTFI), employees honored with a 2025 UT Foundation President’s Award, announced July 15 during a virtual statewide UT Foundation celebration.
The award recognizes outstanding achievements by advancement staff in promoting the services of UTFI, an interdependent nonprofit to raise financial, public, and political support for the University of Tennessee System. Recipients are nominated by their peers.
Known as a consummate professional – and a trusted colleague and friend – Catafygiotu deferred to her team for making her work “easy.”
Catafygiotu has been at UT Health Science Center since 2017 and with UTFI since 2018. In her role as liaison to alumni from the Colleges of Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Graduate Health Sciences, she brings a deep belief in the power of connection and community to everything she does to raise support for UT Health Science Center. Her creative leadership and reputation as a “go-to person” – no matter the project or request – reflects a commitment to integrity and purpose, with a focus on building meaningful relationships with alumni that encourage volunteerism, philanthropy, and advocacy.
“I truly love interacting with our alumni and our alumni boards, as well as campus leadership,” she said. “It’s wonderful to connect with people across our campus and the UT System, and I enjoy working on committees and projects that make a real difference.”
For example, in July 2024, UTFI President Kerry Witcher tapped Catafygiotu to serve on the foundation’s Strategic Planning Committee. As with every opportunity, she embraced it wholeheartedly and brought her can-do spirit, superior organizational skills, and thoughtful perspective to improving the foundation’s alumni engagement enterprise. “Terri is a gem,” said Bethany K. Goolsby, JD, associate vice chancellor for Development at UT Health Science Center. “She brings a wonderful attitude and a willingness to always pitch in. Her many contributions benefit everyone, and we are very fortunate to have her on our team.”