JP Abercrumbie ’09

“You can help people when your heart is set on fire and you’re in alignment with who you’re meant to be,” says JP Abercrumbie ’09, a guiding belief that has shaped her distinguished career in college athletics. Today, JP serves as the Executive Associate Athletic Director for Culture, Engagement, and Civic Innovation at the University of Notre Dame, a role at the intersection of purpose, sport, and social impact.

At Notre Dame, JP leads initiatives focused on organizational and team culture, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), talent development and retention, mission engagement, and strategic partnerships. In early 2022, she was tasked with assessing the department’s social impact efforts. Her work led to the creation of Together Irish, a values-based civic engagement platform focused on education, enrichment, and connection across student-athletes, coaches, staff, fans, and the broader community. The program reflects Notre Dame’s Catholic identity and its commitment to sustainable change.

JP’s roots in athletics trace back to her time at Marist, where she competed on the basketball, track and field, and cross country teams for four years. She was also a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, and served as a student ambassador. “There were so many people—who through the gateway of sport, helped me figure out who I wanted to become,” she reflects.

After Marist, JP earned a Bachelor of Arts from Temple University, where she was a four-year member of the track and field team and held leadership positions in multiple student organizations. She later completed a Master’s in Cultural Studies of Sport in Education at the University of California, Berkeley, and has earned multiple certifications in her field. Her career has included impactful roles at UC Berkeley, Mississippi State, and Rice University, where she focused on student-athlete development, wellness, engagement, and fundraising. She has also contributed to national conversations on sport and social change, speaking at conferences and serving on committees in both collegiate and professional athletics, including work with the NFL.

Her visionary leadership has earned widespread recognition, including the 2023 ACC UNITE Award and contributing to Notre Dame’s win of the 2024 NCAA-MOAA Diversity & Inclusion National Championship. Whether on the track, on stage, or behind the scenes, JP is deeply committed to leveraging the power of sport to build better individuals, stronger institutions, and more connected communities.