Ella Leib
Ella Leib, formerly known as Ella Berry Boston, was born on November 21, 1877 in Knox County Maine, and began school at Lombard College in September 1893. She joined Alpha Xi Delta in 1894 and was highly active in the Fraternity. On October 29, 1902, Ella married Dr. John Robert Leib, and they resided in Springfield, IL. During this same year, Ella served as Alpha Xi Delta’s first Grand Secretary of National Council, which was then referred to as the Grand Chapter. During her time as Grand Secretary, Ella served with our most famous founder, Cora Bollinger Block, who was, at the time, Grand National President. On May 14, 1904 at Alpha Xi Delta’s second annual Convention, Ella Leib was elected Alpha Xi Delta's Grand National President.
Ella Leib served as the National Panhellenic Conference delegate, then called the Inter-Sorority Conference, in 1905. She attended the fourth Inter-Sorority conference on September 15, 1905, along with delegates from Kappa Alpha Theta, Delta Gamma, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Pi Beta Phi, Alpha Phi, Gamma Phi Beta, Alpha Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Chi Omega and Alpha Omicron Pi. At this particular meeting, Ella Leib was declared Secretary of the Conference. Ella also attended the fifth Inter-Sorority Conference on September 14, 1906. This time the group was joined by a delegate from Sigma Kappa.
Lena Baldwin
Lena Baldwin joined the Eta Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta in October 1904. She was a junior at Syracuse University when she entered our Sisterhood. After graduating cum laude in 1906, Lena stayed involved with the Fraternity. She joined the Syracuse Alumnae Association and was Directress of Division III from 1909 – 1911. She went on to serve as Alpha Xi Delta’s Grand Secretary in 1911, and eventually became the National President on October 28, 1911 at Alpha Xi Delta’s sixth National Convention.
Lena attended the eleventh National Panhellenic Conference, no longer referred to as the Inter-Sorority Conference, on October 17, 1912 as an Alpha Xi Delta Delegate. At this meeting, Lena joined the Committee on Chaperones along with James H. Crann from Alpha Chi Omega. In 1913, Lena Baldwin joined the NPC Executive Committee as its Treasurer in 1913. She held this position from 1913-1914. She attended the twelfth National Pan-Hellenic Conference on October 16, 17 and 18, and this time she was placed on the Auditing Committee. Lena later became the first Alpha Xi Delta to serve as NPC Chair. During her time in this position, Lena composed the Panhellenic Creed, which all members of NPC still recite today.
Mary Burt Nash
Mary Burt Brooks Nash joined Alpha Xi Delta’s Alpha Theta Chapter at Northwestern University in 1930. She was dedicated to service for the greater good, and exemplified her dedication and leadership within the Fraternity. She served as Alpha Xi Delta’s National President from 1957 – 1962 and held the National Panhellenic Conference Chair from 1961 – 1963. Mary helped establish the Alpha Xi Delta Foundation in 1957, to help fund educational programming and leadership opportunities for the women of Alpha Xi Delta.
Mary Burt Nash attended the 34th National Panhellenic Conference in November 14 – 18, 1955 as Alpha Xi Delta’s National First Vice President. She was then considered to be the alternate NPC delegate. When she was installed as Alpha Xi Delta’s National President in 1957, Mary Burt Nash became Alpha Xi Delta’s NPC delegate. She was the National Panhellenic Conference Treasurer from 1957-1959 before becoming NPC Chair in 1961.
