Crites-Leoni Elected Southeast Alumni Association President
05/25/2017

The Southeast Missouri State University Alumni Association recently elected the Honorable Abbie Crites-Leoni as president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. Crites-Leoni, a 1993 Southeast graduate, was elected to a two-year term after serving as vice president the past two years.  The Board of Directors also elected Walt Wildman of Cape Girardeau, who graduated from Southeast in 1971, to serve as vice president. All Southeast graduates and former students have automatic membership in the Alumni Association which strives to build valued and lasting relationships with alumni and friends of the University. Crites-Leoni graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Spanish and theatre and dance. As a student, she was a member of the Emerging Leaders, the Honors Program, University Players and the Black Mask honorary dramatic society.  She also served as a Presidential Ambassador and member of the university’s Leadership Board. She earned a law degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri for 14 years.  She was sworn in as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in February 2014.  Her chambers are in the Rush Hudson Limbaugh, Sr., United States Courthouse, Cape Girardeau. Crites-Leoni is a founding Redhawks Level member of the Alumni Association, a member of the Copper Dome Society and recipient of the Alumni Association’s Young Alumni Merit Award in 2008.  She has been a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2011. She and her husband, Dr. Ed Leoni, Southeast professor emeritus of health human performance and recreation, reside in Jackson, Missouri.