Two Former Government Officials Join Board of Trustees

Linda McMahon returns to SHU after serving in Trump’s cabinet; Thomas Scrivo was Governor Christie’s chief counsel

Sacred Heart University has added former Trump cabinet member Linda McMahon and Attorney Thomas Scrivo, chief counsel to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, to its board of trustees.

McMahon previously served as vice chair and member of SHU’s board of trustees from January 2004 to February 2017. The Linda E. McMahon Student Commons is named for her, and the dining hall within is called Linda’s.

She left the board to serve on President Donald J. Trump’s cabinet as administrator of the Small Business Administration. Under her leadership, the SBA was reimagined, focusing on rural development and championing women entrepreneurs and veterans. She oversaw natural disaster recovery efforts and helped improve the way the SBA connected small businesses to capital, counseling and government contracts.

After her service in the Trump Administration, she served as chair of the America First Action SuperPAC and America First Policy, LLC. She currently is board chair for the America First Policy Institute. Prior to her career in public service, she was co-founder and CEO of WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), which she and her husband, Vincent McMahon, built from a small regional corporation to a multinational public company. 

“It’s great to be back at Sacred Heart,” said McMahon. “It’s like coming home again. I look forward to resuming my service on the board.”

Scrivo is a managing partner of O’Toole Scrivo, LLC, a law firm with offices in New Jersey and New York. He previously served as managing partner of the Newark, NJ, office of an Am Law 200 firm and co-chair of that firm’s commercial litigation practice group.

Scrivo was chief counsel to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, with responsibility for leading the governor’s legislative initiatives, supervising gubernatorial appointments and overseeing the state’s executive branch. He also served as chair of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, an independent state agency that provides financing and tax incentives to New Jersey businesses to retain and expand jobs and revitalize communities through redevelopment initiatives.

Three of Scrivo’s four children attended Sacred Heart University. “We have become a Sacred Heart family,” said Scrivo. “I’m honored to serve on the board and look forward to helping lead Sacred Heart as it continues to grow.”

Pictured are Linda McMahon, left, and Thomas Scrivo.