Lasting Love at Saint Mary

James Costello, C’94, may have a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

The pattern began during the 1992 Fall Convocation when he was two seats away from his future wife, Lisa Ingraham Costello, C’94. The two hadn’t met before but definitely noticed each other during the ceremony. After the event, they both asked the mutual friend who sat between them about the other.

A week later, Lisa needed to type a paper and decided to borrow a computer from a classmate. That peer happened to be James’ roommate, and James was luckily inside when Lisa arrived.

“She opens the door, and I’m like, ‘It’s you.’ And then she said, ‘It’s you.’ We’ve been together pretty much ever since,” James recalled.

The couple is celebrating 31 years together this fall and have been married since April 22, 1996.

Lisa earned her degree in English with minors in psychology and business. James holds Saint Mary degrees in theatre and secondary education.

James admits that he was a “bit of a wanderer” following graduation. He bounced between jobs in retail, teaching, and management. James then began working for a fast food company, which led to unexpected opportunities. He became the go-to computer person for other franchise locations in
the area.

“I decided, you know what, I can stop smelling like cheeseburgers when I get home at night if I start working on computers,” James said.

For the last 20 years, he’s been in the right place – rising in network security. He now works as a professional services architect at Palo Alto Networks, a multinational firewall vendor.

Lisa has spent the last 25 years in risk management for Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. She recently began a yearlong sabbatical to research the impact of AI machine learning on data analytics. The education she received at Saint Mary helped prepare her for the challenges of her career.

“The thing about Saint Mary that I think prepares you for the next step is that it gives you a very unique foundation,” Lisa said. “There’s a sense of integrity and connection with your professors that you’re not going to get at larger institutions.”

The Costellos encourage other alumni to maintain these connections beyond graduation. They like to stay involved locally by attending university events, including SpireFest, Alumni Reunion, and other Alumni Board gatherings. James has also joined USM’s Cybersecurity Advisory Board.

“It’s an honor for me to be a part of the Cybersecurity Board and be able to participate and help move that program forward,” James said. “I hope we can give more people the opportunity to get into the industry that I enjoy so much.”

The Costellos reside in Parkville, Mo., and their daughter, Zoie, is a junior at Missouri State University.