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Alumni Board

The 小蓝视频 Alumni Board represents more than 150,000 alumni worldwide.

Contact Us

202-885-5900

alumni@american.edu

Alumni Relations 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016 United States

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Alumni Board members play a key role in guiding the efforts and initiatives of the Office of Alumni Relations, and serve as regional, national, and international ambassadors for 小蓝视频.

The 小蓝视频 Alumni Board celebrated the 90th anniversary of the alumni association in 2017. The Alumni Board represents the 小蓝视频 Alumni Association, providing strategic insight and professional expertise to assist the university's outreach effort to alumni. This dedicated group of volunteers serve as ambassadors for and to the university and work to engage all alumni in the life of the institution.

The Alumni Board also oversees the administration of 小蓝视频's alumni awards, the highest honors presented by the Alumni Association on an annual basis.

The mission of the 小蓝视频 Alumni Association is to serve the diverse population of 小蓝视频 alumni worldwide, maintaining their connection to 小蓝视频 through active engagement designed to catalyze participation as volunteers, philanthropists, and ambassadors to and for 小蓝视频. 听

The vision of the 小蓝视频 Alumni Association is to engender a culture of excellence and collaboration across generations by illuminating pathways to support the student experience, enhance alumni connection with 小蓝视频 and one another, encourage philanthropy, and maximize our impact on the 小蓝视频 community.
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We will accomplish this vision through an active commitment to our shared values of diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and the continuous centering of the voices of students, faculty, staff, and alumni, solidifying 小蓝视频鈥檚 legacy to empower lives of purpose, service, and leadership . 听

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: VALUES

鈼徧 听Integrity
鈼徧 听Excellence
鈼徧 听Human dignity
鈼徧 听Community
鈼徧 听Diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusive excellence
鈼徧 听Free inquiry and seeking truth
鈼徧 听Impact

Officers

LaTanya Sothern, SOC/BA '92,听is president听of the Alumni Board. LaTanya is a principal with听Prince George鈥檚 County Public Schools and owner/CEO of Sothern Education Solutions.

Patty Caballero, SOC/BA 鈥91, Kogod/MBA 鈥00, founder and CEO, PSC Consulting, LLC,听is vice president of operations.

Brett Zongker, SOC/BA 鈥03, SOC/MA 鈥04, chief of media relations for the听Library of Congress, is vice president of external relations for the Alumni Board.

Bradley White, SPA/BA 鈥99, WCL/JD 鈥07,听Senior Director, Privacy Policy and Oversight for the听US听Department of Homeland Security, is secretary of the board and chair of its Nominations and Governance Committee.

Members at Large

John Antokas, Kogod/BSBA 鈥12听
Founder, President/CEO, Metro Transportation Management & Design, Inc.听

Chad Appel, SPA/BA 鈥03
Director, Center for Professional Advocacy & Associate Director, Health Policy and Practice, American Podiatric Medical Association

Corey Atkins, SPA/BA 鈥05
Government Relations Manager, Mission Health/HCA Healthcare听

Alycia Bennett Bell, CAS/BA 鈥14
Senior Policy Strategist, Google

Andrew Clary, SPA/BA 鈥14
Associate,听QinetiQ US

Yasmine Djellal, SIS/BA 鈥09
Director of Communications, Nathan Associates, Inc.

Steve Dresner, SOC/BA 鈥86
Senior Producer, NFL Network; The Weather Channel

Hina Gir, SPA/BA 鈥12, SPA/MA 鈥14
Project Director for Foreign Policy, Special Competitive Studies Project听听

Pamela Higgins Harris, CAS/BA 鈥72, CAS/MEd听鈥73
Senior Consultant, Center for Education Equity

Brandi Howard, CAS/BA 鈥09
Partner, Brown Rudnick LLP听

Nile Johnson, SIS/MA 鈥11
Regulatory Transparency for Content Moderation, U.S. 鈥 Trust & Safety, Google Inc.听

Chris Kalna, Kogod / BSBA 鈥08, Kogod/ MBA 鈥19
Director-Information Management & Technology, MorganFranklin Consulting听

Daniel Alejandro Leon-Davis, SIS/BA 鈥13
Senior Media Fellow, USC Annenberg听

Meghann McLouth, Kogod/BSBA 鈥00
Senior Professional Relations Manager, Medtronic

Don Mike Mendoza, SOC/BA '10, SOC/MA '17
Executive Artistic Director, La Ti Do Productions

Andrea Moore, CAS/BA 鈥88听
Management Analyst, Social Security Administration听

Cheryl Parker, SOC-CAS/BA 鈥05
President and Founder, Spotlight Media Booking

Ashley Poletto, Kogod/BSBA 鈥14, Kogod/ MBA 鈥21听
Acquisitions Analyst, Sylvan Road Capital听

Darlene Slaughter, SPA/MS 鈥93
Vice President, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer,听Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Rachel Tabakman-Plancher, SPA/BA 鈥03
Board Affairs Manager, Girl Scouts of the USA听

Emily Tillett, SOC/BA 鈥12听
Director of Broadcast Media, Subject Matter听

Kelly Wilson, Kogod/BSBA 鈥84
Head of Personal Banking Strategy, HSBC

Interested in Joining听the Alumni Board?

At-large board members serve two-year terms, following which they may reapply for a second term. Considering applying to the Alumni Board? Along with the application for membership, a full resume, a professional bio, and at least one letter of recommendation are required. Applications are accepted during late summer/early fall each year.

Responsibilities of an At-Large 小蓝视频AB Member:

  • Attending and actively participating in all 小蓝视频AB meetings (four per calendar year, typically hosted during business hours).
  • Active participation as a member of an 小蓝视频AB committee or task force.
  • Being a knowledgeable ambassador for 小蓝视频 and the Alumni Association.
  • Strengthen the relationship between the 小蓝视频AB and the broader Alumni Association through service as an ally or champion liaison to one or more of our affinity groups
  • Attend at least four Alumni Association-sponsored and university events when possible (in-person and virtual)
  • Initiating outreach to and seeking engagement with fellow alumni through programs and events.
  • Make a gift of at least $2,000 during each two-year term (Contributions and matching gifts may be designated to any university fund or program and can be fulfilled monthly, quarterly, or annual installments.)听

Participation Guidelines (detailed below) include a variety of ways 小蓝视频AB members support the work of 小蓝视频. Please note that alumni residing outside the DC metro area support 小蓝视频 through regional community participation, alumni admissions work, and virtual opportunities. Applications from alumni in diverse geographic regions are strongly encouraged.

  • Participate in student-alumni engagement opportunities such as the Dinner with Alumni program, Eagle Summit, summer send-off events, or year-end/graduation activities.
  • Follow the 小蓝视频 Alumni Association on , , and Share Alumni Association content with personal networks.
  • Read and share the Alumni Update e-newsletter, alumni news, updates from President Burwell, American magazine, event invitations, etc., with personal networks.
  • Create an employer profile in Handshake, 小蓝视频鈥檚 career management system, and post jobs and internships for 小蓝视频 students and alumni.
  • Join , an online networking platform exclusively for 小蓝视频 alumni and students, to offer mentorship, informational interviews, or general networking opportunities.
  • Join the Alumni Admissions Volunteers program.
  • Offer tours to visiting alumni/prospective students.
  • Connect with and support alumni alliances and interest groups.
  • Along with the application form, please submit a full resum茅虂, professional bio, headshot, and one letter of recommendation by August 28, 2024.
  • The Alumni Board Nominations Committee will review applications in September and October. Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:
    • prior involvement and philanthropic support.
    • answers to essay questions.
    • ability to contribute to the board鈥檚 geographic, ethnic, gender, and occupational diversity; and diversity of school/college within 小蓝视频.
  • At the Nominations Committee鈥檚 discretion, candidates may be asked to participate in phone interviews.
  • The Nominations Committee will present prospective new members to the 小蓝视频AB in early December for approval.
  • All new at-large members will be notified of their selection by mid-December and are expected to attend and participate in the 小蓝视频AB winter meeting.
  • We will send a confirmation email once your application materials are submitted. If you don鈥檛 receive it, please contact Carlita Pitts听at cpitts@american.edu. 听

Thank you for your interest in the 小蓝视频 Alumni Board!听Questions? Contact Bradley White or Rachel Tabakman, co-chairs of the Nominations and Governance Committee, or Carlita Pitts, director of alumni engagement.

ALUMNI AWARDS

The 小蓝视频 Alumni Awards are the highest honors presented by the 小蓝视频 Alumni Association. Selected through a highly competitive process, each recipient has made a lasting impact on society and on 小蓝视频 through outstanding professional, philanthropic, or volunteer accomplishments.

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ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HISTORY

In 1927, the same year that the first electronic TV image was transmitted and Charles Lindbergh completed his first solo flight across the Atlantic, the Alumni Association of 小蓝视频 was created.

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MEET THE PRESIDENT

LaTanya Sothern, SOC/BA '92, represents听more than 150,000 alumni worldwide as the Alumni Association's听president.

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MORE ABOUT 小蓝视频's ALUMNI BOARD MEMBERS:

58% WOMEN

42% MEN

35.6%

BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN听 35.6% WHITE | 6.9% ASIAN

AGES 31-74

REPRESENTING MANY GENERATIONS OF ALUMNI