Alumni Board

The American University Alumni Board represents more than 150,000 alumni worldwide.

Contact Us

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

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 American University.

The American University Alumni Board celebrated the 90th anniversary of the alumni association in 2017. The Alumni Board represents the AU 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 AU's alumni awards, the highest honors presented by the Alumni Association on an annual basis.

AUAB's MISSION STATEMENT

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

AUAB's VISION STATEMENT

The vision of the American University 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 AU and one another, encourage philanthropy, and maximize our impact on the American University community.

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 AU’s legacy to empower lives of purpose, service, and leadership .

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: VALUES

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

Meet Current Alumni Board Members

Officers

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

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

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

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

Members at Large

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

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

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

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

Andrew Clary, SPA/BA ’14
Associate, QinetiQ US

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

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

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

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

Brandi Howard, CAS/BA ’09
Partner, Brown Rudnick LLP

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

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

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

Meghann McLouth, Kogod/BSBA ’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 ’88
Management Analyst, Social Security Administration

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

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

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

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

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

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

Interested in Joining 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.

Alumni Board Roles and Responsibilities

Responsibilities of an At-Large AUAB Member:

Attending and actively participating in all AUAB meetings (four per calendar year, typically hosted during business hours).
Active participation as a member of an AUAB committee or task force.
Being a knowledgeable ambassador for AU and the Alumni Association.
Strengthen the relationship between the AUAB 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.)

Participation Guidelines

Participation Guidelines (detailed below) include a variety of ways AUAB members support the work of AU. Please note that alumni residing outside the DC metro area support AU 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 AU Alumni Association on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 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, AU’s career management system, and post jobs and internships for AU students and alumni.
Join AlumniFire, an online networking platform exclusively for AU 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.

Timeline and Process

Along with the application form, please submit a full resumé́, 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’s geographic, ethnic, gender, and occupational diversity; and diversity of school/college within AU.
At the Nominations Committee’s discretion, candidates may be asked to participate in phone interviews.
The Nominations Committee will present prospective new members to the AUAB 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 AUAB winter meeting.
We will send a confirmation email once your application materials are submitted. If you don’t receive it, please contact Carlita Pitts at cpitts@american.edu.

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

MORE ABOUT AU's ALUMNI BOARD MEMBERS:

58% WOMEN

42% MEN

35.6%

BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN 35.6% WHITE | 6.9% ASIAN

AGES 31-74

REPRESENTING MANY GENERATIONS OF ALUMNI