Brown Alumni Association Board of Governors

President: Amra Sabic-El-Rayess ’00

AB’00, Economics | M.I.A. ’04, Columbia University
M.Phil. ’10, Columbia University | Ph.D. ’12, Columbia University

Amra Sabic-El-Rayess is an associate professor of practice at Teachers College, Columbia University, specializing in building resilience to hate-fueled violence. She has delivered over 200 lectures and presentations in more than 15 countries and has received research grants from various organizations, including the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships; the Muslim World League; the Smith Richardson Foundation; the United States State Department; the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Kennan Institute; the International Research and Exchange Board; the Harriman Institute for Russian, Eurasian, and Eastern European Studies; and Women’s World Banking. In recognition of her contributions to peace, she was awarded the 2021 Vecernjakov Pecat in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Dr. Sabic-El-Rayess is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir “The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival” (Bloomsbury, 2020), a defining text on resilience and empowerment through education during the Bosnian genocide. Her latest nonfiction work, “Three Summers: A Memoir of Sisterhood, Summer Crushes, and Growing Up on the Eve of War” (Macmillan-FSG, 2024), explores themes of sisterhood and resilience during the years leading up to the Bosnian genocide. She has received over 60 literary and education-related awards, including the 2021 Finalist Medal for Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction from the American Library Association, the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard for 2021 and 2024, and Best Book Recognition from School Library Journal, the Malala Fund, Capitol Choices, Kirkus Reviews, and the Children’s Center for Literature.

She has served as a board director for the International Center for Transitional Justice, the Tuxedo Park School, and Women’s March Global. She is a trustee of Brown University and board director for the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation. Additionally, she is a member of the American Association of University Professors, the World Association of International Studies, and the International Academy of Science and Art in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She also serves on the International Expert Council at the Institute for the Research of Genocide in Canada.

About the President

Amra serves as the chief executive officer of the Alumni Association and presides at all meetings of the Board of Governors. She appoints the committee chairs and members of the Board of Governors and serves as an ex officio member of all committees.

President-Elect: Harry Holt Jr. ’84, P’16

ScB’84, Chemical Engineering | M.B.A. ’91, Dartmouth College | Completed doctoral coursework for a PhD in Management (HR/OB) at George Washington University in 2004.

Harry Holt is the president of BITHGROUP in Baltimore. He is responsible for running all aspects of the business. Harry has also been an adjunct professor of business at Morgan State University for the past 20 years and has received awards from Morgan State, INROADS, and the Irvine Nature Center for leadership. He published his first book in 2020 entitled “You Can Get There from Here: from a   Historically Black College or University to Greatness Volume One”. He serves as the vice president of the Dartmouth Club of Maryland and is the chair of the Strategic Planning Committee as a trustee for the Irvine Nature Center.

Previously, Harry was the mid-Atlantic regional director for INROADS, a management consultant with Price Waterhouse, and a systems engineer with International Business Machines. Harry was a math teacher with the Baltimore City Public Schools and he began his career at Calgon Corporation as a production engineer.  

At Brown, Harry was the president of the Onyx Society his senior year, vice-president for the National Society of Black Engineers, a minority peer counselor, and a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated Alpha Gamma Chapter. He currently serves as the president of Brown University’s Association of Class Leaders Board and is a member of the BAA’s MAC: Diversity & Inclusion Committee. He has also served as class co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, on the leadership committee for the Brown Club of Baltimore, and as an alumni interviewer. He is a parent of a class of 2016 Brown alumna.

About the President-Elect

The president-elect serves two years in the role of President-Elect, followed by two years as President of the Alumni Association. He or she assists the President in guiding the Board and, in the event of a permanent vacancy in the Presidency, would serve out the vacant term. At the time that the President's term begins, he or she also begins a six-year term as an Alumni Trustee.

Secretary: Ivon Rodriguez de Perez ’00 EMBA’16

AB’00, International Relations and Hispanic Studies |
E.M.B.A. ’16, Business Administration  

With experience in business development, general management, and marketing, Ivon's diverse background stems from her love of entrepreneurship, business innovation, and concept creation. Ivon graduated from Brown University with a double major in international relations and Hispanic studies and holds a joint executive masters in business administration from Brown University and IE Business School. She is currently pursuing an executive Ph.D. at Virginia Tech in business with a marketing focus.

Ivon has been instrumental in the startup phase of numerous television stations including Telemundo Boston, Telemundo Hartford, Telemundo Providence, and the Caracol Television Miami station. While engaged in studies with the IE Brown Executive MBA, she served as the vice president of marketing for the private nonprofit Smithsonian affiliate, HistoryMiami Museum. She served as the managing director for IE University, overseeing the growth of the institution and its programs in the southern US and Caribbean. Until recently she served as the chief marketing officer of The 360 Group, a marketing firm focused on entertainment and innovation. She currently serves as a chief marketing officer in tech.

A Miami native, Ivon now resides in Southlake, TX, and is active in her community through leadership roles at various organizations. Ivon serves on the Board of Governors of Brown University’s Brown Alumni Association and as vice president of the Brown University Latino Alumni Council.

About the Secretary

Keeps records of all proceedings of the BAA Board of Governors. He or she serves a two-year term and participates in major Alumni Association decisions.

Treasurer: Stephen A. Owens ’78, P’17

AB ’78, Independent Concentration |
J.D. ’81, Vanderbilt University

Steve Owens is chairperson of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), appointed by President Joe Biden. The CSB is charged with investigating accidents at chemical facilities and recommending actions to prevent them from happening. From 2003 to 2009, Steve was director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, appointed by Governor Janet Napolitano, after which he was appointed by President Barack Obama to be assistant administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where he was responsible for overseeing EPA’s scientific and regulatory programs governing the U.S. chemicals industry. Earlier in his career, Steve served as counsel for the U.S. House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, chaired by then-Congressman Al Gore. Steve later was chief counsel for Gore in the U.S. Senate.

Steve is a longtime active Brown alumni and class leader. He has served as a reunion activities volunteer, treasurer, and president for the Class of 1978. He has been a board member, treasurer, and president of the Association of Class Leaders and previously was a member of the Brown Alumni Association Board of Governors from 2017-2020. Additionally, from 2020-2023, Steve served on the Brown University Community Council, chaired by President Paxton. He also is a former Alumni Interviewing Program volunteer.

Steve graduated with honors from Brown, where he was vice-president and president of the Undergraduate Council of Students (UCS) and secretary of the Student Caucus (the predecessor to the UCS). He also served on a number of university committees and participated in a range of campus activities. Steve received his law degree from Vanderbilt University, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Vanderbilt Law Review. Steve and his wife Karen (Brown ’78) have two sons, John (Tulane ’14) and Ben (Brown ’17).

About the Treasurer:

Manages the funds of the Association as directed by the Board, prepares financial reports, and helps to shape the BAA's overall financial strategy. He or she serves a two-year term and participates in major Alumni Association decisions.

Bardiya Akhbari PhD’21

M.S.’16, University of Kansas | PhD’21, Biomedical Engineering 

Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Bardiya has built a career focused on the practical applications of artificial intelligence. With a solid academic foundation from his PhD at Brown, Bardiya now resides in Seattle, WA, and he works as an applied scientist at Amazon, where he contributes to the development of AI systems. Prior to his current position, Bardiya was a research fellow at Harvard Medical School, where he was creating deep learning solutions for healthcare to enhance patient well-being.

An active member of the Brown community, he received the Contribution to Community Lifen Award and delivered the 2021 commencement ceremony doctoral address. While at Brown, he co-founded the Iranian Graduate Students Association and was its president for four years. He was also a member of the International Students’ Advisory Board, working with administrators to address the problems facing international students. During his tenure, they advocated for enhancing tax advising and filing support services, subsidizing visa application costs, and establishing emergency funding for leaves, meal support, and other basic needs. He was also a representative on the Graduate Student Council for two years and the faculty meeting observer for the Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology Graduate Advisory Board.

In his free time, Bardiya enjoys diving into a good book (or an enticing audiobook) and embarking on spontaneous neighborhood strolls, always eager to explore new places.

Akash M. Altman ’20

AB’20, Engineering 

Graduating in the Brown University Class of 2020 with a degree in engineering, Akash has cross-industry experience in product development and program management spanning healthcare, higher education, and nonprofits. He chairs the Multicultural Alumni Committee on the Brown Alumni Association Board of Governors, and is a member of the steering committee for the Disability and Neurodivergence Alumni Collective (DNAC) and the President's Advisory Council on Diversity. In his time at Brown, Akash found community with the Brown Center for Students of Color, South Asian Students Association, Meiklejohn Peer Advising Program, and Minority Peer Counselors.

Zanagee Artis ’22

AB’22, Environmental Studies; Political Science

Zanagee Artis is a founder and the executive director Zero Hour, a global youth-led climate justice organization. Zanagee works to oppose new fossil fuel leasing and development on public lands and waters as the fossil fuels policy advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council. 

He is the co-author of “A Kids Book About Climate Change” and co-host of “1 Point 5: A Kids Podcast About Climate Justice”. Artis has been featured in numerous publications for his work on climate justice policy, including The New York Times, The Miami Herald, and The Economist. In March of 2022, Zanagee traveled to Antarctica as an ambassador of the Global Choices Arctic Angels Network to witness polar climate impacts firsthand. 

At Brown, Zanagee served as chair of Greek Council and president of Zeta Delta Xi. He also led the Black Pre-Law Association and served as chair of campus life for the Undergraduate Council of Students. He currently serves on the Brown Alumni Association Board of Governors and the Advisory Council of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES).

Pamela K. Arya ’84, P’18

Sc.B. ’84, Geology | M.S. ’92, Johns Hopkins University

Pamela Arya is the vice-president of government programs at Iridium, responsible for developing and leading projects to provide innovative uses of Iridium’s satellites and data for Iridium’s government customers. Most recently, Pamela led the business development and capture activities for Iridium’s team for the winning GDMS-Iridium SDA Tranche 01 and GMI Contracts. In this new line of business, Iridium will build a ground system and operate satellites for the USG.

Prior to joining Iridium, Pamela was an executive director for Applied Minds Inc., a research and development company in Los Angeles specializing in creating a range of new products and services in software, entertainment, electronics, biotechnology, and mechanical design. Pamela was a 2001 NRO technology fellow placed at NRO. She was awarded the IEEE Computer Society Outstanding Contribution Award for her work on interoperable data structure standards.

Pamela is currently serving on the Pembroke Center Associates Council and is the representative from that council to the BAA Board. She previously served two terms on the BAA Board as well as a term on the President’s Advisory Council on CIT. She lives in McLean, VA, and is the mother of two sons, Adam White, Brown University ’18, and Andrew White, University of St. Andrews, Scotland ‘22. Devoted to STEM causes for more than 10 years, she has mentored many women through Brown Women’s Launch Pad, ACM Grace Hopper Conference, and NCWIT. For fun, she collects vintage glass and is an amateur mixologist.

Zaid A. Ashai ’99

A.B. '99, Economics; International Relations | M.B.A. '07, Harvard Business School | M.P.A. '07, Harvard Kennedy School

Zaid Ashai serves as Nexamp’s Chairman and CEO, providing the vision and leadership to drive the company’s continued growth and innovation. Before joining the management team, Zaid oversaw Nexamp as a general partner at venture firm Point Judith Capital.

Previously, Zaid worked at Good Energies, where he was elected a Kauffman Fellow and focused on investments in next-generation energy efficiency technologies—including Nexamp, 3TIER, Emergenc Bioenergy, Everpower, and Kalpan in India. He joined Good Energies from Harbourvest Partners and was previously an investment banking analyst in Credit Suisse’s Technology Group.

Zaid holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and an MPA from the JFK School of Government at Harvard University. At Harvard University, he was selected as a Zuckerman Fellow. He has a BA in international relations and economics, with honors and Phi Beta Kappa, from Brown University. He has served as a judge and mentor for the New England Cleantech Open and has served as a guest faculty member for the Pennsylvania Power Law Conference hosted by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute. Zaid is currently on the board of Vote Solar.

Ana M. Bermudez ’86, P’22

A.B. ’86, Health & Society | J.D. ’92, Yale University

Ana M. Bermúdez is the former commissioner for the NYC Department of Probation (DOP; 2014-2022). She was the first openly gay person, first Latina and second woman to be appointed commissioner of the department. A graduate of Brown University and Yale Law School, Ana began her professional career representing children in family court cases at the Legal Aid Society. For over twenty years, she has been a tireless advocate for children and teenagers involved in the justice system through the development and implementation of strengths-based interventions, the application of restorative and youth development practices, and the designing of programs that ensure successful reintegration for adjudicated juveniles. During her tenure as DOP’s deputy commissioner of juvenile operations from 2010 through 2014, she successfully led city-wide initiatives that focused on improving outcomes for court-involved youth through interdisciplinary collaborations. With her appointment to commissioner in March 2014, she continued to lead the department in its mission to enhance public safety through appropriate and individualized and community-based interventions in the lives of people on probation to enable them to permanently exit the justice system.

Prior to joining the DOP in 2010, she was the director of juvenile justice programs at the Children’s Aid Society. She has also worked at CASES (The Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services), holding progressively responsible positions: director of training and technical assistance; co-director of community prep high school, a transitional school for court-involved students; and deputy director for court services and case management at CASES’ Court Employment Project, an alternative to incarceration program for adolescents with felony convictions.

Ana is now a consultant in the areas of leadership and management, restorative justice and restorative practices, juvenile justice and system reform, among others.

James “Jazz” N. Carlson ’25

A.B. ’25, English, History 

Jazz Carlson grew up in Canton, CT. At Brown, he concentrates in history and English, with the intention of attending law school following graduation.

In addition to his role as senior co-president of Brown's Class Coordinating Board, Jazz is active in campus life. He is the editor-in-chief of Brown's Undergraduate Law Review, a senior writer for The Brown Noser, a writing fellow, and an assistant researcher for the Choices Program. Previously, he was an undergraduate research fellow at the John Hay Library, where he investigated Brown's evolving role as a nationality and identity for students during World Wars I & II. He also worked as a campus organizer at Dartmouth College during the 2022 midterm elections.

Outside of his activities at Brown, Jazz enjoys crossword puzzles, Stephen Sondheim musicals, and Super Smash Bros.

James A. Castro MHL’19

E.M.H.L ’19, Healthcare Leadership

James Castro leverages his diversified professional background—spanning corporate finance, healthcare strategy, and healthcare policy—to assist healthcare providers in creating sustainable enterprise value prioritizing patient outcomes. Implementing value-based care initiatives designed to reduce the cost of care (e.g., migration from fee-for-service to alternative reimbursement models) while improving patient outcomes is central to his differentiated approach.

Prior to joining legacy FocalPoint, now B. Riley Securities, James led strategy and corporate development for a specialized orthopedic care organization and, separately, a full-service reproductive care company (i.e., medical practice, assisted reproductive technologies, cryo-storage, and surgery center). He also has expertise in physician practice management, outsourced pharma, and behavioral health (e.g., autism care, sub-acute mental health, acute psychiatric hospitals, substance use disorder, and addiction treatment). He began his corporate finance career as an investment banker with Houlihan Lokey and its affiliated private equity division, Century Park Capital Partners. 

James is recognized with the following distinctions: Winner of Turnaround Consultant of the Year (2016); Winner of Emerging Leaders Award "40 Under 40" (2016); and Los Angeles Business Journal – Most Influential M&A Advisors (2013). He received a bachelor's degree in economics from UCLA, master's degree in healthcare leadership from Brown University, and a master’s degree in global healthcare from Oxford University (Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences in partnership with Saïd Business School).

Max H. Clermont ’11 MPH’12

A.B. ’11, Community Health | Ph.D. ’16, Brandeis University | M.P.H. ’12, Public Health

Max Clermont is a senior project lead with Partners In Health’s United States where he leads technical, operational and strategic support for public health departments across the country as they work to become more resilient, community-oriented, and equity-first health systems.

Prior to PIH, Max served as chief of staff at the University of Chicago Medicine's Trauma Center supporting the launch of the center and design of the hospital-based violence recovery program. He is also a former project manager with 270 Strategies, a political consulting firm in Chicago, IL. While there, he advised clients on advocacy strategy, public affairs, and the development and implementation of campaign plans. He has previously held positions with Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, Obama for America, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Max is inspired by work that protects rights, promotes equity and strengthens our systems and institutions. He holds a M.P.H. from Brown University’s School of Public Health with a concentration in health services, policy & practice. He serves on the President’s Communications Advisory Council at Brown University and is on the board of directors for Health & Medicine Policy Research Group, Center on Halsted, and Just A Start Corp. Additionally, he is on the board of advisors for Democracy Policy Network, Harmony Labs, and a member of Cambridge's Charter Review Committee.

Cathryn A. Cluver Ashbrook ’99

A.B. ’99, French Civilizations; International Relations | Sc.M. ’02, London School of Economics | M.P.A. ’10, Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government 

Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook is director and CEO of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). Prior to this role, she was executive director of the Future of Diplomacy Project at the Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, MA, for the past ten years. The project, which she co-founded, addresses 21st-century foreign policy challenges through research by international leaders in academia and diplomacy as well as teaching conflict research and prevention. Since 2018, Clüver Ashbrook has also directed a research program on Europe and transatlantic relations. Previously, she served on the management board of the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels and worked as both a consultant and senior journalist at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants in France and China, among other countries. She began her career as a television journalist at CNN International in Atlanta and London.

Clüver Ashbrook contributes to international publications, such as the New York Times and Washington Post, as well as leading German media on transatlantic relations—especially trade and security policy–and German foreign and digital policy. She also advises foreign ministries in Europe and South America on their digital strategy.

Sara M. Cunningham ’06

A.B. ’06, Business Economics; Political Science | M.S. ’11, London School of Economics

Sara Cunningham is chief of international regulatory and compliance at Tikehau Capital, a global alternative asset manager, overseeing operations in the U.K., North America, the Middle East, and Asia. Previously, she worked in-house at investment firms including Blackstone and Tetragon, and at Promontory Financial Group, a financial regulatory consultancy. Together, Sara and her husband run a small winery in Burgundy, France.

As a student, Sara was a founding member and co-director of imPulse Dance Company, a teaching assistant for three economics courses, and a women’s varsity squash team member. Sara currently serves on the advisory committee on University Resources Management. She previously was president of the Brown Club of the U.K. and a Women’s Launch Pad mentor. This is in addition to having been an active alumni interviewer and class leader serving as Senior Class Treasurer and a committee volunteer for her 5th, 10th, and 15th reunions.

Peter H. Dixon ’99

A.B. ’99, Biology; Music | M.B.A. ’06, Kellogg Graduate School of Management

Peter Dixon is a partner, chief investment officer and a portfolio manager at Howland Capital Management. Peter delivers thoughtful asset allocation solutions, security selection, and financial planning strategies to individuals, families, and foundations. In addition, Peter is responsible for the ESG strategy and research at Howland Capital.

Peter joined Howland Capital in 2018 after working as a portfolio manager, senior research analyst, and sector leader in the equity division at Fidelity Management & Research Co. As a portfolio manager for 10 years, Peter was sole manager of various mutual funds, most recently overseeing $7.5 billion of assets. As a research analyst, Peter covered domestic and international equities for 11 years. As sector leader for five years, Peter oversaw a large team of equity research analysts across offices in Boston, London, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

Peter earned his B.A. with honors from Brown University and his MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Peter is also a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA). He serves on the Board of Advisors for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Board of Trustees for Hebrew SeniorLife, the Reunion Gift Committee for Brown University’s Annual Fund, as well as the Board of Directors for Thrive Scholars Boston. Peter is an avid snowboarder and he volunteers as a coach for New England Disabled Sports. He lives in Chestnut Hill with his wife, Rachel, and their two sons.

Maureen Friar ’82

A.B. ’82, International Relations | M.P.P. ’92, University of CA, Berkeley

Maureen Friar has built her career in the nonprofit and social justice sectors for the past 35 years. She has led organizations in New York and nationally that focus on affordable housing, community development, homelessness, mental health, women's empowerment, and youth education. These organizations include the YWCA of the City of New York, the Supportive Housing Network of New York, the National Housing Conference, and Community Access, among others. For over 16 years she has served as an interim executive director or COO and consulted to nonprofit boards and management on their governance, advocacy, and fundraising strategies. Maureen currently serves as the chief of staff of the Harvard Business School Club of New York.

In 2018, Maureen founded and is the current co-chair of the Nonprofit/Social Impact Group of the    Brown University Club in New York. She is passionate about making connections and enlightening alumni about the great organizations and Brown alumni leaders addressing many of our world's most pressing problems. She previously served for six years on the Goldman School of Public Policy Alumni Association at the University of California at Berkeley. Maureen lives in Manhattan and sings alto with the Riverside Choral Society.

Evan Geller ’99

A.B. ’99, Business Economics | M.B.A. ’03, Harvard Business School | M.B.A. ’06, New York University

Evan Geller is a managing director at Sixth Street Partners and co-head of the firm’s Credit Market Strategies business, which manages corporate and structured credit assets for pensions, endowments and charitable foundations. Prior to joining Sixth Street, Evan worked as an investment professional at KKR & Co. 

While at Brown, Evan was the co-founder of the Brown Entrepreneurship Program and a member of the President’s Advisory Council on University Planning. Evan also served on his 10th and 20th Reunion Gift committees. Evan lives in New York City with his wife and their two children.

Sarah H. Gomel

A.B. ’06, French Civilization; International Relations | M.LITT., University of St. Andrews

Sarah Hurwit Gomel is a corporate chief of staff with over a decade of experience in software and government technology. She specializes in change management, strategic alignment, scaling operations, and organizational culture and has experience both as a nonprofit and a strategic consultant. Sarah graduated magna cum laude from Brown with a double concentration in French civilization (honors) and international relations. A course on conflict resolution at Brown sparked an interest that led her to the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, where she earned a master’s in peace and conflict studies in 2011 as an Ernest L. Ransome III scholar. 

Since graduating from Brown, Sarah has enjoyed volunteering for multiple Brown area clubs, the Young Leadership Council of the Brown Annual Fund, her BAF Class Gift Committee, and the Alumni Interviewing Program as an interviewer and area co-chair. She currently serves as a communications co-chair for her class and as the president of Brown University’s Association of Class Leaders Board. An active volunteer in her community, Sarah lives in Atlanta with her husband, David Gomel ’06, and their two children.

Eli H. P. Grossman ’24

Sc.B. ’24, Biology

Eli is a seasonal wildland firefighter and fire effects monitor for Yosemite National Park. A science nerd who also loves getting down and dirty with a shovel, he works to collect and analyze ecological data to inform fire management decisions, then helps implement those decisions as part of an operational fire crew.

He is passionate about fire and microbial ecology, both interests he developed while serving in AmeriCorps during a year of pandemic-induced leave from Brown. Returning to school in 2021, he completed his honors thesis work in Professor Tyler Kartzinel’s lab, where he studied how the microbes in elk poop can reveal new insights into the nutritional ecology of elk migration in Yellowstone.

Eli was an undergraduate group leader for the ecology, evolutionary and organismal biology (EEOB) department, and he participated in the Environmental Program House food co-op program. He also led trail runs for the Brown Outing Club and showed up occasionally to play trumpet in the Brown Band’s skating shows. During the summers, he worked as a wildland firefighter for the US Forest Service in New Mexico (Cibola NF, Magdalena Ranger District).

He’s excited to join the alumni board in order to help share the perspectives of recent graduates and develop the next generation of engaged Brown alumni.

Eric J. James PHD’17

B.A., ’11, St. John's University | Ph.D. ’16, Brandeis University | Ph.D. ’17, Neuroscience 

Eric James is a seasoned education administrator with a wealth of experience and is currently making significant strides in the realm of education and inclusivity. As assistant head of school and middle school director at Harlem Academy in New York, Eric plays a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape for students of color.

Eric earned his PhD in neuroscience at Brown University, completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Brandeis University, and currently serves as an adjunct professor at Adelphi University. Eric has devoted over 20 years to academia, research, and professional endeavors. This diverse journey encompasses military service, nonprofit work, and extensive teaching experiences, highlighting Eric's multifaceted approach to education.

While at Brown University, Eric served as the chapter president of SACNAS (Society for Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) and was heavily involved in the recruitment and retention of historically underrepresented students, including BIPOC, veterans, low-income, and first-generation learners to Brown University. In addition to his recruitment and retention efforts at Brown University, Eric has been a tireless advocate and mentor for underserved students, faculty and staff. Eric has spearheaded and facilitated a variety of programs, extracurricular activities, and special events aimed at cultivating vibrant school and work cultures via several national, university, and local programs such as the Neuroscience Scholars Program, Galaxy Mentoring Program, and the Leadership Alliance.

Diana L. Jeffrey ’04

A.B. ’04, Education Studies; Public Policy; American Institutions 

Diana is a managing partner at Jadepoint Consulting. She has advised executives  of high-profile government agencies and Fortune 500 companies for two decades. 

Diana honed her craft, post Brown, in Washington D.C. by scaling entrepreneurial businesses and contributing as a strategic change consultant for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Navy, and FEMA. 

In 2013, she joined The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company as quality director, where she led the customer experience strategy for one of the world’s leading luxury and hospitality brands. During her tenure, Diana’s portfolio grew to over 40 properties across the U.S., Europe, Caribbean and Latin America, including multiple Marriott luxury brands St Regis, EDITION and W Hotels.

Diana’s engaging and inquisitive style has led many executive teams to success. As a leadership team strategic planning facilitator, her properties earned Forbes 5-Star Awards, top 1% across the brand for customer and financial performance, and the distinction of #1 Hotel by Condé Nast. 

In 2020 during the pandemic, Diana co-founded Jadepoint, a global consulting firm that guides people-centric companies to create service and performance excellence. Partnering together on data-driven decisions, organizational culture, and leadership development, Jadepoint clients achieve customer-employee loyalty and unprecedented results. As managing partner, she oversees the company’s vision and execution.

In addition to degrees from top academic institutions, Brown University and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, where she earned her MBA, Diana has performed extensively as a stage actress and jazz singer. She participates in a variety of industry and community organizations. Diana is passionate about creativity, immersive experiences, growing next generation leaders, and global connections that contribute to a more compassionate world!

Amer M. Khayyat ’99

Sc.B. ’99, Engineering | M.X. ’00, MIT | M.E. ’00, MIT

Amer Khayyat currently holds the position of managing director at Silixa, an innovative technology company specializing in distributed fiber optic sensing. Prior to this role, he held various leadership positions in the global energy technology sector, including executive director at Baker Hughes and vice president at General Electric. Amer is also the co-founder of YY ReGen in his home country of Lebanon, which focuses on delivering renewable energy, clean water, and sustainable agriculture in a time of crisis.

Amer has an Sc.B. in mechanical engineering and an M.Eng. in civil & environmental engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During his time at Brown, Amer was active in campus life, holding leadership roles as the treasurer of Buxton International House and co-president of the Arab Club, and as a volunteer at International Orientation, fostering inclusivity and diversity within the university community.  

Amer's personal journey is deeply connected to Brown University, where he met his wife, Dr. Katayoun Shafiee, a fellow Brown alumna (Class of '00). They reside in London, England with their daughter Darya and their two cats, Loki and Banksy.

Anjali Kumar ’94

A.B. ’94, Biomedical Ethics

Anjali Kumar works with entrepreneurs and C-level executives in all stages of business, focusing on early-stage tech, consumer products, and luxury fashion companies with a social conscience. 

She recently founded Slightly Reserved, an advisory firm focusing on legal counsel and business strategy for entrepreneurs, executives, talent, and brands. She serves as an advisor and global ambassador for the Stanford d.school focused on developing strategic partnerships to amplify the d.school's reach and make design methods and mindsets more accessible. Anjali is also a co-founder of COVID Tech Connect which sent nearly 20,000 smart devices to hospitals and senior care facilities across the U.S. that allow critically ill patients to connect with their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to Slightly Reserved, Anjali was the founding chief people officer and general counsel at Cheddar, the founding head of social innovation and founding general counsel at Warby Parker, gounding general counsel at Acumen, and senior counsel at Google. While at Google, Anjali curated and hosted the @Google Speaker Series on the NYC campus, bringing Googlers from around the globe face-to-face with today’s most prominent and innovative thought leaders including Anthony Bourdain, Questlove, and Jacques Pépin and hosted a YouTube interview series “Lunchtime at Google.” 

Anjali’s 2017 TED Talk based on her book “Stalking God: My Unorthodox Search For Something To Believe In” (Hachette 2018), has been watched by 5 million people worldwide and translated into over 20 languages. A television show based on her book is in development. Most recently, in 2022, Anjali co-hosted the interview podcast show “The Important Things” with beauty legend Bobbi Brown for iHeartMedia.

Melisa W. Lai-Becker ’94 MD’99

Sc.B. ’94, Applied Mathematics; Biology | M.D. ’99,  Medicine

Emergency Medicine Physician and Medical Toxicologist Melisa Lai-Becker MD (Brown ScB '94 MD'99) is deputy chief of Mass General Brigham Emergency Medicine (MGB EM) and chief of emergency medicine for MGB's seven Community Hospitals: Brigham & Women's Faulkner (Boston, MA), Cooley Dickinson (Northampton, MA), Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket Cottage, Newton-Wellesley (Newton, MA), Salem, and Wentworth-Douglass (Dover, NH); an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School; on the faculty of the Harvard Medical Toxicology Fellowship (HMTF) based at Boston Children's Hospital and the MA/RI Poison Center; and an oral board examiner for the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM). 

Previously, Dr. Lai-Becker was chief of emergency medicine at Cambridge Health Alliance’s (CHA) Everett Hospital (Everett, MA), where she was also the founder and director of the medical toxicology consult service across CHA. While at CHA, Dr. Lai-Becker received Outstanding Achievement and Outstanding Caregiver Awards; was awarded the Community Attending Teaching Award by the Mass General Hospital Pediatric Residency; and was named a Public Health Hero by the Overdose Prevention and Education Network (OPEN) for her leadership and advocacy efforts to mitigate the opioid epidemic crisis.

Prior to her tenure at CHA, Dr. Lai-Becker was associate director medical/surveillance at the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), now known as America's Poison Centers. She was also a National Disaster Medical Service (NDMS) medical officer serving on the RI-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) and was deployed to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. She has also served as a commissioned officer (Captain; O-3) in the Medical Corps of the Air National Guard (Reserve of the United States Air Force). 

A past-president of the Massachusetts College of Emergency Physicians (MACEP), Dr. Lai-Becker is now co-chair of the MACEP Public Health Committee, where she has spent the last several years focused on advocacy of legislation at the state and federal level addressing the issue of Workplace Violence and violence against healthcare workers. She is a recipient of MACEP's Distinguished Service, President's, and Vanguard Awards; and in 2024 was named Emergency Medicine Physician of the Year.  

Dr. Lai-Becker earned both an ScB in applied mathematics-biology and an MD from Brown. She completed her residency in emergency medicine at the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency-Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham & Women's Hospital, and fellowship in Medical Toxicology at the Harvard Medical Toxicology Fellowship in Boston, MA.

Danish A. Lakhani ’00

Sc.B. ’00, Applied Math; Computer Science; Business Economics | M.S. ’04, Stanford University | M.B.A. ’08, Harvard Business School

Danish Ali Lakhani is the founder and CEO of NayaPay, an emerging electronic money institution in Pakistan. Danish and his team are building a two-sided platform to provide digital accounts and payment solutions to the country’s large, young underbanked population and to small and medium businesses that primarily transact in cash.

Danish previously built Cybernet and its consumer division, StormFiber, into a leading fiber broadband provider, serving 400,000 households across 25 Pakistani cities. 

Additionally, Danish holds the role of chair at the APNIC Foundation, an organization dedicated to fostering a seamless, secure, and resilient Internet for the Asia-Pacific region. To achieve this goal, the Foundation directs its investments towards infrastructure development, digital inclusion, and knowledge dissemination. Danish lives in Karachi, Pakistan, with his wife Nazafreen and their two children.

Anna Lenaker ’19 MPA’20

A.B. ’19, Religious Studies | M.P.A. ’20, Public Affairs | M.E.M. ’24, Yale School of the Environment

Anna Lenaker currently lives in Kyoto, Japan, as a recipient of the Luce fellowship from the Henry Luce Foundation. In Kyoto, she works at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, where she’s focused on climate change storytelling and science communication.

Anna recently completed her master’s in environmental management at the Yale School of the Environment, specializing in climate change science and solutions. She sees climate change and its disproportionate impacts as the moral issue of her lifetime and is committed to developing and supporting equitable and effective solutions.

A proud first-generation student and Sidney Frank Scholar, Anna received her master’s in public affairs and undergraduate degree in religious studies from Brown. From her time at Brown, she also received lifelong friends and mentors, an appreciation for learning for learning’s sake, skills for making change, a commitment to creativity, and a love of Spicy Withs.

Anna is an avid reader, walker, and coffee drinker. She loves traveling to new places, sampling new cuisines, and binge-watching Jeopardy! Anna is the author of her memoir “Able to Be Otherwise” and a believer in the power of storytelling to move minds, inspire change, and foster community.

Tiara T. Mack ’16

Tiara Mack is a member of the Rhode Island Senate, representing District 6. Mack assumed office on January 5, 2021, having defeated the 30-year incumbent senator     Harold Metts. Tiara is a community activist working, most recently, as a youth organizing specialist at Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.

In her time in office, Tiara has been a champion for LGBTQ+ rights, working families, housing and tenant rights, and expanding abortion access in Rhode Island. Since 2021, she has passed bills that have expanded abortion access to Medicaid recipients and state employees, a process to seal eviction records, critical childhood lead safety bills, and made Juneteenth a paid state holiday. She is the youngest Rhode Island State Senator, the Senate Commerce Committee Secretary, and a member of the Housing and Municipal Committee and the Education Committee. In December of 2023, she was appointed to the RI Commission on Prejudice and Bias. She is a board member of the Women’s Health and Education Fund (WHEF) and Time To Advocate, a civic engagement organization for marginalized communities and young people. In December of 2023, she was appointed to the RI Commission on Prejudice and Bias.

Peter S. Reinke ’94

A.B. ’94, History | M.A. ’07, Columbia University

Peter S. Reinke is principal consultant at Banneker-Compass, a boutique consulting firm that provides support to nonprofit organizations. Additionally, Peter is head of school emeritus of St. James Episcopal School. Prior to founding Banneker-Compass in 2024, he served as head of school at St. James Episcopal School. Previously he was assistant head of school of The Buckley School and history department chair of Head-Royce School. Peter began his career as a member of the legislative staff of U.S. Senator John H. Chafee.

Peter earned a bachelor's in history from Brown and a master’s in educational leadership and theory from Teachers College of Columbia University. He is a trustee of The Wright Institute and the Neighborhood Youth Association. Peter is co-founder and former board vice president of Vincent Academy. He is former trustee of the California State Teacher Retirement System and former vice chair of the Oakland Public Ethics Commission.

Aleta Margolis ’89, P’20

A.B. ’89, Theatre Arts | M.S. ’91, Northwestern University

Aleta Margolis is founder and president of Center for Inspired Teaching, a Washington, DC-based NGO that collaborates with teachers to transform the education system into one in which students are taught how, not what, to think. Aleta built on her theatre arts concentration at Brown by developing an improvisation-based approach to training teachers. Inspired Teaching’s programming teaches teachers to embrace the role of Instigator of Thought, and build students’ curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking skills. Center for Inspired Teaching was named a worldwide Champion of Learning Through Play by the Lego Foundation, has won two Webby/Anthem awards, and has taught educators in the United States, India, Myanmar, Turkey, South Africa, and Ukraine.  

Aleta is a former public school teacher and professor of education, and is the creator of the blog Hooray For Monday. She is an Ashoka Fellow who is committed to investing in teachers. At Brown Aleta served on the Women’s Leadership Council, is a mentor with the Brown Women’s Launch Pad, and is a frequent speaker on campus with the Swearer Center. Aleta and her husband Michael Brodsky live in Washington, DC and are the parents of two fabulous young adult daughters, Mira and Isabel (Brown, Class of 2020).

Jonathan Mooney ’00

A.B. ’00,  Literature and Culture in English

Jonathan Mooney is a dyslexic neurodivergent writer, speaker, and social entrepreneur who did not learn to read until he was twelve years old. He holds an honors degree from Brown University in English literature (a word he still can’t spell), is a Harry S. Truman Scholar for Public Service, and was a finalist for a Rhodes Scholarship. He is the author of three books, “Learning Outside the Lines” (Simon and Schuster, 2000), “The Short Bus” (Henry Holt and Co., 2007), and the subtlety titled “Normal Sucks: How to Live, Learn, and Thrive Outside the Lines” (Henry Holt and Co., 2019). 

A lifelong social entrepreneur, Jonathan has created and co-founded a number of social ventures—in MOCHAMP’s basement, and with the support of the amazing Barrett Hazeltine—including Eye-To-Eye National, a movement-building organization for students with learning and attention differences. He is currently the co-founder of The Divergent Fund, which invests in high-impact social ventures that support and empower neurodivergent individuals and their families, and speaks across the nation about neurodiversity and disability justice, advocating for change.

Alexandra Ocampo ’06

A.B. ’06, Public & Private Sector Org. | M.S. ’20, University of Connecticut

Alexandra Ocampo is a bilingual (English/Spanish) and bicultural people professional with 15 years of experience in human resources and multi-unit management and an additional three years of general management experience. Her professional experiences include big-box retail (Target), K-12 education (Achievement First), AmeriCorps (Public Allies), veterinary (Cornell University Veterinary Specialists), public health (Community Health Center Association of CT), and aerospace (Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin). In her current role as chief people officer for Southwest Community Health Center, a federally qualified health center in medically underserved Bridgeport, CT, she is responsible for the health center's people policies, talent initiatives, and work environment. 

Alex has held the Society of Human Resources Management-Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credential since 2016, and is proud to have represented Rhode Island as a 1994 U.S. Department of Education Presidential Scholar. She is the proud daughter of Colombian immigrants who came to the U.S. in the 1960s to work in Pawtucket, RI's storied textile mills. She currently lives two hours away in Fairfield, CT, with her two senior rescue dogs, Sprocket and Liza Minnelli, and her son Jonas (when he's not on campus at Eastern Connecticut State University). 

In all things, Alex leads with her top five CliftonStrengths: maximizer, adaptability, ideation, strategic, and self-assurance. She is a passionate cheerleader for those who are on a nontraditional path. Originally Brown Class of '98, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in public and private sector organizations in 2006 as a 30-year-old single mother, and her Master of Science in human resource management from the University of Connecticut at age 43. She will always tell you that it is never too late; you are right on time.

Petros Perselis ’10

Sc.B. ’10, Engineering | M.S. ’12, Stanford University

Petros is currently the VP of global customer success and a member of the executive leadership team at Cutover, a London and New York-based enterprise software scale-up. In the past, he held leadership positions at software companies Qualtrics and Medallia, prior to and after the companies' IPOs and subsequent acquisitions. Petros started his career in investment banking at Citi in London where he worked on major deals in the power and energy sectors. He graduated from Brown University with a BSc Honors in electrical engineering and from Stanford University with an MSc in management science and engineering.

Petros is an expert in Go-To-Market strategy and serves as a mentor at Endeavor, a global advisory and accelerator organization for high-impact entrepreneurs, where he frequently advises startups and founders in setting up their customer success teams, as well as in product-market fit and customer acquisition topics.

Petros has a long history of volunteering and community leadership. As a student, he co-founded the National Hellenic Student Association of North America (NHSA) and served as its inaugural Treasurer for the first three years (NHSA has been serving as an umbrella for Hellenic student organizations of universities throughout the United States and Canada). More recently he has been the co-founder of Desmos Policy Institute, a nonprofit nonpartisan think tank aiming to harness the expertise of the Greek diaspora to make policy recommendations to the Greek state. He also serves in the New Leaders committee of The Hellenic Initiative. Due to his philanthropic and leadership efforts, Petros has been awarded Greek America's 40 Under 40 in 2022. In terms of Brown affiliations, in addition to the BAA Board of Governors, Petros is currently serving as the Class of 2010 president and the treasurer of the Association of Class Leaders.

Cristina Piedrahita ’92

A.B. ’92 - Economics; Political Science | M.B.A. ’96, MIT

Cristina Piedrahita ’92, P’25, P’27 is an investor with extensive investment experience in listed and non-listed companies, including various funds in Greece and direct investments in a diversified portfolio of private investments. 

Her skill set and breadth of experience is derived from over 30 years of investment experience across multiple sectors (technology, telecoms, utilities, retail, food and beverage, materials, financials), geographies (emerging markets, Europe, U.S.), and traction with multiple business models (family-owned, for profit, nonprofit, public vs. private sector). 

From 2002 until 2016 she was a member of the emerging markets team at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, where she was the co-portfolio manager for the Latin American Fund and the Latin assets of the Emerging Markets Fund, directly responsible for managing over $3 billion in assets. Prior, she was a Latin American equity analyst at Fidelity Investments, HSBC Asset Management, and Baring Asset Management. 

She is a member of various boards, including Make a Wish Greece, Action Finance Initiative (microfinance in Greece), MIT Sloan Alumni; she’s the vice president of the Brown Club of Greece and an ambassador at Endeavor Greece. In addition, she is an independent member of the investment committee at Halcyon Equity Partners, the first female-led private equity growth fund in Greece. She holds a BSc in economics and political science from Brown University and an MBA in business administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management.

Orlando E. Rodriguez ’17

A.B. ’17, Education Studies

During his time at Brown, Orlando served as the president of the Class of 2017. Additionally, he worked as an academic coach and summer ambassador. As an alum, Orlando continues to serve as president of his class and is a member of the Association of Class Leaders Board of Directors, where he leads the DEI committee. He is a former member of the BAA Board of Governors and a volunteer for the Alumni Interviewing Program. 

Orlando Rodriguez is currently a Google Shopping product specialist where he consults and provides solutions to sales account managers and their clients on complex Google Shopping issues. Orlando started at Google as a BOLD intern during the summer before his senior year and joined full-time after graduation as a Google Ads associate account strategist.

Nader S. Sabanegh ’97

Sc.B. ’97, Engineering; Chemical Engineering | A.B. ’97, Economics | M.Eng. | M.E. ’99, Cornell University

Nader Sabanegh currently serves as the commercial manager for the western hemisphere at SLB, a global technology company dedicated to driving energy innovation for a balanced planet. Prior to this role, he was the vice president for North American operations in the reservoir performance division and has held various positions worldwide over a 25 year career, reflecting his passion for technology and community improvement.

Nader is Jordanian, was born and raised in Italy until attending Brown where he double-majored in economics and chemical engineering. At Brown, he actively promoted international understanding, diversity, inclusivity, and cultural awareness as the president of the Buxton International House and a member of the Brown Arab Club. Since graduating, Nader has been involved in the alumni interviewing program for international applicants from the Middle East.

After graduating from Brown, Nader worked as a day trader on Wall Street at Heartland Securities alongside fellow Brown alumni before obtaining his Master of Engineering from Cornell University and joining SLB. He recently returned to the U.S. and resides in Houston, TX, with his wife, Dalia, and their children, Luca, Paolo, and Sophia.

Darryl J. Shrock ’86, P’20, P’22.5

A.B. ’86, Organizational Behavior Management | M.B.A. ’88, University of Chicago

Darryl grew up in Evanston, Illinois. At Brown he founded the Brown Derbies a cappella group and performed in two musicals. After Brown, Darryl got his MBA at The University of Chicago. He has lived in San Francisco, New York, and the DC area, working in marketing at American Express and AOL, and for the past 22 years has worked in real estate development as well as in entrepreneurial ventures. Darryl and his wife Pam are celebrating their 30th anniversary and have three fantastic kids. He has held various leadership positions in Brown clubs, was a regional leader of alumni interviewers, and is currently the co-president of the class of ’86 and a member of the Board of Governors of the BAA.

Sean Siperstein ’05

AB’ 05, History | J.D. ’11, University of Miami

Sean Siperstein is an attorney at Rule Garza Howley LLP, a DC-based boutique law firm specializing in antitrust matters. He previously worked as an attorney and project manager in the e-discovery field. 

Sean initially moved to the nation's capital after graduation to work in politics and nonprofits, doing communications work for organizations working on education equity and a progressive constitutional vision, and returned in 2011 after receiving his law degree from the University of Miami. A proud New York native who swears by the superiority of his home state’s bagels, he has nevertheless grudgingly accepted the relatively recent appearance of solid options in DC.

At Brown, Sean officially concentrated in early U.S. history and unofficially concentrated in political organizing, was a student researcher for Brown’s landmark Slavery & Justice Committee through its 2004-2005 group research project, and served as a peer leader for Building Across Differences (BUAD), a year-long program for first-year students that explored issues of diversity, power, and privilege through a social-justice lens.

Sean joined the Brown Club of DC (BCDC) board in late 2012 and has held a slew of roles since then, including co-president; he currently serves as communications chair. He was the 2017 recipient of the Joseph M. Fernandez ’85 Award, recognizing commitment to diversity and collaboration in BCDC's programming. Sean also chairs the alumni and friends group supporting the work of Brown’s Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery & Justice through outreach and financial support. 

Andrew K. Stein ’06

A.B. ’06, Engineering | MBA ’11, Emory University

Andrew Stein '06 serves as the executive director of 1Unit, partnering with hospitals to enhance frontline teamwork, reduce mortality, and elevate patient care. With over 17 years of experience as a management consultant and professional facilitator—including six years at Deloitte Consulting—Andrew has worked with hundreds of organizations across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. His work spans industries, including advising organizations like the U.S. State Department, GE, and hospitals across the U.S., Canada, and Australia.

Andrew earned his MBA from Emory University and his mechanical engineering BA from Brown, where he played ultimate frisbee, joined the co-ed fraternity Delta Psi, and contributed op-eds to the Brown Daily Herald.

Since 2015, Andrew has led the Brown Club of Georgia with a "Jello fist," growing it into one of the most active alumni clubs, and he founded the Atlanta network of Ivy+ Club leaders. He serves as a lay leader in his Jewish community. At various times he has taught classes on workshop facilitation, volunteer management, swing dancing, modern fatherhood, and non-dualistic mindfulness. An Atlanta native, he lives a quasi-urban life with his wife, two kids, and cargo e-bike. Andrew enjoys meditation, cocktails, and travel—sometimes all at once.

Ramón J. Stern ’04

A.B. ’04, Comparative Literature | D.X. ’13, University of Michigan

Ramon is a translator and higher education administrator. He served for many years as administrative manager of the Brazil Initiative at Brown University and of the Brazilian Studies Association (BRASA). His translation of Oswaldo Truzzi’s study “Syrian and Lebanese Patrícios in São Paulo: From the Levant to Brazil” (University of Illinois Press, 2018) won the Arab-American Non-Fiction Book Award in 2019 from the Arab-American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

Livia C. Wick, Ph.D. ’99, P’26

A.B. ’99, Human Biology | M.A. ’00, Université Paris VI (UPMC) Paris | Ph.D. ’06, MIT

Livia is associate professor of anthropology in the sociology, anthropology and media studies department at the American University of Beirut. She grew up in Ramallah, Palestine, earned a BA from Brown University, an MA from the Institut National des Langues and Civilisations Orientales in Paris, and a PhD from MIT. She started working at AUB in 2007, and her research and teaching interests are the anthropology of medicine, science, birth, gender, war, oral history, and infrastructure. Livia conducted field research in Palestine and Lebanon, and her research has been supported by the Wenner Gren Foundation and the Palestinian American Research Center. She has been teaching courses and mentoring students in the sociology/anthropology undergraduate major, the anthropology master’s program, and the Middle Eastern studies master’s program.

Caitie Whelan ’07.5

A.B. ’07.5, Anthropology

Caitie Whelan (07.5) is a civic strategist. She was a staffer in Congress for six years, starting in the Senate and ending as Senior Foreign Policy Advisor for a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. She served as communications director for the Maine Democratic Party and did communications and operations for one of President Biden's global climate initiatives. Caitie co-founded a school in India with a community of lower caste musicians and ran her own creative writing and teaching venture. She graduated from Brown University and was a member of the Brown University Women’s Leadership Council, where she co-chaired their diversity, equity & inclusion advisory group. She is a Truman Scholar for Public Service and founding chair of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Maine Chapter's Public Policy Team. She writes “Policy is for Lovers”, a friendly newsletter for good policy change.

Reginald D. Williams, II ’02

A.B. ’02, Biomedical Ethics

Reginald D. Williams II (Reggie) joined the Commonwealth Fund in 2020 as vice president of the International Health Policy and Practice Innovations program. In this role, he is responsible for fostering international dialogue, exchange, and education that enables U.S. policymakers and health care leaders to learn from cross-national experiences. He is responsible for the organization’s international benchmarking activities, its international research and policy analysis, and the educational exchanges it conducts with key international partners. Critical to all activities is the cultivation of a robust international network of senior policymakers and health care leaders, including the Commonwealth Fund’s Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice. 

Prior to joining the Fund, Reginald was at Avalere Health, a consulting firm dedicated to improving health care, where he served as managing director focusing on health care delivery innovation and digital health. During his 15 years at Avalere, he led the firm’s Evidence-Based Medicine Policy practice and several other practice groups, including managing the firm’s international operations, and helping to build a network of consulting firms from around the world with whom Avalere could collaborate. Prior to joining Avalere, he was a member of the health policy team at the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI). 

He currently serves as vice chair of the board at Fountain House, a national nonprofit that builds an equitable mental health system that centers the perspectives and priorities of people with lived experience. Previously, he served as chair of the board of directors at Mental Health America, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people live mentally healthier lives. Reginald earned an A.B. in biomedical ethics from Brown University. He will serve as the president of the Inman Page Black Alumni Council for the 2024-2026 term.

Kehli H. Woodruff ’94

A.B. ’94, Organizational Behavior Management; Political Science | M.A. ’96, University of Michigan

Kehli Harding Woodruff is an entrepreneur and speech language pathologist with over 20 years of experience helping organizations connect with diverse and neurodiverse stakeholders. As principal of Kehli Harding Woodruff Communications, she is passionate about helping organizations create more inclusive and accessible environments and more equitable and operative workplaces. Kehli has a powerful record of driving growth and development for start-up organizations, in both the for-profit and the nonprofit sectors. She has led eight business start-ups to success and expansion and has sat on several non-profit boards of directors. 

As an avid learner, Kehli holds a BA from Brown University, an MPP from The University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy, an MSc from Mercy Graduate School in Communication Disorders, and Executive Certificates from the Yale School of Management Women on Boards, University of Berkeley Law School Executive Program in ESG, Harvard Divinity School in Community Development, and Columbia University in Bilingual Speech and Language in Spanish. 

While at Brown, Kehli served as a minority peer counselor and friend, senior class counsel officer, and 1994 commencement speaker. Since graduation, Kehli has served as an alumni class officer for 25 years, engaged as a representative of the Brown Annual Fund for five years, sat for two terms on the Association of Class Leaders Alumni Board of Directors, and has been the recipient of the Alumni Class Leader award in 2009.

A native of the Bronx, NY, Kehli currently resides in Scarsdale, NY, with her husband and three daughters.

Pamela K. Arya ’84, P’18
Pembroke Associates Council

ScB’84, Geology | M.S. ’92, Johns Hopkins University

Pamela Arya is the vice president of government programs at Iridium, responsible for developing and leading projects to provide innovative uses of Iridium’s satellites and data for Iridium’s government customers. Most recently, Arya led the business development and capture activities for Iridium’s team for the winning GDMS-Iridium SDA Tranche 01 and GMI Contracts. In this new line of business, Iridium will build a ground system and operate satellites for the USG.

Prior to joining Iridium, Arya was an executive director for Applied Minds Inc., a research and development company in Los Angeles specializing in creating a range of new products and services in software, entertainment, electronics, biotechnology, and mechanical design. Arya was a 2001 NRO Technology Fellow and was awarded the IEEE Computer Society Outstanding Contribution Award for her work on interoperable data structure standards.

Arya is currently serving on the Pembroke Center Associates Council and is the representative from that council to the BAA Board. She previously served two terms on the BAA Board as well as a term on the ACCIT board. She lives in McLean, VA, and is the mother of two sons: Adam White ’18 and Andrew White. Devoted to STEM causes for more than 10 years, she has mentored many women through Brown’s Women’s Launch Pad, ACM Grace Hopper Conference, and NCWIT. For fun, she collects vintage glass and is an amateur mixologist.

Ana M. Bermúdez ’86, P’22
Brown Women's Network

AB’86, Health & Society | J.D. ’92, Yale University

Ana M. Bermúdez is the former commissioner for the NYC Department of Probation (DOP; 2014-2022). She was the first openly gay person, first Latina, and second woman to be appointed commissioner of the department. A graduate of Brown University and Yale Law School, Bermúdez began her professional career representing children in family court cases at the Legal Aid Society. For over 20 years, she has been a tireless advocate for children and teenagers involved in the justice system through the development and implementation of strengths-based interventions, the application of restorative and youth development practices, and the designing of programs that ensure successful re-integration for adjudicated juveniles. During her tenure as DOP’s deputy commissioner of juvenile operations from 2010 through 2014, she successfully led city-wide initiatives that focused on improving outcomes for court-involved youth through interdisciplinary collaborations. With her appointment to commissioner in March 2014, she continued to lead the department in its mission to enhance public safety through appropriate individualized and community-based interventions in the lives of people on probation to enable them to permanently exit the justice system.

Prior to joining the DOP in 2010, she was the director of juvenile justice programs at the Children’s Aid Society. She has also worked at CASES (the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services), holding progressively responsible positions: director of training and technical assistance; co-director of community prep high school, a transitional school for court-involved students; and deputy director for court services and case management at CASES’ Court Employment Project, an alternative to incarceration program for adolescents with felony convictions.

Bermúdez is now a consultant in the areas of leadership and management, restorative justice and restorative practices, and juvenile justice and system reform, among others.

James A. Castro MHL’19
School of Professional Studies Alumni

MHL’19, Healthcare Leadership

James Castro leverages his diversified professional background—spanning corporate finance, healthcare strategy, and healthcare policy—to assist healthcare providers in creating sustainable enterprise value prioritizing patient outcomes. Implementing value-based care initiatives designed to reduce the cost of care (e.g., migration from fee-for-service to alternative reimbursement models) while improving patient outcomes is central to his differentiated approach.

Prior to joining legacy FocalPoint, now B. Riley Securities, Castro led strategy and corporate development for a specialized orthopedic care organization and, separately, a full-service reproductive care company (i.e., medical practice, assisted reproductive technologies, cryo-storage, and surgery center). He also has expertise in physician practice management, outsourced pharma and behavioral health (e.g., Autism care, sub-acute mental health, acute psychiatric hospitals, substance use disorder, and addiction treatment). He began his corporate finance career as an investment banker with Houlihan Lokey and its affiliated private equity division, Century Park Capital Partners.

James is recognized with the following distinctions: Winner of Turnaround Consultant of the Year (2016); Winner of Emerging Leaders Award 40 Under 40 (2016); and Los Angeles Business Journal - Most Influential M&A Advisors (2013). He received a undergraduate degree in economics from UCLA, a master's degree in healthcare leadership from Brown University, and an MsC in global healthcare from Oxford University (Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences in partnership with Saïd Business School).

Larry Eichler P’09
Brown University Veterans Alumni Council

B.A. ’80, Tulane University | J.D. ’83, Syracuse University

Larry Eichler is an attorney specializing in real estate and corporate transactional matters. He is also the founder and president of Eichler Realty Company, Inc., a real estate investment and management company. Eichler has also founded, acquired, and sold several businesses.

In 2017, he founded the Brown University Veterans Alumni Council (BUVAC) and currently serves as its co-president. Eichler is also part of a group which recently formed the IBES Alumni & Family Network: a new platform to bring together the global community of passionate, environment-focused Brunonians.

Eichler is an advisor to the RI National Guard. He serves on the board of Professional Facilities Management and has served on the boards of Roger Williams University, Crossroads RI, Cherrystone Angel Group, and Festival Ballet Providence. In 2014, he served as special assistant to Providence mayor Angel Taveras and was acting director of Providence Talks.

Eichler graduated with a B.A. from Tulane University and a J.D. from Syracuse University and resides in Providence, RI with his wife, Alison. They have two sons: David ’09 (vice president, Technology Crossover Ventures) and Daniel (special operations pilot, U.S. Air Force).

Sarah H. Gomel ’06
Association of Class Leaders

AB’06, French Civilization; International Relations | M.LITT., University of St. Andrews

Sarah Hurwit Gomel is a corporate chief of staff with over a decade of experience in software and government technology. She specializes in change management, strategic alignment, scaling operations, and organizational culture, and has experience both as a nonprofit and a strategic consultant. Sarah graduated magna cum laude from Brown with a double concentration in French civilization (honors) and international relations. A course on conflict resolution at Brown sparked an interest that led her to the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, where she earned a master’s in peace and conflict studies in 2011 as an Ernest L. Ransome III Scholar.

Since graduating from Brown, Sarah has enjoyed volunteering for multiple Brown area clubs, the Young Leadership Council of the Brown Annual Fund, her BAF Class Gift Committee, and the Alumni Interviewing Program as an interviewer and area co- chair. She currently serves as a communications co-chair for her class and as the president of Brown’s Association of Class Leaders Board.

An active volunteer in her community, Sarah lives in Atlanta with her husband, David Gomel ’06, and their two children.

Tarek M. Khanachet ’03
Brown Annual Fund

AB’03, Anthropology; Old World Archeology & Art | M.A. ’04, University College London | J.D. ’08, New York University

Tarek Khanachet is a lawyer with Covington & Burling LLP, where he specializes in public policy, government affairs, and sovereign advisory in the Middle East. While at Brown, he studied archaeology and completed three seasons at the Brown excavations in Petra, Jordan. He has been a longtime volunteer, beginning with his senior class gift committee, and has only missed three commencements since he graduated.

Melisa W. Lai-Becker ’94 MD’99
Brown Medical Alumni Association

ScB’94, Applied Mathematics; Biology | MD’99, Medicine

Melisa Lai-Becker is chief of emergency medicine at CHA Everett Hospital. Additionally, Dr. Lai-Becker is the founder and director of medical toxicology at Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), an attending physician in medical toxicology at Boston Children’s Hospital, and an instructor in emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School. Previously, Dr. Lai-Becker served as a medical officer for the Disaster Medical Assistance Team, and an attending physician within the division of medical toxicology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She was also associate director of medical/surveillance at the American Association of Poison Control Centers and an attending physician in the emergency department at Mount Auburn Hospital. She is president of the board of the Massachusetts College of Emergency Physicians and an oral board examiner for the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Lai-Becker earned an undergraduate degree in applied mathematics and biology as well as a medical degree from Brown. She completed her residency in emergency medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and a fellowship in toxicology at Boston Children’s Hospital. She also served as a captain and general physician in the Medical Corps for the Rhode Island National Guard.