Council Members
Council Members
The Council numbers approximately forty members who have demonstrated their leadership to their professions, communities and their alma mater. The BUAC meets at least three times a year and is governed by a board of nine. Each of the University’s 17 schools and colleges are “represented” on the Council; and inaugural Council members hail from all over the country, as well as Canada, India, and Hong Kong. Members serve in a variety of professions, and span five decades of University history.
Each Council member is responsible for serving on at least one committee which includes: Career Networking/Mentoring, College/School Relations, Communications and Marketing, Development, Student Programming and Engagement, Regional Club Relations and International Alumni Relations.
Click on the names below to view the biographies of individual council members.
BUAA Council Members
- Dave Hollowell, ENG’69,’72, GSM’74, President of BUAC
- Mireille Aramati, SPH’86
- Mary C. Buletza, SMG’80
- Paul Chen, COM’87
- Wayne Cheung, ENG’99
- Michele Courton-Brown, CAS’83
- Shadi Daher, DMD, FAAOMS, SDM’90,’94
- Martin Desmery, Esq., LAW’87
- Gail Douglas, SON’68, SPH’88
- Alana Feld, COM’02
- Debralee Goldberg, CGS’76, CAS’78
- Edward Z. Gormbley, UNI’00M
- Steven Greenberg, CGS’87, CAS’89
- Khaled Jaouni, ENG’95
- Paul Kaplan, CAS’73
- Steve Karbank, CAS’79
- Sarah Lange, SSW’93
- Nancy L. Livingston, COM’69
- Stephanie McBride, COM’09, CAS’09
- Randy Miller, CGS’67, SMG’69
- Sami Y. Nawas, CGS’85, SMG’87
- Isabel Pisano, MET’87
- Margo Saulnier, CFA’96
- Tom Sears, STH’59
- Amandeep Singh, SMG’00
- Matt Smith, CAS’70, GSM’72
- Bridget Spence, CAS’05
- Jay Spitulnik, DGE’70, CAS’72, SED’75
- Alejandro Suero, CGS’97, CAS’99
- K. Clyde Vanel, LAW’01
- Leon Wilson, MET’75
- Ryan Woods, SED’05,’06
Biographies
David E. Hollowell, ENG’69, ‘72, GSM’74
President of BUAC
David E. Hollowell is the executive vice president and treasurer emeritus of the University of Delaware. Hollowell started his career at the University of Delaware in 1988 as senior vice president and was instrumental in efforts to streamline administrative procedures and re-engineer services. Additionally, he has directed a $900 million University of Delaware campus renewal and expansion program comprising more than 3.3 million square feet. He retired in December of 2007 and was recognized with the University’s Medal of Distinction and granted emeritus status. Hollowell continues to be active as a higher education consultant.
Prior to University of Delaware, Hollowell worked for 18 years at Boston University, where he directed many major construction and renovation projects and rose to the position of vice president for administration. In May of 2005, Hollowell was named an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for his role in campus renewal and expansion at University of Delaware and Boston University. Educated at Boston University, Hollowell received a bachelor’s in information engineering and master’s in manufacturing in engineering from the College of Engineering, an M.B.A. in quantitative methods from the School of Management, and then a diploma in financial planning.
Hollowell is past-president of the Society for College and University Planning and was chairman of the board for the March of Dimes of Delaware. He has served as a volunteer with the United Way of Delaware, the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and continues to serve on the board of the Wilmington Savings Fund Society Bank. At Boston University, he was the vice-chairman and treasurer of the Credit Union board of directors. Additionally, from 1971 to 1987, he sat on the College of Engineering’s alumni board, where he served as secretary and president.
In addition to his honorary AIA membership, Hollowell’s awards include Boston University Faculty Council Distinguished Service Award, the College of Engineering’s Distinguished Service Award, the E. A. Trabant Award for Women’s Equity and the Society for College and University Planning Distinguished Service Award.
Mary C. Buletza, SMG’80
After receiving her bachelor’s from School of Management in 1980, Mary Buletza began a career in accounting working for Deloitte, Haskins & Sells and later Deloitte Touche, where she was a senior manager and leader of the financial planning practice. In 1992, she opened her own firm, which now has offices in both New Jersey and Boston.
Maintaining a strong commitment to Boston University since graduation, Buletza has served as president in the past and is a current member of the SMG Alumni Board of Directors. Buletza also co-chaired her twenty-fifth reunion committee and made a gift in May to support, among other things, the School of Management Fund, the Alumni Board of Directors Scholarship Fund, and the Sherburne Scholarship Fund, honoring SMG accounting Professor Robert Sherburne. She has received the SMG Special Distinction Young Alumni Award. She also received the bronze medal in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the May 1980 CPA exam.
An avid ice hockey fan, Buletza began attending games as a freshman and has held season tickets ever since graduating and attended all but two Beanpot games since 1977.
She and her husband, the Very Rev. Gary Breton, had their first date twenty-five years ago at the Beanpot finals at the Boston Garden. In 2002, they moved to New Jersey, but Buletza maintains an office in Boston and returns to the city regularly to handle client matters and to attend BU functions. Mary and her husband have two children, Mary, age 16 and Alexander, age 14.
Paul Chen, COM’87
Paul Chen is currently the Regional Director for North America for Vestergaard Frandsen, a textile company focused on the eradication of tropical disease such as malaria. Prior to this, Paul worked at Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals as a State Government Manager responsible for the company’s legislative and public policy efforts. Preceding his time with Reckitt, Paul worked at GlaxoSmithKline as a marketing manager and later as state government manager. Previous to these opportunities, Paul has held various positions with I-many, Parexel and AstraZeneca.
Paul earned his B.S. in Broadcast & Film from the College of Communication in 1987 through the NROTC program. Upon graduation, he served in the United States Navy as a Division Officer, Staff Officer and Instructor until 1994 when he transitioned into the private sector with AstraMerck, Inc.
Paul has been married to Grace Chen since 2000 and they have been blessed with two wonderful children - son Max, 5, and daughter Tia, 2. They reside in Ashburn, Virginia, where they are kept very busy with the children’s daily activities.
Since 2004, Paul has also served as the Boston University DC Alumni Chapter President. In addition to his efforts with Boston University, Paul enjoys playing sports, working out, movies, some much needed down time and fine dining.
Michele Courton-Brown, CAS’83
Michele Courton Brown is a Senior Vice President and National Practice Director for Bank of America’s Philanthropic Management Group. In that capacity, she provides expert philanthropic advice to high net-worth clients, and strategic guidance for the business group’s professional development, sales support and thought leadership initiatives. Formerly, Michele served as a Market Director for Philanthropic Management, leading a team of professionals who served the client service, fiduciary, administrative and philanthropic advisory needs of high net-worth individuals, families, foundations and non-profit institutions.
From 1999 to 2002, Michele served as founding President of the FleetBoston Financial Foundation, which contributed over $25 million annually to charitable endeavors. Previously, she served as Director of Corporate Contributions for BankBoston and Executive Director of The Travelers Insurance Companies Foundation.
In 2004, Michele co-authored “Just Money: A Critique of Contemporary American Philanthropy.”
A graduate of Boston University, Michele is a civic leader, serving on the boards of numerous local and national non-profit boards including serving as the chair of Roxbury Community College, as a trustee of Faulkner Hospital, Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston and YouthBuild USA and as a member of the board of overseers at The Museum of Fine Art.
Shadi Daher, DMD, FAAOMS, SDM’90, ‘94
Dr. Shadi Daher, received his B.S. degree in Mathematics from the American University of Beirut, his DMD degree from Boston University Goldman School of Dentistry and his Oral and Maxillofacial training from Boston University and Tufts University.
Additionally, he is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Surgeons, a Fellow of both the AAOMS and IAOMS and was inducted as a Fellow of the International College of Dentists. Dr. Daher is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine and Surgical Director of the Bicon Institute. He is one of the founders and was recently elected president of the Boston-based charitable organization “Medical Missions for Children, Inc.” after having served as treasurer and Director for several years.
Dr. Daher is Married to Dr. Milagros Serrano, a practicing Periodontist in Brookline, MA; they have three children Anthony 7, Gabriela 5 and Hannah 2. They live in Westwood, MA.
Martin P. Desmery, LAW’87
Martin P. Desmery is a shareholder of Craig and Macauley Professional Corporation in the firm’s litigation practice. Mr. Desmery’s diverse practice is centered on commercial litigation, including bankruptcy, creditors’ rights, environmental liability, intellectual property, employment matters, and a wide variety of other business disputes. Mr. Desmery also advises corporations and individuals on corporate governance issues and commercial finance transactions.
Mr. Desmery has appeared in state and federal courts from Massachusetts and New York to California and Hawaii. His clients include investment bankers, financial advisors, commercial real estate developers, environmental cleanup companies, lenders, software developers, restaurant owners, advertising agencies, biotechnology start-ups, and individuals.
Mr. Desmery has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” by Law and Politics and Boston Magazine. He is a member of the American, Massachusetts and Boston Bar Associations, as well as the American Bankruptcy Institute.
Mr. Desmery is a member and past President of the Boston University School of Law Alumni Committee. He is a frequent lecturer at Boston University School of Law, where he taught Legal Research, Writing and Advocacy for three years.
Mr. Desmery is a member and President-elect of the Duxbury Education Foundation, as well as an associate member of the Duxbury Zoning Board of Appeals.
Gail H. Douglas, RN, MPH, SON’68, SPH’88
Gail Douglas is a practicing Registered Nurse and a graduate of BU SON (1968) and BUSPH (1988) in Health Law, who has melded the clinical discipline of nursing with the public health system’s view of health care. She has 40 years of health care experience as a clinician, educator, and administrator. Her professional work revolves around the integration of public health practice, management and policy. She has sought to affect positive change of health policy and practice through improved education of providers and leaders in the health care arena, as well as development of programs that will improve the health status of vulnerable populations.
She recently directed the Education Core of the SPH Health and Housing Prevention Research Center which partners with the Boston Housing Authority and the Boston Public Health Commission. Providing recommendations to the Department of Social Services about the health care needs of children in foster care and being a medical legal consultant and expert on ongoing Medicaid fraud and patient abuse cases with the Attorney General’s Office are recent endeavors.
She provides management consulting to health care providers in all settings, particularly on issues of health care quality, patient care, employee management and leadership development. She completed a management analysis and recommendations for improvement of the Health Services Unit of the Suffolk County Jail. She has testified often to the Massachusetts legislature and state and federal regulators on issues of health care quality, maintenance of the public health system, and professional roles and responsibilities.
As past president of the Massachusetts Public Health Association, she was involved with state issues to improve the public’s health. Professor Douglas also served as the Associate Dean of Students at the SPH and the acting Associate Dean for Public Health Practice. She recently retired from the SPH in July 2006. At the SPH she sought to assist students in making their educational experience relevant to their own goals by helping them with curriculum, directed studies, and real world field practice opportunities. She taught courses on Human Resource Management and the Organization and Delivery of Health Care. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Caritas Norwood Hospital and also on the Riverside Community Care Board of Directors.
She recently celebrated her 40th wedding anniversary with her husband Richard. She has two grown and married sons, Daniel and David and four grandchildren. She resides in Millis, MA.
Alana Feld, COM’02
As Executive Vice President and Producer for Feld Entertainment, Inc. ®, Alana Feld’s inventive and resourceful business sense has transformed the company’s touring structure. By having Alana work closely with the company’s creative development department and the company’s stage shows sales and marketing team, Feld Entertainment now brings more shows to a greater number of domestic and international markets than ever before.
A graduate of Boston University, Alana began her career working for advertising agencies, but she, as with her sister Nicole, soon found herself gravitating back to the family business. In 2003, Alana joined the company, and her promotional experiences gave her unparalleled success in marketing Feld Entertainment’s live family touring productions, Disney On Ice and Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey®, in one of the country’s top entertainment markets, New York City. This achievement took Alana to Europe where she successfully marketed the company’s international Disney On Ice shows.
In 2006, working alongside her father Kenneth, Alana returned to the United States where she retraced her grandfather’s footsteps as a rock-n-roll promoter by bringing the first North American tour of Doodlebops Live! to a legion of pint-sized fans across America. After the successful launch of Doodlebops Live! in 2006 and Playhouse Disney Live! in 2007, Alana produced another Feld Entertainment venture: Disney Live! presents Three Classic Fairy Tales, which toured more than 16 cities in Asia through 2008, setting a precedent as the first Feld Entertainment property to launch in Asia.
Launching in the summer of 2009, Alana again will work with her father to produce the newest Disney Live! show Disney Live! Rockin’ Road Show, featuring classic and contemporary characters in an original, laugh-out-loud storyline. This year marks another Feld Entertainment milestone for Alana, as she joins Nicole as the first sister-team to produce the newest edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey - The Greatest Show On Earth.
Debralee Goldberg, CGS’76,CAS’78
Debralee Goldberg is president and chief executive officer of International Financial Data Services (Canada) Ltd, and has served as president since August 2006. IFDS is a leading provider of business process solutions to the investment fund industry, in Canada, Europe, South America and Asia. Today, IFDS operates in Toronto, Canada and employs approximately 700 Associates.
Prior to joining IFDS Canada, Debralee held the position of Vice President, Global Client Services for DST Systems, Kansas City, MO. In this role she managed relationships with DST global clients, across business units and business lines. Debralee joined DST in 2001 with significant experience, from PFPC Global Fund Services where she was previously at for 9 years. She served as Senior Vice President and General Manager, Client Services.
Debralee has over 30 years experience in the financial services industry and has superior knowledge of mutual fund transfer agency operations, systems and client services.
Ms. Goldberg is a native of Boston. She received a bachelor’s from Boston University and is a member of the Boston University Parents Committee, and is also on the Board of Directors of FundSERV (Canada) Inc.
Edward Zdenek Gormbley, UNI’00
Ed Gormbley is an Assistant VP at GE Equity, where he invests in mid-market products and services that serve the energy industry. While a student, he was an RA, and founded two companies (a landscaping and yacht maintenance company; and a website for students to sell used textbooks.) He’s a loyal alumnus, returns almost every year for the UNI reunion luncheon and is in touch often with his former faculty.
This year, he will be the UNI commencement speaker. Ed has served on the NY alumni board and has set up two scholarships at UNI- one for students’ books, the other to subsidize a TA’s salary.
Steven A. Greenberg, CGS’87, CAS’89
Steven Greenberg is chairman, president and CEO of Alaron Trading Corp. Alaron, of which Greenberg is a founder, is a Chicago-based global futures and options brokerage, and is a clearing member firm of most U.S. futures exchanges.
Greenberg leads a team of professionals who manage the firm’s business and attend to the needs of its global clients. He is a member of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade, the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, and the Kansas City Board of Trade.
Greenberg is the author of Single Stock Futures: The Complete Guide. In addition to industry-related activities, Greenberg is active in and supports a number of civic and faith-based initiatives, including the Gastro-Intestinal Research Foundation of the University of Chicago, the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Boston University Alumni Council.
Greenberg holds a B.A. degree in international relations from Boston University and an M.B.A from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
He is married to Stacy P. Greenberg, and they have four sons: Jake, Alex, Charlie and Benny.
Khaled Jaouni, ENG’95
Khaled Jaouni is currently a Partner with Ithmar Capital which manages in excess of $500 million. With over 13 years of experience in private equity and business transformation, Khaled is responsible for value creation and growth of the firm’s portfolio companies in addition to leading the build up and management of Ithmar’s healthcare investment platform. Prior to joining Ithmar Capital in 2005, Khaled held numerous senior consulting positions with Ernst & Young, both in the Middle East as well as the United States. During this time, he successfully led a number of strategic growth initiatives for Fortune 100 companies and leading regional businesses. Khaled holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University (USA) and an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School (UK). He has been a guest speaker at several regional private equity conferences and has been interviewed by international business publications such as London’s Financial Times. He is also President of the Boston University Alumni Association in the GCC (Gulf States).
Paul Kaplan, CAS’73
Paul Kaplan represents domestic and foreign financial institutions and corporations in litigation and regulatory matters. He has advised them on the antitrust aspects of mergers and acquisitions as well as a broad range of industries on general antitrust matters. Paul counsels corporations on the antitrust ramifications of business transactions with a view to avoiding or minimizing exposure to antitrust claims in litigation and represents financial institutions facing regulatory or court enforcement actions.
Paul has practiced law for more than 25 years with major law firms and corporations in the United States and Europe. He began his legal career in London, England where he was an associate with an Anglo-American law firm in London. Following a clerkship in Boston with the Honorable R. Ammi Cutter, a justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Paul joined the legal department of AT&T, then involved in a complex business reorganization and divestiture, pursuant to a federal court antitrust decree. He also held the title of vice president at Citibank, NA (Citigroup) in the General Counsel’s Office and at J.P. Morgan Chase (Chemical Bank), where he was group counsel in the bank’s Middle Market/Financial Services Group.
Paul is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham Law School, where he has taught an advanced antitrust course since 1991. In February 2006, he organized, on behalf of the government of Israel, a financial services delegation to Israel led by the late Honorable Jack Kemp (former US Representative from New York, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Republican Party nominee for Vice President in 1996). Paul currently serves on the Executive, Strategic Planning and Law (Pro Bono) Committees of the Board of Directors for the America-Israel Friendship League, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the political, social and economic ties between America and Israel. He also served on The London School of Economics’ New York Development Committee from 1999-2001.
He is a member of the American Bar Association – Clayton Act Committee, Section of Antitrust Law. He was also a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York – Antitrust and Trade Regulation Committee from 1995-1998 and the Banking Law Committee from 1992-1995.
Steven M. Karbank, CAS ‘79
Chairman, Karbank Real Estate Company, Kansas City, MO
Steven Karbank is Chairman of Karbank Real Estate Company, a Kansas City based firm specializing in the industrial and commercial real estate development and brokerage. Steven has planned and developed more than thirty-five buildings comprising in excess of 3,500,000 square feet of distribution, office and research and development space in the Kansas City area and around the United States. He has completed numerous build-to-suit projects for companies such as Farmers Insurance, General Electric, Lifetouch Publishing and Sokkia. Some of the companies with whom he has recently negotiated sales and lease transactions include Grundfos Pumps, Farmers Insurance, Commerce Bank and Sanofi Pasteur.
Steven is the former President of the Boston University Alumni Association. Steven is a former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Friends of Chamber Music, a member of the Board of Directors of the Orangutan Foundation International, and a Trustee of the Kansas City Jewish Community Foundation.
Steven is a 1979 graduate of Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences with a B.A. in Philosophy and Psychology. He is married to Jeannette Ordonez, an artist, and they have a son, Octavio Karbank, who is a senior at Boston University.
Sarah Lange, SSW’93
Counsel to more than 150 New England organizations and their leaders, Sarah is the Principal & Founder of Legacy Consulting, Inc. Having spent more than two decades in the field of non-profit management, Sarah is well known and respected for her depth and breadth of expertise in organizational change, leadership development, strategic and financial planning, fund development, needs assessments and evaluation. Upon completion of their engagement, Legacy’s clients experience increased efficiency and effectiveness, are better organized, have a well-defined course of action and well-developed strategies with which to implement change. Sarah has raised more than $45m from foundations, corporations, state and federal governments and individuals.
Sarah has served on the faculties of Clark University, Boston University School of Social Work, Worcester State College, Assumption College, and the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Sarah is a frequent presenter on the topics of management, leadership, strategic planning, and organizational development. Ms Lange has conducted hundreds of workshops and been a speaker at dozens of conferences across the country.
Prior to founding Legacy Consulting, Sarah directed and grew the Oak Hill Community Development Corporation in Worcester, MA, from 1993 - 99. Her early career includes numerous roles in higher education, community service, the arts, health promotion and non-profit management. She earned her Masters Degree from Boston University School of Social Work in 1993 and her B.A. from Colgate University in 1987. While at BUSSW, Sarah was the recipient of the Louis Lowy Award in Gerontology. In 2007, Sarah received the Hubie Jones Urban Service Award from the BUSSW Alumni Association.
Sarah served on the BU School of Social Work Alumni Association Board of Directors for 10 years, serving as Vice President from 1998 - 2000 and President from 2000 - 2002. She also has served on SSW’s “Alumni in Action” Steering Committee, been a member of the Career Consultants Network, Chaired the Macro Practice Committee and served on the Curriculum Committee.
Sarah was one of the founding members of Leave a Legacy of Central MA, a county-wide initiative to encourage bequests, and helped launch the “Neighborhoods Taking Action” initiative in conjunction with the Greater Worcester Community Foundation. Ms Lange played a central role in Worcester’s Promise, an initiative to ensure the best quality of life for the city’s youth in five key areas, chairing the “Protect” Task Force. From 1995 - 97, Sarah served as president of the Worcester Area Council of Directors of Volunteer Services. In 1998, Sarah was voted one of eight “Women of Distinction” in Central MA. Over the course of the past decade, she has been a member of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, New England Women Business Owners, and served as a Community Trustee for the United Way of Central MA. Sarah maintains memberships with the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Women in Development and is currently serving a three-year term on the board of the Jewish Community Center in Worcester.
Nancy Livingston, COM’69
Nancy Livingston is a seasoned professional in the communications business. Since obtaining her B.S. degree in Advertising Journalism from Boston University, she has worked as a copywriter, account executive and artist representative in various ad agencies and graphic design firms.
Nancy began her career at CBS, Young & Rubicam and Ketchum MacLeod & Grove. A freelancer since 1982, she has written for a wide variety of clients including Nike, Amtrak California, Levi Strauss, Rubbermaid, United Airlines, Hills Bros., Hilton Hotels, Intel, Dole and Sumitomo Tire.
In San Francisco, Nancy serves as Board Vice Chair of A.C.T., San Francisco’s distinguished American Conservatory Theater, and sits on its Marketing and New Works Committees. She is also the Campaign Committee Chair of the theater’s $30 million endowment campaign.
She recently rotated off the Board of Cal Performances, a prestigious multi-arts presenting organization where she served as Vice Chair. In her capacity as Marketing Committee Chair she led the Board through a successful branding campaign aided by staff and using renowned New York design consultants LaPlaca Cohen.
In Boston, Nancy serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board of Boston University’s College of Communication, and on the Executive Committee of the Boston University Alumni Council.
At CAS, Nancy and her husband, Fred Levin, sponsor the Robert Lowell Memorial Lectures, Celebrating the Legacy of Room 222. The series brings distinguished poets to the university to read with members of the Creative Writing Program faculty and recent graduates of the program. The inaugural reading took place March 17, 2005 and featured C.K. Williams, Robert Pinsky and Jill McDonough. Subsequent readings have included BU’s Leslie Epstein and David Ferry as well as Frank Bidart, Louise Gluck, Grace Paley, Mark Strand and Seamus Heaney.
At COM, Nancy and Fred established The Livingston Family Fund in Advertising encompassing three different programs to promote creativity and serve as an inspiration for aspiring artists and writers.
The Livingston Family Fund in Advertising awards two prizes at commencement, one for Best Advertising Strategy for a national brand, and another for Best Creative Advertising Portfolio. In each instance, recipients are seniors or graduate students selected by the advertising faculty. The awards help defray travel expenses necessary for meeting with out-of-town creative directors and major account executives that are College alumni.
The Livingston Family Portfolio Café events bring to campus creative directors from Boston advertising agencies to critique student portfolios in individual meetings with seniors and graduate students in the fall and spring semesters. The fund can also be used for expenses as well as an honorarium for at least one executive from New York or San Francisco who participates in the Café and speaks at a Conversations lecture series.
The Nancy Livingston Scholarship Fund was established in 2007 to provide annual support to an outstanding graduate student pursuing a Master’s degree in Advertising.
Nancy lives in Mill Valley California and is married to Fred Levin, a third generation San Franciscan who designs and imports gifts from the Pacific Rim. He currently serves as Chair of San Francisco Performances and is on the Board of Directors of The San Francisco Symphony, The Asian Art Museum and the San Francisco Film Festival. He is a past president of Congregation Rodef Sholom in Marin County, California.
Stephanie McBride, COM’09,CAS’09
Stephanie McBride is a marketing associate in the Marketing Leadership Development Program at EMC Corporation. As a member of this program, she rotates through new marketing departments each quarter until Q4 ‘10. McBride currently works in Global Alliances, focusing on the development of external communications for EMC’s strategic partners worldwide.
A 2009 graduate of Boston University, McBride earned a B.S. in communication, summa cum laude, and a B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude. Her undergraduate work experience included marketing internships at BC Hydro, TRACS Inc., and Boston University Alumni Relations.
During her time at BU, McBride served on the executive board of the university’s student-run advertising agency, AdLab, and as the president of the College of Communication Student Assembly.
Randy Miller, CGS’67, SMG’69
Randy Miller received a BS in Business Administration from Boston University in 1969 and an MS in Economics/Political Science from Portland State University in 1977. Randy has been listed in “Who’s Who in Finance and Industry,” and “Who’s Who in the World.”
Randy is a former chairman of the National Independent Distributor Association; Distributor Councils for Sony, Pioneer, Quasar; Dist. Section of National Computer Association (Comptia). Randy is also a chairman of Governor’s Commission on Brand Oregon and Vice Chairman of Governor’s Commission on Oregon.
Randy is an Honorary Consulate to the Republic of Lithuania and the Director of AAA of Oregon/Idaho and the Director of the Air Advice Corporation.
Randy and his wife Janet live in Portland, Oregon with their children, Kelsey, Haley, Clayton and Gregory.
Sami Y. Nawas, CGS’85, SMG’87
Sami Yousef Nawas has been working at Nawas International Travel in its Menlo Park, California branch since 1987. Nawas International Travel’s U.S.A. offices handle travel arrangements for approximately five hundred groups each year. Nawas’ day-to-day duties include managing the group division’s marketing, sales and overall tour operations.
Nawas graduated cum laude in 1987 from Boston University’s School of Management and is an alumnus of the College of General Studies. Nawas is also a graduate of the Lawrenceville Prep School in New Jersey. He is fluent in Arabic, French, and English and has a working knowledge of Italian.
Sami has three beautiful daughters: Stephanie, 12, Melissa, 9, and Leila, 5. They reside in Atherton, California. Nawas has served on the board of directors of Bayshore Christian Ministries (including the role of chairman) for six years. He also led a 1.7 million dollars fundraising capital campaign to build a new home for the ministry.
Nawas is the president of the BU Bay Area Alumni club, a member of the BU Alumni Council, Dean Linda Wells’ advisory council (for CGS) and various other BU committees.
Nawas served as a Deacon for the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church for a three year term and is comissioned as a Stephen Minister.
Nawas enjoys strategy games, science fiction books and movies, photography and, of course, travel.
Isabel Pisano, MET‘87
Isabel Pisano is a strategy consultant with Oracle and has 20 years of experience in the software industry. Her areas of expertise are in analytic, predictive analytic and front office systems. She has also published articles as a freelance writer for the software industry. She is a member of the “CEO Circle” at Siebel Systems (now Oracle).
Pisano is the founder of Hero’s Stone Productions, a film production company. The company has produced documentary films, most recently “Waging Peace” a video about the Nobel Prize Winning Nuclear Disarmament NGO, Pugwash. She is also writing and directing a documentary on the Manhattan project.
In addition to her support for Boston University on both the BU Alumni Council and the Dean’s Council of the Metropolitan College, Pisano is also a past member of the Board of Trustees at the Berklee College of Music and a present member of the President’s Advisory Board at Berklee. During her tenure in Manhattan, Pisano was a patron of the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Central Park Conservancy. She was also a member of the Philharmonic Volunteer Council. She was for several years the auction chair for the Encore Gala at Berklee, which benefits the Berklee City Music Program.
Pisano graduated from Emmanuel College with a degree in Biology and from Boston University with a Masters Degree in Computer Science. She also did graduate studies in Biology at Georgetown University. She lives in Chestnut Hill.
Margo Saulnier, CFA’96
Margo Saulnier graduated from Boston University with a bachelor of music degree in clarinet performance and from Brooklyn College with a master of fine arts in performing arts management. She is currently Assistant Director of Artistic Planning for the Boston Pops at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She is the main curator of the Boston Pops’ innovative EdgeFest, a series featuring guest artists such as Guster, Ben Folds, My Morning Jacket, Aimee Mann, Cowboy Junkies, DJ Paul Oakenfold, Josh Ritter, Natalie Merchant and Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls, as well as world premieres of Tod Machover’s Jeux Deux, Nico Muhly’s Wish You Were Here, and Felix Brenner’s Travelacoustica Remix. These collaborations resulted in the Boston Pops being invited to perform on the Late Show with David Letterman alongside My Morning Jacket and the Late Late Show with Conan O’Brien with Guster. Prior to working at the Boston Pops, Margo was a member of the programming department at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, where she booked the lecture and symposia series and produced programs for the Great Performers series, Mostly Mozart Festival, Midsummer Night Swing and American Songbook. She was involved in the first three seasons of Great Performers’ New Visions series, which combined classical music with other performing art forms such as theater, puppetry, dance, and film. In 2007, she was a panelist at the Future of Music Summit in Montreal, and a member of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters’ classical music think tank in Detroit. She is currently on the advisory board of Opus Affair, a social group for young professionals interested in the Fine Arts in Boston, as well as the Boston Committee of The National Recording Academy (producers of The Grammy Awards).
Rev. Thomas A. Sears, STH’59
Tom Sears was raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He received a BA degree from Cornell College (1956) and a Master of Divinity degree from Boston University School of Theology (1959). Tom was the pastor of United Methodist Churches in Iowa for eleven years. The Onawa church under his leadership tripled their average attendance. He then returned to graduate school at the University of Iowa where he received a MA degree in history (1973). Upon successful completion of the PhD comprehensive examinations, he accepted a teaching position in history at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Tom taught over 9,000 students in full classes at Kirkwood. He was elected President of the Faculty Association and served many years on the Faculty Association’s executive board. He served as chair of the Curriculum Committee and was the chief negotiator for the faculty. He helped change collective bargaining from confrontational to collaborative, problem solving bargaining at Kirkwood. The Kirkwood contracts became models for both faculty and administration in other Iowa Community Colleges.
He was a member of the Humanities Committee, helped revise the history and humanities curriculum and was a leader in establishing Kirkwood’s core program. He was chosen to participate in a National Endowment for the Humanities seminar on the New History at the University of Colorado, and he was invited to be on a Princeton University taskforce revising the introductory history course. He was a co-author and director of Kirkwood’s first NEH grant for curriculum and professional development. The grant was the largest awarded up to that time to any Community College. The history, humanities and Kirkwood’s core curriculum won national commendation as an exemplary curriculum from the federal Department of Education.
Tom and his wife Margaret have two daughters and three granddaughters. He retired as Professor of History at Kirkwood in 2000. He has a special interest in China and has travel to China five times. He is on the BU School of Theology Board of Advisors and the Boston University Alumni Council. He received the School of Theology Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2007.
Matthew B. Smith, CAS’70, GSM’72
Matthew B. Smith is Managing Director, Investments at Connecticut Innovations, Inc. (Rocky Hill, CT), a venture capital firm, and serves on the Board of Directors of several CI portfolio firms. Mr. Smith has a multifaceted range of healthcare experiences marked by leading edge business developments.
His experiences include co-authoring the first federally funded HMO feasibility study and corporate healthcare ventures with GTE New Ventures Corporation as well as other major medical firms, such as Technicon Corporation, American Hospital Supply Corporation and National Patent Development Corporation, where he rose to be the president of the Acme-Chaston subsidiary.
Mr. Smith co-founded CompreMedx Cancer Centers Corporation (the first publicly traded firm to build freestanding cancer centers in partnership with oncologists and radiologists), co-owned Kramex Corporation (a privately owned portable and mobile radiology manufacturing and distribution firm), co-owned privately-held New World Healthcare Solutions, Inc. an executive recruiting and online medical education company for the healthcare industry and assisted in the turn around and sale of Medical Sterilization, Inc. (a publicly traded surgical instrumentation firm). In addition, he co-founded Health Excel Management, Inc. (a managed care firm specializing in disease state management) and turned around and sold venture backed HelpMate Robotics, Inc. (a publicly traded medical transport firm). He has served on the Board of Directors for Baseline Medical, Inc. and Campus Connects, Inc., and was Managing Director of Negin-Smith Partnership, a private real estate venture. Mr. Smith has served on the Board of Directors of selected non-profit organizations such as the Connecticut Venture Group (CVG), the Hamden (CT) Chamber of Commerce and the Long Ridge Club, Inc.
Mr. Smith has been on the faculty of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Quinnipiac University School of Business and served as the first Executive Director of the Q.U. Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management Institute.
He holds a BA in Psychology (1970) and an MBA with academic honors (1972) from Boston University. He is also a member of the Claflin Society at Boston University and was named to the Boston University College of Arts and Sciences Collegium and Academy of Distinguished Alumni as well as a member of the International Campaign Committee (1993-1996) for the School of Management’s new building.
Bridget M. Spence, CAS’05
Bridget Spence is a National Sales and Service Coordinator with Event 360 INC, an organization that produces fundraising events for non-profits across the country. Bridget supports participants in the Breast Cancer 3-Day, an event which raised $79 million in 2008 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund. In addition to her work with Event 360, Bridget is also the chairwoman of Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s Young Women’s National Advisory Council and serves on the Board of Directors of a Boston-area non-profit called Thrive Together. Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s Young Women’s National Advisory Council advises Komen for the Cure’s leadership on how best to reach out to the next generation of breast cancer survivors and activists. Thrive Together offers support and education to pre-menopausal breast cancer survivors in the Boston metro area.
Bridget is the recipient of the 2009 Boston University Young Alumni Award. She was also honored as the 2009 LIFE Hero award by Val Skinner and the LPGA. Bridget’s work as a young breast cancer activist has been featured on Live! With Regis and Kelly, and in Teen Vogue and Women’s Health magazines. She speaks at high schools, colleges and universities across the country about the importance of breast self awareness and early detection.
Bridget graduated cum laude from Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences with a bachelor’s in International Relations in 2005.
Jay Spitulnik, DGE’70, CAS’72, SED’75
Jay J. Spitulnik has been an Organizational Consultant at Lifespan in the Lifespan Learning Institute since 2003. In that capacity, Spitulnik is responsible for analyzing, designing, developing, implementing and evaluating large scale change activities such as team building, organizational interventions and training programs to ensure the alignment of work related skills, knowledge and performance in the employed workforce at all levels with Lifespan’s key patient-centered objectives.
Spitulnik also serves as a principal liaison between Lifespan and the institutions of higher education in Rhode Island that provide continuing education for Lifespan’s workforce. He was recently named a Center Associate in the University of Rhode Island’s newly created Rhode Island Center for Nursing Excellence.
Before joining Lifespan, Spitulnik worked as a Senior Consultant and Project Manager with AED, Inc. He worked with senior management in client organizations to identify and build capabilities required to implement new business practices, processes, technologies, and services and supervised project teams responsible for implementing internal and client initiatives. Prior to his work with AED, Spitulnik spent 17 years working in the nuclear power industry as a consultant and manager responsible for individual and organization development activities.
Spitulnik received a bachelor’s in philosophy and a master’s in educational media and technology from Boston University. He is currently completing the requirements for a doctorate in organizational psychology from Walden University. He and his wife, Nancy (SED ‘72), served on the School of Education alumni board from 1975 to 1982 and both returned to service on that board in 2007.
Alejandro Suero, CGS’97, CAS’99
Alejandro Suero is the president of Suero & Suero, LLC, a real estate company specializing in residential sales and condo conversions for Latin America and Caribbean investors. In its first year of operation, Suero & Suero, LLC surpassed ten million dollars in real estate inventory and continues to grow in the real estate boom currently affecting Miami. He has been involved in real estate since 2003 after leaving Merrill Lynch, where he worked as a loan officer for almost four years.
In addition to his current business activities, Suero enjoys community events and is a member of the Miami Art Museum Partners (MAMP) and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami (MOCA). He has also been involved in some fundraising events for the San Jorge Children’s Foundation in San Juan, Puerto Rico as well as the Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities. He is also on the board of the Child Brain Foundation in Dallas, TX.
Suero grew up between San Juan, Puerto Rico and Miami, Florida. He attended Portsmouth Abbey School, a prep school in New England, where he completed high school before enrolling in Boston University. In 1999, he graduated from BU with a bachelor’s degree in international relations and international business from the College of Arts and Sciences. In December of 2007, he earned his MBA from the IE (Instituto de Empresa) in Madrid.
Whenever his schedule permits, Suero pursues his artistic inclinations by collecting contemporary art, a passion that has turned from simply a hobby into a business. He has worked on special assignments on finding some pieces for collectors in the South Florida region. Currently, he enjoys attending European and American art shows such as Art Basel, Frieze; the Armory and the Venice Biennale.
An avid entrepreneur, Suero maintains residence in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Key Biscayne, Florida.
K Clyde Vanel, LAW’01
Clyde owns and operates the Vanel Law Firm, an intellectual property and business law practice based in New York City. He represents entrepreneurs, business owners and entertainers from around the world. Clyde is also the co-owner of Permanent Brunch, a restaurant and bar located in lower Manhattan known for its selection of bacon.
Clyde is a nationally-renounded attorney and businessman. He was featured numerous publications, such as Money Magazine and Black Enterprises.
Clyde is the co-founder of the Community Empowerment Association (CEA) in Queens where he was born and raised. The CEA works to address youth issues, senior matters and community organizing. He serves as a mentor to the youth and young adults and he works with many non-profit organizations.
Clyde graduated from the law school in 2001 and earned a BS in Aviation Administration from the State University of New York in 1997.
Leon Wilson, MET’75
Leon E. Wilson has over thirty years of experience in Financial Management and currently serves as Executive Vice President of Direct Services at the Nonprofit Finance Fund. In this capacity Mr. Wilson serves as the head of all business activities for the organization. These services provided to the not for profit sector by the fund include financial consulting, lending, investment services, training and sector advocacy.
Mr. Wilson is the former head of the Mid Market Asset Division for Bank of America Corporation. Mr. Wilson previously held the position of Corporate Senior Vice President/Managing Director of GMAC Residential, the holding company for GMAC Mortgage, GMAC Global Relocation Services, GMAC Home Service, GMAC Real Estate, GM Bank, Family First by GMAC and Ditech.com.
Wilson’s Emerging Markets Division also housed GMAC Mortgage’s new Economic and Community Lending initiative. This $100 million fund was established to help finance housing and economic development in underserved and urban communities. In combination with key GM executives, Wilson constructed an approach that addresses the complete financial needs of Emerging Markets customers.
Earlier, Wilson worked for Fleet Financial Group as Senior Vice President of the Charitable Asset Division. Prior to that, he worked at the Bank of Boston where he held increasingly more senior positions leaving as National Director, Risk Management & Compliance for The Private Bank. Beginning his nine-year career there as Vice President and Division Head of the Consumer Finance Division, he was then tapped to be Director, Massachusetts Residential Mortgage Division, served as the Chairman of Boston First Banking, predecessor to First Community Bank, where he designed the bank’s “Bank Within a Bank” strategy and product offerings. He later moved to Senior Vice President/Director of BancBoston Mortgage Corporation. His earlier years in banking began at Boston’s Shawmut Bank as Senior Lender, Consumer Banking with responsibility for credit card and consumer finance.
Through May of 2004, Mr. Wilson built two companies focused on meeting the financial needs of minority and female consumers, and small businesses. First Financial Access Group, and Capital City Ventures are organizations with a local focus and national market.
Mr. Wilson has served on numerous professional and community boards including The Bell Foundation, Boston University, Dimock Health Care, Fannie Mae’s Regional Advisory Board, Cambridge College Board of Trustees, and Philadelphia Safe and Sound, to name a few. Nationally recognized as an expert in his field, Wilson is often called upon as a speaker on financial services, philanthropic support, and community development. Mr. Wilson is the recipient of the Boston University Outstanding Alumnus Award, the Urban Banker Professional Service Award, and The Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award. His achievements have earned him recognition in Who’s Who in Corporate America and Who’s Who in Black America.
Mr. Wilson completed advanced studies at Harvard Business School and the University of Virginia’s Graduate School of Retail Bank Management. He holds an undergraduate degree from Boston University.
Ryan Woods, SED’05, ‘06
Ryan J. Woods is Director of Education at New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), the country’s oldest and largest historical research center. As the nation’s premier facility for collecting, preserving and interpreting the history of people and families in America, NEHGS serves more than 30,000 researchers daily through its website www.NewEnglandAncestors.org and its eight-story library in Boston. Woods develops and implements academic content for the Society, including one hundred annual seminars and more than one dozen domestic and international research expeditions.
During his tenure, Woods has led his department in the creation of new educational products and partnerships resulting in a 200% increase in net revenue, the largest departmental gain in the institution’s 164-year history.
Prior to becoming a director at NEHGS, Woods served in key capacities at other Boston institutions including the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. For his work at the JFK Library Woods received two letters of Congressional commendation for public service and the National Archives’ special achievement award, one the federal agency’s highest honors.
Besides his career in cultural institutions, Woods is also a licensed educator in Massachusetts, holding dual certification in middle school and high school social studies. He is the author of several journal and magazine articles on character and ethics education.
Woods currently serves as president of the Boston University School of Education Alumni Board. He is also a member of the executive committee of the Boston University Alumni Council.
In addition to his service at BU, Woods is a trustee or on the Board of Directors of several local and international non-profits including the Partnership of the Historic Bostons, Boston Charter Day, The American Friends of St. Botolph’s and AClickForVeterans.com. His other professional and civic involvements include the National Council for the Social Studies, The Society of Colonial Wars, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Greater Boston Convention and Visitor Bureau, and the Newbury Street League.
Woods earned a B.S. in Social Science Education and an Ed.M. in Curriculum and Teaching, both from the School of Education at Boston University. He and his wife, Karen, a graduate of the College of Arts and Science and the School of Education at Boston University, reside in West Somerville, Mass.