NAA Board

Meet the alumni leaders who serve as the strategic advisory body of the NAA.

The NAA Board of Directors helps the organization aspire to fulfill its vision of a global Northwestern alumni community that feels empowered, connected, and engaged through every stage of life. These dynamic alumni leaders have skill sets and perspectives that align with Northwestern University’s strategies and priorities—now and in the future—to ensure the NAA remains relevant to alumni and the University.

In accordance with the Northwestern Alumni Association (NAA) bylaws, representatives of the offices of the association shall be elected by a majority vote of the members of the association present at the annual meeting to be held on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. Terms for all offices shall commence on September 1, 2026, and representatives shall hold office for the term for which they are elected. Learn more about the NAA Board nominees.

Executive Committee

Kristin McDonnell ’85 (’21, ’23, ’25 P)

President, Trustee

Menlo Park, California

Kristin McDonnell is managing partner and founder of Menlo Group, an investment firm. As a technology industry innovator, she has held executive positions at Fortune 100 corporations and Silicon Valley startups. McDonnell serves as the immediate past president of the Northwestern Alumni Association and served on the Northwestern University Board of Trustees from 2022 to 2026. She also serves on the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Advisory Board, the Kellogg Tech Council, and the NU/WAVE investment committee.

Prior to Menlo Group, McDonnell held leadership roles at AT&T, Electronic Arts, McKinsey, Limelife, Mplayer, and Xfire. In her career, she has worked on teams that have built groundbreaking software products and services, acquired millions of customers, raised significant venture capital, and had multiple IPO and acquisition exits.

McDonnell studied industrial engineering and computer science at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering; she also has an MBA from Harvard Business School.

She has spoken at Northwestern alumni events about entrepreneurship, venture capital, and tech product management. In addition, she has been a judge for Northwestern’s VentureCat Startup Competition and has served as an executive mentor to entrepreneurs at Northwestern, Stanford University’s School of Engineering and start-up accelerator StartX, Harvard Business School, TechStars, and MIT Launch.

Watch a video message from McDonnell

Read the Northwestern Magazine feature on McDonnell

Jack Kang ’90

President-Elect, Trustee

Mt. Prospect, Illinois

Jack Kang is a senior manager at Wabtec Corporation, a railroad technology company, where his team determines global pricing for the $650+ million aftermarket industrial parts business. Previously, he spent nearly 20 years in strategic marketing at the General Electric Company, where he led the annual strategic planning process, managed the pricing team, eco-certified GE’s locomotives, and managed MBA recruitment and new talent training. Prior to his time at GE, Kang worked in banking, ultimately as senior vice president of marketing analytics. Kang filed a patent application related to converting images of paper checks to electronic deposits.

Kang is a longtime volunteer leader serving the Northwestern community. He is the past president of the Northwestern Asian and Asian American Alumni Association, also known as NU-A5. Under Kang’s leadership, NU-A5 was recognized as the Northwestern Alumni Association (NAA) Club of the Year in 2020 and 2023 for its exemplary alumni impact. In 2021, he was named NAA Club Leader of the Year for his leadership and service excellence. In 2024, Kang co-organized a live music event on campus while on the steering committee of One Book One Northwestern, the community-wide reading program hosted by the Office of the Provost. Today, he serves as president-elect of the NAA Board of Directors and is a member of the Northwestern University Board of Trustees. He is also a mentor in Northwestern’s Affinity Leaders and Learners (ALL) Mentorship Program.

After graduating from Northwestern with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, Kang received an MBA from Vanderbilt University.

Albert Manzone ’93 MBA (’18, ’22 P)

Immediate Past President

Monaco, Monaco

Albert Manzone is deputy chief executive officer of the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, a publicly traded company and leader in the luxury hospitality and entertainment market in Monaco with hotels, casinos, gastronomy, wellness, entertainment, shopping, and real estate development.

Manzone has more than 30 years of accomplishments in the consumer products and luxury industries. His work includes time at Whole Earth Brands, which he successfully listed on the NASDAQ as its chief executive officer; at PepsiCo and W.M. Wrigley Jr. Company; and at McKinsey & Company. He also serves on the boards of Perrigo Company plc, Syntec Optics Holdings, Inc., Banijay Group N.V., and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation for the Environment.

An active member of the Northwestern alumni community, Manzone serves as the immediate past president of the Northwestern Alumni Association. Manzone started volunteering after graduate school, serving as president of the NU Club of Switzerland and on campus as a visiting speaker in marketing strategy and innovation.

A native of the Principality of Monaco, Manzone holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern and a graduate degree in international business from Sorbonne University. He speaks English, Italian, and French.

Manzone and his wife, Nathalie, are the proud parents of three children: Charlotte, Clemence ’18, and Philippe ’22.

Pamay Bassey ’95 MS

Vice President

Chicago, Illinois

Ekpedeme “Pamay” M. Bassey helps organizations leverage learning, leadership, and technology to drive transformation and scale impact. As a board director, and strategic advisor, she brings a unique blend of Fortune 500 experience, entrepreneurial vision, and governance expertise to companies preparing for digital and cultural change. Bassey most recently served as chief learning and culture officer at The Kraft Heinz Company.

Bassey has served as a director-at-large of the Northwestern Alumni Association since 2022. She is also a member of the Northwestern University Black Alumni Association (NUBAA).

Prior to her time at Kraft Heinz, Bassey served as global head of learning platform and professional development for BlackRock and as president of The Pamay Group, an e-learning design and strategy company. She has published several books, including Let’s Learn Our Way Through It, Shall We? based on her “365 Days of Learning” commitment to learn something new each day for a year and share it with others.

Bassey serves on the board of global investment bank Houlihan Lokey, the GSV Ventures Workforce Insights Board, and is a venture partner for Emerge VC. She is a life member of the Council of Foreign Relations and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, a public service organization. Additionally, she is an advisory board member of the M&G Etomi Foundation, a nonprofit working to break the cycle of poverty in the Niger Delta region of Southern Nigeria.

She holds a bachelor of science from Stanford University and a master’s in computer science from Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering.

Susan Howe ’91

Vice President, Trustee

Chicago, Illinois

Susan Howe is chief executive officer of The Weber Shandwick Collective (TWSC), a global strategic communications and consulting network. Under her leadership, TWSC has grown to serve Fortune 500 companies across every major industry sector, earning top honors such as PRWeek’s Global Agency of the Year and PRovoke Media’s Global Agency of the Decade, and repeated recognition on Ad Age’s Agency A-list and Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies. TWSC has also received more than 250 Cannes Lions.

Howe has been a driving force behind TWSC’s growth while continuing to advise top clients. As CEO, Howe has expanded the agency’s offerings, including Weber I/O, which integrates data, technology, and AI into marketing and communications strategies; Weber Advisory, a unified approach to corporate and public affairs; and Weber Create, an influencer marketing platform powered by data and cultural insight.

Her leadership and impact have earned numerous distinctions. She was named “the most powerful woman in the PR agency world” in 2025 by PRWeek, an Ad Age Leading Women honoree, PRWeek’s Global Agency Professional of the Year, and recognized on PRWeek’s Power List. Howe is also a member of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women community. She serves on the Northwestern University Board of Trustees and the Sheppard Pratt Foundation Board. She is a graduate of Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications.

Howe and her husband live in Chicago, where she is a devoted aunt, certified yoga instructor, and avid baseball fan.

Sonalee Singh ’99

Vice President

Arlington, Virginia

Sonalee Singh is an external advisor to global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, where she spent more than 20 years of her career in a range of consulting and internal people roles. Most recently, she was the director of global compensation infrastructure, intelligence and advisory at McKinsey. In this role, she focused on advising and counseling more than 60 countries on compensation and human resources topics, including compensation market trends and benchmarking, compensation digitization, and pay equity.

Singh graduated cum laude from the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences with a dual major in mathematical methods in the social sciences and economics. She went on to earn her master’s in business administration from Harvard Business School.

Singh lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her husband, Ameet, and their two boys. She has been actively engaged in several volunteer roles with Northwestern, including as an applicant interviewer for Northwestern Alumni Admissions Council, a panelist for the Weinberg College Career Summit, and most recently, a member of the DC Regional Alumni Board. As a member of the NAA Board, she looks forward to extending her service to the broader Northwestern alumni community.

Lindsay Vahl Dean

Secretary/Treasurer

Evanston, Illinois

Lindsay Vahl Dean was named assistant vice president of alumni engagement and executive director of the Northwestern Alumni Association in July 2024, after having served as interim executive director for nine months. Vahl Dean is responsible for the overall leadership and strategic direction of the alumni association, which represents more than 260,000 alumni worldwide. She also serves as an ex-officio member of the NAA Board of Directors.

Vahl Dean joined Northwestern in March 2023 as senior director, strategic initiatives and alumni engagement, leading the NAA’s Alumni Communities team. Previously, she spent more than a decade with the Illinois State University Alumni Association, serving in alumni engagement leadership roles of progressive responsibility. Vahl Dean earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science and completed significant coursework toward a PhD in higher education administration at Illinois State. She began her professional career at her alma mater as an undergraduate admissions counselor.

Vahl Dean has been actively involved for many years in the progression of the alumni relations profession as well as the development of its future leaders. She served as co-chair of the 2024 CASE District V Conference and was a member of the conference planning committee for eight years. Since 2022, she has served on the CASE District V Cabinet and currently serves as its chair. In addition, she serves the local community as a council member of the James R. Jordan Boys & Girls Club of Chicago Council.

Board of Directors

Raj Babu ’03, ’09 MBA

Director

Denver, Colorado

Rajesh (Raj) Babu is a leader in the natural foods industry, currently serving as partner at BFG Partners, a venture capital firm focused on investments in food, beverage, beauty, and other consumer goods. Prior to BFG, he was president of Cappello’s, a grain-free frozen foods brand, and president and chief operating officer of Birch Benders, a natural pancake and waffle mix brand, growing the company’s revenue eightfold and leading a successful acquisition by Sovos Brands in 2020.

Babu is a “double purple” Northwestern alum, having first graduated from the McCormick School of Engineering with a dual major in industrial engineering and economics. As an undergraduate, he participated in the Freshman Urban Program—where he met his wife, Laura Morsch-Babu ’05—and was active in community organizing. He received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management in 2009. His career success has earned him recognition as one of the Denver Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” in 2021 and Progressive Grocer’s GenNext Award.

Babu lives in Denver with his wife and their two children. He sits on the boards of Naturally Boulder, an organization supporting natural and organic products companies in Colorado, and the Nathan Yip Foundation, which strengthens education in rural communities. He also served on the transition team for the mayor-elect of Denver in 2023. His family is proud to have started the Morsch-Babu Student Mental Health Fund at Northwestern, dedicated to making therapy, medication, co-pays, and other wellness services available for free or at a reduced cost to students in need.

Andrea Chen ’07

Director

Hong Kong

Andrea Chen is a full-time parent and an experienced health technology professional currently on the board of healthcare-focused venture capital funds. Most recently, Chen worked in corporate strategy and new business development at health technology company Philips, focused on Greater China. She previously worked in management consulting at Monitor Group (later Monitor Deloitte) with their life sciences team in Beijing and Shanghai. She has held leadership positions with Northwestern alumni clubs for 15 years and was named the 2019 Club Leader of the Year. She currently serves as the president of the NU Club of Hong Kong and is an emerita adviser for the NU Club of Shanghai. She has also been a decade-long member of the NU Alumni Admission Council and a member of the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program.

Chen received a BA in Communication Studies with a minor in Business Institutions from Northwestern, and an MBA from Peking University and Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School in Belgium.

As a Northwestern volunteer, Chen helped re-charter the NU Club of Beijing in 2010, re-establish the NU Club of Shanghai in 2013, and incubated the Shenzhen alumni community in 2019. In her five years as president of the Shanghai club, she organized industry-focused alumni speaker panels, actively expanded the alumni community, and built a social media presence. She updated the governance structure and recruited new diverse volunteers for the club’s executive board. She was also a member of the NAA Global Connection Committee. Apart from NU, she also serves on the Alumni Advisory Council of the International School of Beijing. Chen lives in Hong Kong with her husband and two daughters.

Ricardo Dalmas ’02 MBA

Director

Wheaton, Illinois

Ricardo Dalmas is a corporate strategy and consumer insights executive with 20 years of experience delivering topline growth to Fortune 500 CPG companies. Currently, he leads global insights and analytics at Kimberly-Clark, a leader in baby and adult care present in over 175 countries. He holds an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

Dalmas joined Kimberly-Clark from Constellation Brands, where he led corporate strategy and insights. He held previous leadership roles at Nestlé, McDonald’s and PepsiCo, and was a management consultant at Kearney in consumer packaged goods and retail practices.

He has also worked in several international markets, including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Europe (UK, Netherlands, Russia, and Turkey), Japan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. A native of Brazil who holds dual citizenship in the US, Dalmas is a graduate of Fundação Getulio Vargas, a top-ranked business school in São Paulo.

Dalmas serves as board chair of America Needs You–Illinois (ANY), a nonprofit that helps first-generation college students achieve their academic and career potential.

He and his wife, Carolina Dalmas ’02 MBA, live in Wheaton, Illinois.

Cristy Garratt ’10

Director

London, England

Cristy Garratt is head of international originals for CNBC, based in London, where she leads the network’s original video and podcast strategy across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Overseeing teams in London, Singapore and Abu Dhabi, she develops premium, multiplatform storytelling spanning executive interviews, explainers, podcasts and social video.

During her tenure, Garratt has launched and scaled more than 20 original series, including CNBC Explains, Executive Decisions, The Tech Download, and Managing Middle East. She has also led the digital relaunch of flagship programs, including Managing Asia, CNBC Meets, and The Score, expanding their reach to new audiences and evolving them for changing media platforms.

Previously, Garratt led CNBC International’s social media strategy, growing the network’s audience to more than 4 million followers across platforms. Known for blending creative storytelling with audience insight and platform strategy, she has built and grown digital-first media brands throughout her career.

Since moving to London in 2013, Garratt has remained active in the Northwestern community, previously serving as president of the Northwestern Alumni Club of the United Kingdom and helping lead the club during its recognition as the NAA International Club of the Year in 2018.

Garratt earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. While at Northwestern, she served as president of the University’s chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and as news director of the Northwestern News Network.

Andre Goode ’85

Director

Chicago, Illinois

Andre Goode is a seasoned nonprofit executive, having led programming and operations for numerous youth- and family-serving organizations. Currently, he is a senior executive at the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, overseeing special projects. Most recently, Goode oversaw the opening of the Sankofa Village Wellness Center, a health hub addressing a 20-year life expectancy gap between Chicago’s West Side and downtown residents. Goode serves on the Northwestern University Leadership Council and is a member of the Northwestern University Black Alumni Association. A four-year starter on the Northwestern basketball team, he remains a dedicated supporter of Wildcats athletics.

In addition to his day-to-day responsibilities at the YMCA of Metro Chicago, Goode is executive sponsor of the nonprofit’s African American Resource Network, an employee resource group that promotes mentoring, leadership opportunities, and networking for African American employees. He also oversees the Boys & Young Men of Color initiative, a YMCA of the USA strategy designed to empower boys and young men of color and help them identify pathways to success. Prior to joining the YMCA of Metro Chicago, Goode served as senior vice president of Bay Area operations for Covenant House of California, where he was responsible for two transitional living programs and two emergency shelters for homeless youth. Previously, he was vice president of operations for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, where he oversaw 43 clubs serving 5,000 youngsters daily.

Goode holds a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern’s School of Education and Social Policy.

He and his wife, Kimberley Crews Goode ’87, live in Chicago and are the parents of three children.

Chelsea C. Hayes ’12 MS

Director

Los Angeles, California

Chelsea C. Hayes is chief executive officer at The Coaching Factory, a Los Angeles-based corporate training and development firm that specializes in interactive experiences for inclusion, leadership, and management. The Coaching Factory provides counsel to CEOs and celebrities. Her clients include global powerhouse brands such as PepsiCo, General Mills, Yum! Brands, Morgan Stanley, Eli Lilly, Spin Master (home of the Rubik’s Cube), and Kendo (home of Fenty Beauty by Rihanna).

Prior to founding The Coaching Factory, Hayes was the director of human resources at the Los Angeles Sparks WNBA team. She launched her career ghostwriting for the chief diversity officer at General Electric.

Hayes earned two bachelor’s degrees from Purdue University and served as the national second vice president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., where she was the third-highest-ranking elected global officer in a sorority of more than 300,000 members.

She earned a master’s degree in communication from Northwestern University and has a Senior Professional in Human Resources certification from HR Certification Institute. She is a member of Council of One Hundred (C100), a group of top executives who connect alumni to support their professional success. She also co-founded and continues to serve on the NVISION committee, which advances C100’s commitment to access and community.

Hayes, who loves arranging flowers and being an overinvolved aunt, is currently in production on a television show based on her work.

Kathryn Ikenberry Jones ’14

Director

New York, New York

Kathryn Ikenberry Jones is a vice president of worldwide TV and digital distribution at Lionsgate. She leads the company’s international subscription video on demand (SVOD) team, focused on licensing opportunities across film and television. Jones has long held a passion for entertainment and storytelling, and now enjoys bringing top-tier content to audiences around the world.

In 2014, she graduated magna cum laude from Northwestern University’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences with a BA in English and minors in history and Italian. She received English departmental honors as well as the Edwin L. Shuman Prize for Best Honors Thesis in Literature. Jones was a member of Alpha Phi, served on the Panhellenic Association, and was a member of Dance Marathon's 120-hour club. While an undergraduate student, she had two internships at Lionsgate and joined the company full time in 2015 after spending a year in Milan, Italy teaching English at a primary school and working for an Italian media company.

Jones met her husband, Jordan Jones ’14, during her freshman year at Northwestern. They currently reside in New York City with their son, Henry.

AJ Kunimitsu-Aguado ’10

Director

Concord, California

AJ Kunimitsu-Aguado is senior manager for lifecycle marketing at Adobe, where he leads global B2B email strategy for Creative Cloud and Document Cloud. He has extensive experience in multichannel acquisition and engagement across retail and tech. Kunimitsu-Aguado began his career at Target Corporation and went on to lead customer relationship management and retention at Gap Inc. and Pandora. He served as global executive co-chair of Adobe’s Asian/Pacific Islander employee network, where he led initiatives in cultural advocacy, leadership development, and building intersectional community.

A proud Northwestern alumnus, Kunimitsu-Aguado earned his bachelor’s degrees in communication studies and an ad hoc major in Asian American studies. He received the Asian/Asian American Heritage Award from Multicultural Student Affairs. On campus, he served as co-president of Kaibigan, executive board member and 120-hour club inductee for Dance Marathon, philanthropy chair of Phi Delta Theta, site lead for Alternative Student Break, and a dancer with Fusion Dance Company and BLAST.

Kunimitsu-Aguado was a 2022 New Leaders Council San Francisco Fellow. He lives in the Bay Area with his husband, their young son, and their two dogs.

Christopher Paquette ’00, ’07 MBA

Director

Hinsdale, Illinois

Christopher Paquette is the chief transformation officer at Personify Health. He previously served as chief digital transformation officer for Allstate Insurance, chief digital and strategy officer for Trustmark Benefits, and partner at McKinsey & Company.

A graduate of Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences with a double major in economics and psychology, he also holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management with a focus on technology and analytical consulting.

He is enthusiastic about artificial intelligence and its potential to improve the world, so he is an investor and board adviser to a variety of tech startups in the climate, insurance, education, and technical services industries.

Paquette, who plays drums, guitar, and piano in his spare time, is inspired by almost all genres of music and serves on the board of trustees of the Ravinia Festival, the renowned music venue north of Chicago. He lives in Chicagoland with his wife, Dr. Katherine Zimmerman Paquette ’99 and their three teenage daughters.

Carlos Paret ’13 MBA

Director

Long Beach, California

Carlos Paret is the medical affairs senior director, US operations leader for Transcatheter Heart Valves at Edwards Lifesciences. In this role, he is transforming the impact of the company’s US physician adviser proctor program, advancing complex case/alternative access training, and leading digital infrastructure transformation. He has been appointed to co-chair the Edwards employee resource group, Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Advancement (HOLA) effective January 2025. A Northwestern volunteer since 2014, he received the Northwestern Alumni Association’s Club Leader of the Year Award in 2018.

At Edwards Lifesciences, Paret’s team is leading the digital evolution of physician training, including launching CathlabVR, virtual reality proficiency-based progression training. His team won the inaugural "Patient First" Award for COVID tele proctoring in 2020. Previously, he spent more than 10 years in marketing roles where he worked at the intersection of product marketing, global supply chain, R&D, regulatory affairs, and portfolio strategy.

Paret relocated to Southern California from Chicago in 2013 after receiving his MBA at the Kellogg School of Management. Prior to his move, he served on the board of directors for Heartland Human Care Services, the Heartland Health Outreach Board, and the Cradle Associates Board for The Cradle adoption agency.

Paret previously served as president of the Kellogg Alumni Club of Orange County, chief marketing officer for the Kellogg Alumni Club of Los Angeles, and president of the Northwestern University Club of Orange County. He and his husband, Keith, enjoy transforming their Long Beach forever home with their poodle mix, Mame.

Daniel Pink ’86 (’25 P)

Director

Washington, DC

Daniel Pink is the author of five New York Times bestselling books about business and behavior. His books have won multiple awards, been translated into more than 40 languages, and have sold millions of copies around the world. In 2014, he was the graduation speaker at Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. The previous year, he received the Northwestern Alumni Merit Award.

Pink earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in linguistics from Weinberg College and a JD from Yale Law School. Earlier in his career, he worked in politics and government, including serving from 1995 to 1997 as chief speechwriter to Vice President Al Gore. Pink’s books include the New York Times bestsellers A Whole New Mind, When, and The Power of Regret—and the #1 New York Times bestsellers Drive and To Sell Is Human. He was also host and co-executive producer of Crowd Control, a National Geographic Channel TV series on human behavior that aired in more than 100 countries. He also writes the “Why Not?” column for the Washington Post opinion page, where he explores bold, unconventional ideas for improving national, organizational, and personal life.

Pink and his wife, Jessica Lerner, are active supporters of Weinberg College’s Arch Scholars program. They live in Washington, DC, and have three children in their twenties, including one who is a 2025 graduate of Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications.

Faiza Seth ’99

Director

Hong Kong, China/London, England

Faiza Seth, along with her husband, Pallak Seth ’98, cofounded PDS Multinational, a global conglomerate managing the supply chain of major retailers and brands around the world in various consumer goods including apparel, footwear, home, and beauty products. She received her bachelor’s degree in economics from Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

Seth began her career co-founding Norwest Industries Ltd., an international apparel manufacturing and trading company which is now PDS Multinational business. She also worked as an analyst on the Equity Capital Markets group at Lehman Brothers in Hong Kong.

In 2007, Seth founded Casa Forma Limited, an award-winning international property development, architectural, and luxury interior design business. In addition, she founded and currently manages Soham For Kids, an international charitable foundation focused on educational initiatives in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Seth recently founded Avantguard, a positive luxury accessories brand. Seth received her MBA in 2006 from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. She currently lives between Hong Kong and London with her husband and three children: Alif, Ayat, and Aria.