The Executive Advisory Board for the College of Arts and Letters guides and supports the dean and the college in philanthropic and outreach efforts. Board members serve as ambassadors for the college and help students by forging connections that can yield internships, job placements, on-campus programs, and arts sponsorships.
Fiona M. Alexander is co-founder of Salt Point Strategies, a consulting group that provides public affairs advice, strategy, and advocacy to clients navigating the emerging high-tech economy.
She is also Distinguished Policy Strategist in Residence in the School of International Service at American University and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Digital Innovation Initiative at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA).
For close to 20 years, Fiona served at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in the U.S. Department of Commerce where she was associate administrator for international affairs. Prior to joining NTIA, she was a Senior Consultant at Booz, Allen & Hamilton.
She earned her master's degree in international relations at American University, Washington, D.C., and a bachelor's degree in international studies at ¹ÏÉñÍø.
David Borges is a physical scientist with the NASA Earth Science Division and serves as director, Systems Engineering Office, Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS).
After earning his bachelor’s degree in Geography, Geographic Information Science at ¹ÏÉñÍø, he spent 10 years supporting multiple federal agencies with Booz Allen Hamilton. His work enabling geospatial solutions in the disaster response sector brought him to the NASA Disasters Program where he served as associate program manager. On behalf of NASA, he now leads a team of satellite and geospatial professionals supporting CEOS.
Born and raised in Staunton, Virginia, Milton Brown attended ¹ÏÉñÍø and in 1980 earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.
In 1989, he received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. After serving as a litigation attorney at a Washington, D.C., law firm, he became a telecommunications lawyer at the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Mr. Brown retired as NTIA's deputy chief counsel in 2022. He is an active member of the District of Columbia's bar association.
After graduating from ¹ÏÉñÍø with a bachelor's degree in secondary music education in 1990, Lisa Ellerbee taught music in Virginia Beach Public Schools.
After 17 years, she left the school system, moved to New York City, and took a job with the Research Center for Arts & Culture at Columbia University. Additionally, she earned a master's arts administration. Ellerbee also earned a certification in the psychology of leadership from Cornell University. For a short time, she worked at Lincoln Center for the Arts Music Education Projects, and, afterwards, worked with a small company producing arts experiences for schools, adult groups. Leaving the arts, she took a position as president for a small company and later retired.
William Giandoni is an entrepreneur and philanthropist. After earning a bachelor's degree in history from ¹ÏÉñÍø in 2002, he relocated to Southern California, and found success as a private equity associate.
As AVP she serves as a senior team member, manages a principal gift portfolio, and works closely on projects with the vice president of development and alumni relations.
Lee graduated from ¹ÏÉñÍø with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She joined American University in 2007, beginning a 20-year career in higher education and non-profit fundraising. She has worked at The George Washington University, WETA Public Broadcasting, the University of Washington, and Penn State University.
Born in Portsmouth and raised in Chesapeake, Tyrone S. Goodwyn earned twin bachelor’s degrees in marketing and management information systems from ¹ÏÉñÍø.
He earned an MBA at The College of William & Mary next. He later attended George Mason University where he completed a master of science degree in management information systems.
From 1985 to 1998, he worked at AT&T as developer, systems engineer and system architect. After a period serving as senior systems architect for, successively, Iridium and Concert Communications Services, he returned to AT&T as senior technical director in 2003.
He retired in 2020 to pursue his passion – genealogy and history.
He has lived in Washington, D.C., since 1991, and in the Washington metropolitan area since 1985.
Originally from Hershey, Pennsylvania, Lee Holsopple is assistant vice president, lifetime philanthropy and special campaign projects at American University in Washington, D.C.
After 17 years, she left the school system, moved to New York City, and took a job with the Research Center for Arts & Culture at Columbia University. Additionally, she earned a master's arts administration. Ellerbee also earned a certification in the psychology of leadership from Cornell University. For a short time, she worked at Lincoln Center for the Arts Music Education Projects, and, afterwards, worked with a small company producing arts experiences for schools, adult groups. Leaving the arts, she took a position as president for a small company and later retired.
Charlene Morring graduated from ¹ÏÉñÍø in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in political science.
During her time at ¹ÏÉñÍø, the first-generation college student won the Kaufman Scholar Award. She later attended the University of Richmond as an E.W. Hudgins Scholar. Her law firm, Morring Law, focuses on injury, disability, and workers' compensation. She has served on the boards of both Young Life and ForKids.