About

The Black Alumni Council (BAC) is the officially recognized affinity organization and shared interest group within the Georgetown University Alumni Association that supports a culture that engages current and future generations of Black Georgetown alumni.

The BAC is dedicated to fostering a culture that supports inclusion, engagement, and outreach for all Black alumni of Georgetown. While the university will continue to celebrate and honor Black history month, it is important to the Alumni Association that commemorations and celebrations are no longer reduced to one month a year. The BAC is the group that aims to promote the interests and give voices to Black alumni, further strengthening relationships with the university and fostering a spirit of connectivity.

Our goal is to encourage more alumni who share this mission to return to the Hilltop and re-engage with the university in ongoing efforts, including support of the Patrick Healy Fund and Dinner, Black Alumni Summit, Soul Hoya Reunion Weekend, John Carroll Weekend, and other Georgetown University Black Alumni Council initiatives.

Black Alumni Council Board of Advisors Nominations

Give back and help shape the future of Georgetown! The Nominations Committee of the Georgetown University Alumni Association Black Alumni Council (BAC) Board of Advisors invites alumni to participate in the annual call for nominations. The number of available elected Advisor positions shifts from year to year, depending on current Advisors’ term limits.

If you are a leader in your community or profession and you are looking to connect with fellow Hoyas, give back to Georgetown, and advance the mission of the Black Alumni Council, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

Eligibility for Board Nominations

All alumni are eligible to self-nominate for membership on the Board. Alumni is defined by the Georgetown University Alumni Association as all persons who attended any of the eleven schools of the University for at least two semesters as a registered member in good standing of a class that has graduated.

Members of the Board of Advisors are elected based upon their demonstrated leadership and service to Georgetown University, the community, and their chosen profession. The Board of Advisors is actively seeking a diverse group of qualified nominees; reflective of generations of graduates, schools, levels and areas of study, geographic location, gender, race and ethnicity, socio-economic diversity, and any other perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences which are unique to the nominee; who meet these criteria and who are eager to commit their time, talent, and treasure to Georgetown, its alumni community, and the work of the Black Alumni Council Board of Advisors.

How to Submit Your Nomination

Nominations for the Black Alumni Council Board of Advisors are now open! Submit your application today.

Responsibilities of the Board

• Board members are expected to accept a leadership role to further the Black Alumni Council’s mission to foster a culture that inspires, empowers, and elevates Black alumni engagement and to work closely with the Georgetown University Alumni Association and the Office of Advancement to ensure seamless execution.
• Board participation requires a time commitment of attending at least three (3) meetings of the full Board (which occur bi-monthly), quarterly committee meetings, and a presence at signature alumni events. 
• Board members are also asked to make an annual gift to the school or program of their choice within the University at any giving level. 
• Elected Advisors may serve up to two consecutive three-year terms.

Board Composition

The Board of Advisors is composed of up to twenty nine (29) and no less than fifteen (15) elected Advisors, including the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Parliamentarian, all of whom shall be elected from the membership of the Board of Advisors Nominations Committee. 

Additionally, The Board of Advisors includes ex-officio, non-voting members which include: the Executive Director of the Georgetown University Alumni Association; students from the Main Campus, the Law Center, and the Medical Center; and faculty/staff from the Main Campus, Law Center, and Medical Center. These ex-officio and appointed members do not have voting privileges and shall not be counted in the determination of a quorum.

Board Officers

The officers of the Board are the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and the Parliamentarian. Each Officer must be a member of the Board of Advisors at the time of their election and serve for a period of two years. All Officers must be willing to travel and attend the majority of signature events of the Black Alumni Council.

Board Committees 

Committee work is integral to executing the Board’s many projects and priorities. Each year, Board members and alumni volunteers focus on issues of strategic importance to the growth and strength of the Black Alumni Council and the Georgetown University Alumni Association. There are eight standing committees, in addition to the Executive Committee which is composed of the officers of the Board and chairs of the eight standing committees.

Business Committees	Programmatic Committees
Campus Engagement	Patrick Healy Dinner
Communications and Engagement	Black Alumni Summit
Nominations and Awards	Soul Hoya
Philanthropy
Research/We Are Georgetown

Patrick Healy Dinner Committee

Coordinates preparations for the annual Patrick Healy Dinner, in partnership with the University’s Office of Advancement. Through the Patrick Healy Dinner, the Committee enhances the BAC’s efforts to recognize the accomplishments of Georgetown’s Black alumni, faculty, staff, and students. In
addition to supporting planning for the dinner, the committee is responsible for leading the BAC’s outreach and sponsorship efforts to widen the event’s reach each year. Proceeds from the dinner support the Patrick Healy Scholarship, which promotes diversity at Georgetown by providing assistance to students who have demonstrated financial need for scholarship aid.

Co-chairs: Marguerita Brunson Sims (C’91) and Willie Tate (B’94)

Black Alumni Summit Committee

Plans and manages the biennial Black Alumni Summit, in partnership with the University’s Office of Advancement, for the purpose of celebrating the professional and personal achievements of the diverse and accomplished Georgetown Black alumni community. The Summit brings alumni from across the globe, classes, schools, eras, professions, and walks of life back to the Hilltop to reconnect with each other and with the University.

Co-chairs: Eric Woods (B’91) and Mannone Butler (B’94, L’99)

Soul Hoya Committee

Plans and manages the annual Soul Hoya Reunion and GU Homecoming events for the purpose of fostering social camaraderie and community service, and generating financial support for current Georgetown Students. The Soul Hoya Committee works to encourage more alumni who share the Committee’s goals to return to the Hilltop for Georgetown Reunion and Homecoming Weekends and, ultimately, get re-engaged with the University in ongoing efforts, including support of the Patrick Healy GU Endowed Scholarship/Patrick Healy Dinner, Black Alumni Summit, John Carroll Weekend, and other BAC initiatives.

Co-chairs: Robert Churchwell III (B’94) and Keith Dent (B’89)

We Are Georgetown: Celebrating Our Black History Committee

Through storytelling and first-hand accounts, We Are Georgetown documents the history of the Black experience at Georgetown, leveraging oral histories, artifacts, and memorabilia. The project’s initial focus is on the stories of Black students, faculty, staff, alumni, and others from the 1960s to the present. The project aims to represent an intergenerational portrait of our narrative, spanning across the University’s undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools.

Co-chairs: Michael C. Ford (L’84) and Fonda Sutton (SFS’87, L’95, G’15)

Campus Engagement Committee

The Georgetown Black Alumni Council Campus Engagement Committee strives to cultivate a diverse and inclusive academic environment by promoting scholarship, supporting faculty in creating rigorous curriculum, and advocating for a culture that supports the interests and empowerment of Black students. We collaborate with the University’s admissions and financial aid offices to ensure equitable access to education to foster a socially, culturally, and economically diverse student population. Additionally, we facilitate the exchange of ideas between alumni and current students, aiming to enhance student life and increase alumni engagement throughout the University Community.

Chair: Ky Adderley (C’98, SCS’01)

Nominations and Awards Committee

Responsible for selecting candidates for election to the Black Alumni Council Board of Advisors and makes recommendations to the Board of Black alumni candidates for any and all awards bestowed on alumni by the
Georgetown University Alumni Association. The committee reviews the awards structure of the BAC and makes recommendations to the Board of Advisors regarding how best to recognize and celebrate excellence, service,
and professional accomplishment within the Georgetown Black community.

Chair: Nigel S. Scott (C’95)

Philanthropy & Finance Committee

Devises ways to encourage philanthropy among Black alumni, drive strategy, provide thought leadership, and recommend to the Board of Advisors ways to celebrate the success of the BAC culture of philanthropy throughout all program areas and functions, supporting the fundraising priorities of the BAC. This committee is charged with facilitating the ability of the BAC to support the fundraising priorities of Georgetown University.

Co-chairs: Conan N. Louis (I’73, MS’78, L’86) and Michael C. Ford (L’84)

Over the years, Black alumni of Georgetown have engaged with the university and each other in a variety of ways. Three tentpole events have served as the focus of engagement for those who share the goal of supporting connectivity among Black alumni: the Patrick Healy Dinner, Soul Hoya Reunion Weekend, and the Black Alumni Summit. Through the years, these events have grown in number and impact, which created the critical mass to embark on a new and exciting journey.

In January 2020, a group of Black alumni leaders, including the leadership of the Georgetown University African American Advisory Board (GUAAAB), the Black Alumni Summit (BAS), the Soul Hoya Alumni Group (Soul Hoyas), as well as other Black alumni engaged at the leadership level in various aspects of the university, convened to discuss the current status—and consider the future—of Black alumni engagement at Georgetown University. In partnership with Julia Farr (C’88, Parent’19, ’21, ’24), executive director of the Georgetown University Alumni Association (GUAA), Black alumni leaders endeavored to consolidate resources in an unprecedented effort to provide meaningful and effective support for developing a culture that empowers and engages Black alumni.

In July 2022, the BAC launched under the alumni leadership of the three tentpole events who spearheaded the development of this first-ever affinity group within the Georgetown University Alumni Association.

Mannone A. Butler (B’94, L’99)

Tyree P. Jones, Jr. (L’86, Parent’21)

Gail Gillis-Louis (C’75)

Conan N. Louis (I’73, MS’78, L’86)

Tammee Thompson (C’91)

Winoka Wendy Wilkes (SFS’91)

Eric Woods (B’91)

Eric Woods (B’91), Chair

Chief Operating Officer, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Boston, MA

 

Nigel Scott (C’95), Vice Chair

Managing Attorney, Aegis Law, LLC

Philadelphia, PA

 

Fonda Sutton (SFS’87, L’95, G’15), Secretary 

Partner for Public Engagement, Education Forward DC

Washington, DC

 

Conan N. Louis, Esq. (SLL’73, G’78, L’86), Parliamentarian

Founder and President, CNL Solutions LLC

Washington, DC

 

Ky Adderley (C’98, G’01)

Founder & President, The Adderley Group

Philadelphia, PA

 

Isaiah Agara (C’18)

Incoming Law Clerk, Covington & Burling LLP

New York, NY

 

Wilmot Allen (G’18)

Founder and Chairman, VentureLift Africa

Nairobi, Kenya

 

Theodore Burnett, D.D.S. (D’88, Parent’24)

General and Cosmetic Dentist, Los Angeles Dental Arts

Los Angeles, CA 

 

Mannone A. Butler (B’94, L’99)

Head of Programs and Partnerships, National Basketball Social Justice Coalition

Washington, DC

 

Robert Churchwell III (B’94)

Dean of Students, Gonzaga College High School

Washington, DC

 

Stacy Crespo (SFS’86, Parent’08)

Partnership Strategist

Miami, FL

 

Keith Dent (B’89)

Director of Capital Readiness, Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL)

Newark, NJ

 

Michael Ford (L’84)

President, Ford Group Unlimited, LLC

Baltimore, MD

 

Bserat Ghebremicael (B’17)

Global Growth Lead, Acquisitions Marketing, Google

New York, NY

 

Karis Hawkins (B’18)

Senior Associate, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

New York, NY

 

Eddie Hill (B’92)

Director of YouTube Sales & Vertical Industry Insights, Google

New York, NY

 

Kendra Jackson (F’06)

Vice President of Customer Experience, The Flex Company

Los Angeles, CA

 

Christopher Jones, M.D. (M’01)

Division Director, Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery and Professor in the Hiram C. Polk, Jr., MD Department of Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine

Louisville, KY

 

Jamal Jones (C’00)

Manager of Regional Initiatives, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC

Harrisburg, PA

 

Monique Jones (B’87)

Chief Financial Officer, Jesse Collins Entertainment

Los Angeles, CA

 

Michele Joseph (MBA’96)

Lead Consultant, NEXT GENERATION INC.; CEO, SGAP LEADERS

Silver Spring, MD

 

Kimani Little (SFS’98)

Vice President and Government Relations Officer, Federal Home Loan Bank of New York

Washington, DC

 

LaJwanne “LJ” Louis (B’04)

Chief Talent & Inclusion Officer, WPP

New York, NY

 

Elizabeth Rodgers (C’87)

Chief Information Security Officer, RAND Corporation

Upper Marlboro, MD

 

Martin “Chip” Van Sherrill II (B’93)

Partner, PwC

Washington, DC

 

Marguerita Brunson Sims (C’91)

Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, AmeriHealth Caritas

Tampa, FL

 

Madeline Yvette Sutton, M.D. (C’89)

Founder, CEO of OneBrain4Health and Harlem STEM Up! | Assistant Professor, Morehouse School of Medicine

Stone Mountain, GA

 

Charlene Tarver (L’03)

President and Chief Executive Officer, The Women’s Economic Institute, Inc

Syracuse, NY 

 

Donna Wise (SLL’80)

Franchise Owner, InXpress

Atlanta, GA

J. Jacques Carter, M.D. (M’79)

Physician and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA

 

Goren Dillard (C’84)

Senior Director, Adult Workforce Development, Urban League of Greater Cleveland

Cleveland, OH

 

Gail Gillis-Louis (C’75)

Relationship Manager, PNC Financial Services Group

Washington, DC

 

Schuyla Goodson (L’92)

Executive Director, Ethics & Compliance, Chief of Staff & Quality Lead, Cummins Inc.

Columbus, IN

 

Ashley Hodges (L’14)

Associate, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP

Paris, France

 

Tyree Jones (L’86, Parent’21)

Partner, Reed Smith LLP

Washington, DC

 

Erin Marie Meadors (C’05, L’21)

Assistant General Counsel, DC Government

Washington, DC 

 

O. Felix Obi (G’11)

Chair of the Economic & Trade Development Taskforce (Africa), State of Maryland

Annapolis, MD

 

Chris Perkins (B’94)

Senior Vice President of Commercial Accounting, The Related Companies

New York, NY 

 

Beverly Perry (L’81)

Senior Advisor, Executive Office of the DC Mayor

Washington, DC

 

The Honorable David C. Simmons Esq. (L’84)

Contract Administrative Judge and Trainer, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Washington, DC

 

Rick Sinkfield (SFS’91)

Chief Legal Officer, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer at Laureate Education, Inc.

Miami, FL

 

Markhum Stansbury Jr. (C’91)

Actor, Writer, Publisher

Los Angeles, CA

 

Willie Tate (B’94)

Senior Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch

Washington, DC

 

Tammee Thompson (C’91)

Chief Operating Officer, Environmental Solutions Group

Philadelphia, PA

 

Winoka Wendy Wilkes (SFS’91)

Entrepreneur and Personal Chef

Washington, DC

 

All programs and activities at Georgetown University are open to all Georgetown community members regardless of race, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected under University policy or applicable law.