2021-2022

President

Damon Highsmith ’03
Highsmith is a project manager at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC, where he develops water pollution regulations. He has also been involved in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill recovery. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Highsmith studied Management and Political Science at Goucher, was a member of the men’s soccer team, and studied abroad in Havana, Cuba. Since his graduation, he has also received his Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy from The Johns Hopkins University.

Vice President

Kim Van Newkirk Shaffir ’83, P ’15
A communications major, Shaffir began working during her senior year at Baltimore’s WMAR-TV, where she operated a studio camera for local news programs. Later that year, she made the move from local news to the network, beginning her now 37 year career in the Washington Bureau of CBS News. As an editor, Shaffir has covered every major beat in Washington: the Capitol, the Pentagon and the White House. For six and a half years, Shaffir worked primarily for the CBS program, Face the Nation, as a producer/editor. In 2013, she and her team received an Emmy for their broadcast about the 50th Anniversary of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. In early 2018, Shaffir was promoted to Digital Media Operations Manager, overseeing and managing the bureau’s transition to an all digital editing system.  Shaffir served as her class’s Quarterly representative for twenty years and has also been a member of the AAGC nominating committee. She lives in Annapolis with her husband Greg; her daughter, Kira, graduated Goucher in 2015.

Secretary

Alicia Ladson Copeland '01
Copeland began her career as a Spanish teacher and college prep program coordinator in Baltimore County, MD. She continued to teach for 10 years at the elementary, middle and high school levels and considers herself an educator for life. Alicia is currently the After-School & Summer Programs Director at the Parks & People Foundation in Baltimore, MD. She oversees the Foundation’s middle school sports program, after-school paid internship for local high school students and SuperKids Camp. In her spare time, she is a CollegeBound Foundation mentor, advises her sorority’s HS youth group, is a mother of 2, and plans weddings and events.

Admissions Officer

Nadiera Young '12, M.Ed. '14
Young studied English at Goucher with a concentration in Secondary Education. As a requirement to the undergraduate experience, she had the opportunity to travel abroad to Grahamstown, South Africa and taught fifth grade for three weeks. After graduating in 2012, Young accepted a fellowship to continue her education. She received a Master’s in Education with a focus on at-risk youth. Young is a teacher at Roland Park Elementary Middle School teaching eighth-grade Language Arts. She also coaches for Stepping Into Sisterhood (SIS), which is a step and mentoring program for Black girls.     

Annual Giving Officer

Gretchen Gilliland ’03
A recipient of the Jenifer Mitchell Reed Young Alumnae/i Award, Gilliland graduated in 2003 with a BA in Psychology and minor in Art. She earned her MA in Higher Education Philanthropy from Regis College and has been in Denver for the past ten years. Since graduating, Gilliland has worked with a number of universities and nonprofits in fundraising and development, utilizing skills she learned as a student while working in Goucher Phonathon at the Alumnae/i House, and as an active member of the SGA exec team. She is currently Director of Major Gifts for the Colorado School of Mines and volunteers regularly in the Denver community around human services.

Race, Equity & Identity Liaison

Joey Fink ’15
As Regional Sales Director with Lincoln Financial, Fink has recently relocated to Minneapolis, MN after three years in Philadelphia, PA. He educates financial advisors and their clients on strategies to protect their wealth from the costs of extended health care in retirement. As a Goucher Legacy (Julie Fink ‘09), Fink followed in his sister’s “hoof steps” as captain of Goucher’s nationally ranked equestrian team. Since graduation, Fink served as the 2015 Recent Graduate Trustee. After rolling off the board, he looks forward giving back to Goucher as a member of the Undaunted Capital Campaign committee and as a new addition to the AAGC board.

Alumnae/i Trustees

Alex Wood ’06
Wood is a social worker at GBMC in Towson, Maryland. His professional interests include mental health, gerontological social work, individual and family psychotherapy, health care, leadership, organizational management, and social policy. Wood graduated from Goucher in 2006, receiving a BA in history, magna cum laude. Subsequent to this, he spent 10 years in the higher education and not-for-profit fields, including over five years at one of the “Big Six” national higher education associations in Washington, D.C. He holds an MPA from the University of Georgia, a certificate in fundraising and philanthropy from New York University, and an MSW from The Catholic University of America, National Catholic School of Social Service. Wood served as a recent graduate trustee, has sat on various Goucher and AAGC committees, and is a recipient of the Jenifer Mitchell Reed '86 Young Alumni Award. His hobbies include being an ardent follower of politics, reading, watching films, collecting stamps, traveling, and trying to learn how to play golf. He is a supporter of Manchester United, and believes that despite any imperfection Batman is the quintessential superhero. Alex also believes that good friends, a ready sense of humor, and unbounded curiosity are essential to a life well-lived.

Jodie Hirsch Slaughter ’79
Slaughter graduated from Goucher in 1979 with a degree in English. For more than 25 years, she dedicated her career to helping non-profit, membership associations solve their most pressing challenges. She founded McKinley Advisors, the largest association research and strategy firm, in Washington, DC in 1994.

Slaughter was an active member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). She is an ASAE Fellow, past Chair of the Fellows, and a past Director on the ASAE and ASAE Business Services Boards. She was a frequent speaker and was recognized as a “best of” presenter at the ASAE Annual Meeting, and in 2011 was inducted into ASAE’s Academy of Leaders. Slaughter also appeared frequently in Associations Now and was a contributing author of the book, Generating and Managing Non-dues Income in Associations.

Since retiring from McKinley in early 2018, Slaughter has focused on her passions, completing her first triathlon and serving on the board of a professional membership organization. Jodie lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband, David, and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Jellybean.

Deanna Galer '17
Galer is a nonprofit professional who uses her Goucher B.A. in Sociology & Social Justice to inform all aspects of her work. She remembers so clearly the moment she received the notice of her acceptance and then – the important bit – her financial aid package to attend Goucher. It was the day after the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2013. Galer served on Goucher’s Board of Trustees from 2017–2020 as the Recent Graduate Trustee. She is currently the Director of Development at Maternity Care Coalition, a regional maternal and child health organization based in Philadelphia. She lives in West Philadelphia with her partner, Hayim Wolf ’14, and their service-dog-in-training Frances.

Directors

Caroline Mandala Bauerle '89
Bauerle is currently the General Manager of ORGNZE, a company specializing in home organizing, packing, unpacking and personal services. After receiving her degree in Communications in 1989, she worked for an investment bank as an equity sales trader and then financial services professional. She spent 12 years working in philanthropy, starting that chapter of her career at Goucher where she was Director of Annual Giving, Director Of Parent Programs and a Major Gift Officer. She feels fortunate to have met thousands of Goucher Alumnae/i through the years and is grateful for this opportunity to serve on the AAGC Board. Bauerle is a mom, wife and avid Baltimore sports fan. 

Marie Brown '03
Inspired by her time as a student to pursue a career in higher education administration, Brown is pleased to return to her alma mater as a new member of the AAGC Board. A graduate of the class of 2003, Brown majored in American Studies with a minor in Women Studies and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in her senior year. After Goucher, Brown earned a Master’s Degree in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania. She is now in the process of completing doctoral studies at Morgan State University. Professionally, Brown spent nearly two decades in various academic administration and enrollment leadership roles at several local colleges including Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland Baltimore, and Notre Dame of Maryland University. At present, Brown serves as Senior Advisor to the Dean of Nursing at George Washington University, commuting to the DC campus from her home in Baltimore County. She has one daughter, Juliette, who is a star soccer goalie and statewide spelling bee champion.

Marc Cousins ’95, M.ED. ’07
Marc Cousins began his career as a middle school science teacher in Baltimore City before spending the next 20 years at two independent schools in the Baltimore area, the majority of that time as an Athletic Director.  In 2016, he began a new career as a non-profit fundraising consultant for The Compass Group where he partners with organizations in their fundraising efforts. Originally from Maine, Cousins graduated with a BA in Elementary Education and M.Ed. in Sports Administration and Athletic Leadership.  While at Goucher, he was a member of the basketball, lacrosse and cross-country teams and was also a house president for two years.

Jeanne Derderian ’83
Jeanne Derderian, a member of the Class of 1983, graduated from Goucher with honors in International Relations.  As a Class of 1905 Fellowship recipient, she pursued her interests in International Relations and received a MA degree from the University of Chicago in 1984.  Jeanne returned to Baltimore after graduate school and worked for the Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs before entering the world of international banking.  Jeanne “retired” in 1998 as the head of LaSalle National Bank’s International Banking Division’s marketing group to raise her children.  Jeanne has recently come out of retirement and is a Luxury Travel Advisor, creating lifelong memories for her clients. 

Throughout the years, Jeanne has been an active Goucher volunteer.  In recognition of her volunteer work, she was the first recipient of the Jenifer Mitchell Reed '86 Young Alumni Award in 1993 and also received the Dorothy Lamberton Clapp Award in 2018. Jeanne resides outside of Atlanta Georgia with her husband, Douglas Seeb (’88 post-baccalaureate pre-med graduate) and their three sons.  During her free time, she enjoys traveling, playing tennis, photographing her family and adventures, and volunteering at her youngest son’s school. 

Leda Fuller Favor ’79
Favor has over 30 years experience in Human Resources and managerial experience that expands to both union and non-unionized settings. She possesses a Bachelors degree in Psychology/Economics from Goucher College, and a Masters degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois. She is currently Senior HR Manager for Maryland Auto Insurance and remains Owner and Principal Consultant for Creative HR Solutions, LLC. Favor ascended to positions within a wide range of Fortune 50 companies such as General Cable Company, Mobil Oil, Allied Signal, Raytheon, and Siemens Corporation. She provided leadership to multi-national and global-based accountabilities in Germany and China, focusing on competency assessment, career development, and delegation assignments, also focusing on safety and occupational health. During her tenure with Siemens, Favor was appointed HR business consultant for the CEO and the US based Corporate office of Siemens AG based in Washington, DC.

She and her husband, Kevin Favor PhD., spend their vacation time traveling to locations in China, Spain, Mexico, and the Caribbean. They are the parents of one married son, Trevor, who is currently employed with Siemens Corporation and is a graduate of Purdue University with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. Favor’s hobbies and pursuits include golf, exercising, dancing, reading and music. Favor has maintained her strong religious affiliation with the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church throughout her life, and is currently serving a leadership role as chairperson of the local Social Action committee. Other affiliations include the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), Society of Occupational Health Psychology, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, and the Conference Board.

Jennifer Reynolds Hervy ’96
A 1996 graduate with a degree in Communications and minor in Business, Hervy has worked in the Human Resources field for nearly 25 years and is currently Vice President of Human Resources for ConnectYourCare, an Optum Financial business.  In addition to her degree from Goucher, Hervy earned an MA in Public Communication from American University and holds multiple certifications in Human Resources.  Since graduation, she has been an active alumna serving as Class Fund Manager for many years and providing hours of support to students through the Career Education Office.  Additionally, she is an active member of the Chesapeake Human Resources Association serving on their college relations committee, and she completed a three-year Board role at The Bryn Mawr School for Girls in Baltimore where she was most recently the Upper School Parent Association Chair.  Hervy lives in Towson and enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, cheering for the Orioles and Ravens, and sailing the Chesapeake Bay.  

Nicole Imamshah Kaplan ’94
A 1994 graduate with honors in political science, Kaplan went on to graduate cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center. After clerking on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, she has spent her career in public service as a federal public defender. Kaplan frequently teaches at training seminars for other defense attorneys and served for several years on the planning committee for the Eleventh Circuit Appellate Practice Institute. She is also active in the community, having served in several roles with City of Decatur schools, including PTA president, member of the school leadership team, and member of the elementary school redistricting committee.  

Jennifer Lundgren Lewis-David ’94
Lewis-David graduated from Goucher with honors, double-majoring in European Studies and History, as well as being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. While at Goucher, she enjoyed singing with The Reverends’ Rebels, the Goucher Chorus and the Goucher Chamber Singers, and also being part of the community service and environmental clubs. She and her best friends lived in Gallagher House in Froelicher Hall all four years—of course, it was physically located a little differently 1990-1994!  Lewis-David obtained a Juris Doctor law degree with honors from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1997. While in law school, she had the opportunity to serve as Associate Editor on The Business Lawyer, a legal journal jointly published by the American Bar Association and the University of Maryland School of Law. Thereafter, she joined the corporate world as in house counsel. Over the last 20 years, she has held roles in regulatory affairs, compliance, and the legal department of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated, a Fortune # 6 company. As a Deputy General Counsel with UnitedHealthcare, she currently serves as general counsel for the $3B individual insurance businesses.

Lewis-David has been on the Board of Directors of the Maryland March of Dimes since 2014 and just completed several years as Chair of the Board. She has been singing for 25 years with the contemporary music group at The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Towson, MD. She and her husband, Rajesh David, a pharmacist with Ascension’s St. Agnes Hospital, will be celebrating their 9^th wedding anniversary shortly and are the proud aunt and uncle of six amazing nieces and nephews, all under the age of 8 years.

Lewis-David recently established a scholarship at Goucher, The Gretchen Lundgren Lewis ’68 and Jennifer Lundgren Lewis-David ’94 Scholarship Fund, to honor her family’s mother-daughter legacy at the college.

Jessica Solomon '18
Solomon is a 2018 graduate with a degree in Communications and Media Studies, Cum Laude, with Honors in Media and Communications. She is the Communications Coordinator for IKAR, a Jewish spiritual community in Los Angeles, CA. At Goucher, she was on the Board of Trustees as a student member for two years, an Admissions Ambassador for three years, co-founder of the ADA Committee, Social Media and Photography Editor of The Quindecum for two years, a member of The Interfaith Club, The Roosevelt Institute, the Marketing Committee, and an appointed member of the Goucher Leadership Committee. She enjoys catching up with Gophers in California and on the East Coast and exploring Los Angeles.

Tom Geyer '93 

Immediate Past President

Jay Gilman ’09
Gilman was an individualized interdisciplinary major primarily focused on anthropology, arts administration, and theater. He also holds an M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership from UPenn. While at Goucher, Gilman served as president of Red Hot Blue, sparking a continued passion for the intersection of social impact and the arts. After a number of years working in performing arts leadership capacities, Gilman is now a consultant for the global firm CCS Fundraising. His sister, Laura Gilman, is also a Goucher alumna from the Class of 2007 and served as president of Hillel.