- James E. Sailer '90, president
For the past 17 years, I have worked at the Population Council, an international nonprofit research organization dedicated to improving reproductive health, education, and development opportunities for women, men, and especially adolescent girls. I now lead the Council's Center for Biomedical Research, which develops, tests, and secures regulatory approval for novel contraceptives like Norplant, Mirena, and Annovera. My work has taken me to Europe, Chile, Mexico, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, and India. I live in Brooklyn near Prospect Park with my wife, oversized dog, and sometimes our college student son. Many of my best friends come from my days at Swarthmore. Notable personal achievement: I won Carl Kasell's voice on my answering machine as a successful contestant on "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me."
I joined the Alumni Council because I love meeting and working with other Swarthmore alumni, and with Swat students.
- Laura Damerville '03, vice president
I am an attorney who has dedicated my career to serving nonprofit organizations. I currently work as an Associate General Counsel at Howard Hughes Medical Institute, a science philanthropy that advances biomedical research and science education. Prior to joining HHMI, I was an Assistant General Counsel at the Smithsonian Institution and represented a diverse group of nonprofit clients at Caplin & Drysdale, Chartered and Ropes & Gray LLP. I also spent a year in Germany as a Fellow of the Robert Bosch Foundation. At Swarthmore I studied Studio Art and Economics and dedicated much of my time to Multi, a student affinity organization that I co-founded in 2000. I live in Silver Spring, Maryland with my husband, Samuel Sadow ‘03, our two children, and a very bossy cat.
I joined the Alumni Council to help develop mentoring and networking opportunities for students and recent alumni.
- Brandon Lee Wolff '08, secretary and communications director
I live in Phoenixville, PA and practice law in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Florida and the District of Columbia. I was the Treasurer of the American Bar Association (ABA) Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and am a Commissioner of the ABA Commission for Disability Rights. In addition, I am the Chair-Elect of the New Jersey State Bar Association YLD. I also serve on the Executive Council of the Pennsylvania Bar Association YLD and on the Board of Governors of the Florida Bar YLD. Additionally, I am the Immediate Past Chair of the New York State Bar Association Young Lawyers Section and the Immediate Past President of the Florida Bar’s Out of State Division. Outside of bar activities, I serve on the Seton Hall Law Alumni Council and the Generation Now Committee of Volunteer Lawyers for Justice. On a personal note, I enjoy traveling, photography, theatre and spending time with family.
Through my work on Alumni Council, I help the college by connecting with alumni at connection events, staying connected with campus by attending Alumni Weekends, sharing my positive experiences during Admissions alumni interviews, promoting the college by proudly wearing my Swarthmore College clothing, donating regularly, and by mentoring students.
- Grant Torre '17, alumni engagement director
Pronouns: he-him-his-himself
As VP of Film at Stampede Ventures in Los Angeles, I am a film producer and executive, aiming to champion a slate of inclusive, four-quadrant films that bring a new lens to "commercial success." I am also a founding board member of PEAK (Pacific Entertainment Advancement Komiti), whose mission is to redefine and expand Pasifika entertainment so that creatives can thrive, evolve, and drive innovative storytelling that honors the richness and diversity across Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling with my husband, running, and unashamedly watching reality television.
On the Alumni Council, I make an impact by connecting students with pre-professional opportunities (if you're interested in media and entertainment, feel free to reach out!) and finding ways to reduce the burden on current Swatties to connect with alumni.
- James Ellis '91, P'25, alumni awards director
As a first-generation college student, Swarthmore made a tremendous difference in my life’s trajectory. After graduating in 1991 I earned a Ph.D. in political science from Harvard University and then served as a Central Intelligence Agency officer for 22 years where l led units in the US, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia covering nearly every region or issue. Since retiring in 2020, I’ve worked as the Vice President for Open-Source Intelligence Programs at Orbis Operations. I also am a guest lecturer for intelligence courses at Tufts, Georgetown, NDU, and Catholic University.
Swarthmore fostered my lifelong passion to learn about the world and to leverage that knowledge to make the world a kinder and more prosperous place. I live in McLean, VA with my wife Maddy (who I met through a Swarthmore classmate) and 3 boys—including one at Swarthmore—2 cats, and more books than I can count.
Through my work on Alumni Council, I help Swarthmore remain the inspiring college I treasure and further Swarthmore’s positive impact on the US and world by promoting public service as an attractive option for our graduates.
- Hannah Swallow '87, Lang Scholars mentorship director
Pronouns: she-her-hers-herself
At Swarthmore, I majored in psychology with a concentration in women's studies. I was a Writing Assistant, an RA, co-president of the Class of 1987, and a Lang Scholar. Immediately after graduating, I served as an assistant dean of admissions and West Coast representative for the College. I am now a psychologist in private practice, where I provide assessment and therapeutic services to children, adolescents, and their families. My time as a student at Swarthmore was enormously influential in my life, and the important experiences and relationships I had there were the seeds of my continued affection for Swarthmore and my high hopes for its future.
As a member of the Alumni Council, I help expand connections between alumni and the College and to serve current students who may benefit from networking with or gaining support from alumni.
- Jason Gray Zengerle '96, P'29, SwatTalks director
I’m a writer for The New York Times Magazine. Over the years, I’ve also worked at GQ, New York Magazine, and The New Republic. One of my favorite things during my time at Swarthmore was writing seminar papers. When it dawned on me during my senior year that my days of writing those papers were about to come to an end, I decided to become a journalist so that I could keep on writing.
I primarily cover politics—in 2019, I won the Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting from Syracuse University—but occasionally my editors indulge me and let me write about basketball. I live in Chapel Hill, NC, with Claire Farel ’97 and our two children. If any alumni ever want to talk about journalism, politics, or the suddenly mighty Swarthmore men’s hoops team, they should get in touch.
I joined the Alumni Council to broaden and intensify my efforts to mentor Swarthmore students interested in journalism.
- Ayanna Johnson '09, immediate past president
I am a public health professional focusing on strategic partnerships and workforce development for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration. Previously, I supported the creation of our nation’s public health agenda, Healthy People 2030 at HHS and led healthy aging initiatives. I was also a health policy fellow for the 19th US Surgeon General. I received my MSPH in reproductive, perinatal and women’s health from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. As part of my role as Alumni Council president, I am a member of the College’s Board of Managers. Outside of work, you can find me in the nation’s capital spending time with friends and family, exploring the city, enjoying a comedy show or traveling. I’m a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
My Swarthmore experience was invaluable and I want to foster alumni engagement with the College and help current students create organic connections with alumni, to explore the diversity in our alumni experience.
Members
The following is a list of all other current Alumni Council members. Expand for brief bios and additional information about these individuals.
- Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau '94
I graduated from Swarthmore in 1994; well-trained but lost. What on earth happens now, I wondered. I followed what felt like a meandering path at the time, but turned out just right. I worked on Wall Street and in consulting and lived in Europe for a decade. Today I am the publisher and CEO of MIT Technology Review; the parent to two interesting and often challenging teenagers; wife of an academic; daughter; sister. I am on the boards of the Harvard Public Health Magazine and the MIT Museum. I enjoy kayaking and CrossFit and I have a weakness for anything marketed to me on Instagram.>
Swarthmore formed me. I see the world through lenses it has installed. I contribute by supporting students or alumni seeking work in media or tech and by sharing my experiences finding a rewarding career.
- Amanda Brown '14
I live in Brooklyn, New York and work as a lawyer at the boutique law firm Rundlet Advisory PLLC advising entrepreneurs and investors, with a special interest in supporting founders of color. After graduating from Swarthmore in 2014, I worked as a paralegal at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for a few years (a position I landed with the help of a Swarthmore alumna!) before attending Harvard Law School. I'm also the secretary of the NYC Bar Association's Non-Profit Organizations Committee and a junior board member of the Lower Eastside Girls Club. In my free time I like running in the city and traveling the world!
Swarthmore alumni helped me tremendously while I was there, and I’m excited to give back to the community by sharing my experiences with current students, and especially supporting first-generation college students.
- Olivia Ensign '12
Pronouns: she-her-hers-herself
I am a Senior Advocate and Researcher at Human Rights Watch's U.S. Program, focusing on the criminal legal system and systemic inequality. In this role, I employ a multifaceted approach of collaboration, public education, and fact-finding to advance the protection of human rights in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Before joining Human Rights Watch, I was a Staff Attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Capital Punishment Project, where I represented clients in capital proceedings at the trial, direct appeal, and post-conviction levels across the southern United States.
I joined the Alumni Council because I want to ensure that our Swarthmore community continues to be a vibrant place for intellectual inquiry and building lifelong connections.
- John Hearn '93
I graduated from Swarthmore in 1993 with a degree in Political Science. Since then, I’ve been an active alumni volunteer—placing and hosting Externs, mentoring Swat Tank teams, and interviewing applicants to the College. Professionally, I’ve been a start-up founder and market analyst in the technology industry, and a strategic advisor to businesses of all sizes. Today I’m Managing Partner of Stimulus, a brand innovation consultancy that helps launch new, game-changing organizations and transform existing ones. I live with my wife and two children in Montclair, New Jersey, where I was a recent candidate for Town Council, and serve on the board of Friends of the Howe House, an organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating African American history.
I'm excited to help uplift the Community that makes the College so special.
- Jason Heo '15
At Swarthmore I was a resident assistant, varsity athlete (track and field), student government co-president, Lang Opportunity Scholar, and sat on the presidential search committee. After graduating with a B.A. in political science and economics, I joined the inaugural cohort of Schwarzman Scholars and earned a master’s degree in global affairs from Tsinghua University. I currently serve as a policy advisor in the Office of Governor Wes Moore. Previously, I was a senior manager at Emerson Collective, where I supported efforts to strengthen democracy, promote civic engagement, improve government delivery, and expand national service.
I am eager to help students and alumni navigate uncertainty on campus and post-graduation.
- Katee Kemether '23
Pronouns: she/her
Katee graduated from Swarthmore in 2023 with a double major in Political Science and Biology. She was a member of the Women’s Lacrosse team and Student Government, where she served as the Executive Chair of Student Life for her Junior and Senior Year. She also represented the Class of 2023 as Senior Class President. Katee is currently in her first year of medical school at Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Philadelphia. When she looks back on her time at Swarthmore, she has much love for the beautiful campus, the loving community, and the friends she made along the way.
- Yafeng Li '08
I have an 8-year-old son who loves his Swarthmore gear, and I am a partner to a Swarthmore alum. I am an eye doctor and vitreoretinal surgeon (specializing in microsurgery for the neural tissue lining the inside back of the eye) at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, in Boston. At Swarthmore, I majored in Biochemistry, though I also enjoyed my French literature and European history courses. Recently, I completed 15 years of medical training, and I am now building a busy academic practice with trainees and exciting clinical research.
I joined the Alumni Council because I understand the challenges alumni face and would like to help those interested engage in both the art and science of medicine.
- Olivia Louise Marotte '24
Pronouns: she/her/hers
I am a native of Arkansas, currently living in Atlanta, GA. I hold a B.A. in Economics and Art History from Swarthmore College and work at Balentine, a boutique wealth management firm, in their Multi-Family Office division. While at Swarthmore, I developed a strong interest in transnational modern art. After spending a semester abroad at Yale-NUS College in Singapore, I published my thesis titled "Painting Paradise: The Nanyang Artists' 1952 Bali Trip and the Birth of Singaporean Modernism."
I have presented my work at several conferences, including Imagining America at Tulane University (2022) and the SUNY New Paltz Undergraduate Art History Symposium (2023 & 2024). From January 2022 to May 2023, I worked as a researcher on the Rosine 2.0 project, initiated by McCabe Library and the Lang Center, contributing to its publication and community exhibition.
In my senior year, I served as Senior Class President and worked as an ACE-certified group fitness instructor for six semesters. I also served as a Macroeconomics Teaching Assistant and advised in the hiring processes for the Swarthmore Economics department.
I love watching HBO Max series, solving The New York Times Crossword, going to Barry's and Solidcore, and drinking sparkling wine. I’m also obsessed with Swarthmore, so feel free to reach out if you'd like to chat!
- Kimberly Mealy
I am the Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & Strategic Initiatives at the American Political Science Association (APSA) in Washington, DC. I’ve had the pleasure of being a founding member of the Swarthmore College Alumni of Color Group (AOC), serving from 2019-2021. During college, I earned a BA in history with a concentration in Black Studies and had the honor of being a Mellon Mays Fellow, member of SASS and the College Choir, and a tour guide. I earned my MA in political science from Stony Brook University and PhD in political science and political cognition from Indiana University, which led me to Wellesley College as a visiting assistant professor for three years. Mentoring first generation scholars, early career scholars, and students from underrepresented backgrounds is important to me. In my free time, I enjoy attending concerts at the Kennedy Center, taking photos, drawing, and visiting the Smithsonian.
I support the council’s work by participating in student and faculty/staff engagement efforts, supporting First-Gen/Low Income Students, and helping to increase participation in the President's Fund for Racial Justice.
- Margaret Nordstrom '70
I graduated from Swarthmore with a BA in political science/international relations in 1970. I then went on to get an MA, also in political science, from Rutgers in 1973. After that, I taught ballet for about 20 years. Then in 1989 I ran for office and was elected to the Washington Township Committee in Long Valley NJ, where I served for 12 years, 6 of them as Mayor. I am most proud of two projects I undertook during my tenure, creating a Veteran's Memorial and also the preservation of an 800 acre farm which was critical to the continuation of agriculture in Long Valley. I then ran for Freeholder (now County Commissioner) in Morris County NJ where I served for 12 years. I was most involved in Human Services and protecting the environment. After I left the Freeholder Board in 2012, I was appointed as Executive Director of the NJ Highlands Council, a State agency devoted to regional planning and the protection of water resources, where I spent 6 years. I am currently in my 5th year as Administrator of Chester Borough NJ. Over the years I also served on the boards of many not-for-profit organizations such as Head Start and Homeless Solutions.
Swarthmore has been a tremendous influence in my development and I am excited to share that with current students through the work of the Council.
- Sonali Shahi '06
I am an Assistant Federal Defender in the Capital Habeas Unit of the Federal Community Defender Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. I have represented death-sentenced clients in all stages of their post-conviction litigation for over a decade, beginning as a 2L in Cornell Law’s Death Penalty Clinic. I also serve as co-supervisor of the Internship and Externship Committee, and am responsible for recruiting, supervising and mentoring law school students. Prior to joining the Capital Habeas Unit in 2014, I was a staff attorney at the Death Penalty Litigation Clinic in Kansas City, Missouri. At Swarthmore, I majored in psychology and played on the tennis team. I graduated in 2006, and received my J.D. from Cornell Law School in 2011. I reside in Philadelphia, where you'll see me running up to Swatties in the street and asking, hey, what class year were you?
I joined to foster connections between Swatties old and new, particularly in the Philadelphia area, and help develop the career network and mentoring for students and alumni.
- Xena Wang '19
Pronouns: she-her-hers-herself
I’m Xena (pronounced Zenna), and I live in Philadelphia. I currently work in executive search at Heidrick & Struggles and was previously in higher education admissions at the University of Pennsylvania. I graduated from Swarthmore with degrees in Art and Classics and created the Scenes of Swarthmore book and postcards as a passion project. I stay involved in alumni engagement through the Swarthmore Young Alumni Ambassadors Program, Swarthmore Regional Connections, the Harvard Club of Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance chapter.
I joined the Alumni Council because I’m passionate about empowering individuals’ personal and professional growth and fostering meaningful relationships across generations.
