Alumni Council Nominations

The Alumni Council serves as the governing body of the Swarthmore College Alumni Association. Council members lead initiatives that support alumni engagement, student connection, and service to the College.

The Alumni Council Nominating Committee is committed to selecting a slate of candidates that reflects the diversity of our alumni, considering factors such as professional background, volunteer engagement, academic field, class year, identity, and geographic diversity, when reviewing all nominations.

If you’d like to nominate yourself or a classmate for future consideration, please email the Alumni Council Nominating Committee at acnominations@swarthmore.edu

Vote to Ratify the 2025 Alumni Council Slate

The Swarthmore College Alumni Council is excited to announce a new slate of 11 alumni nominated to serve a three-year term from Summer 2025 through Spring 2028. Now is your opportunity to vote and help ratify this year’s slate.

Each year, all alumni are invited to participate in ratifying a new slate of Alumni Council nominees, a group that reflects the diversity, talent, and dedication of our global alumni community. 

All alumni are emailed an anonymous and personalized ballot link. If you have not received your personalized ballot link, please contact us at alumni@swarthmore.edu

How to Vote

In accordance with the Swarthmore College Alumni Association Constitution and Bylaws, we invite all alumni to vote to ratify each nominee.

  • Vote "For," "Against," or "Abstain" for each individual nominee.
  • This is not a competitive election. Each candidate who receives a majority of “For” votes will join the Alumni Council.
  • You may vote “For” all 11 candidates, and we hope you do!
  • Voting is open now through June 26.

Meet the 2025 Alumni Council Nominees

The following alumni have been nominated to join the Alumni Council. Each nominee brings a unique perspective and deep commitment to the Swarthmore community. Click on each name below to learn more about them.

Keith Benjamin '09

Pronouns: he-him-his-himself

I am vice president and national cities initiative leader at STV, where I work with clients across the country to develop holistic strategies focused on improving infrastructure, transportation, and organizational resilience. I previously served in the Biden administration as associate administrator for the Federal Highway Administration, where I was awarded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s highest honor, the Gold Medal.
Before that, I was director of the Department of Traffic and Transportation for the City of Charleston, S.C., and received a joint resolution for outstanding service from the South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives.

I would like to join the Alumni Council because Swarthmore professors, administrators, and alumni have played a powerful role in my journey, and I want to offer the same support to the next generation.

Rosanne Breakenridge-Pickett '09

Pronouns: she-her-her-herself

I have served as a public interest attorney since 2014. I fuel my passion for community and social engagement through involvement with the Junior League of Philadelphia and the St. Hilda’s Diocesan High School Alumnae Organization. At Swarthmore, I served in various leadership roles, including as co-president of the Students of Caribbean Ancestry and campus advisor. I graduated with a B.S. in engineering and was a Fulbright grantee to Poland. I enjoy dragon boating, the visual and performing arts, and indoor gardening.

I would like to join the Alumni Council to support current students through in-person mentorship and contribute to alumni engagement initiatives.

Gwyneth Jones Cote '84, P'20

Pronouns: she-her-her-herself

I spent my career in the commercial real estate industry, primarily in multifamily investments and management of large apartment communities nationwide. I worked at both public and private companies. Most recently, I oversaw the Americas region at the Urban Land Institute (ULI), a global nonprofit. ULI’s mission is to shape the future of the built environment for transformative community impact. This includes promoting decarbonization, attainable housing, urban planning, and access to healthy open spaces.

I would like to join the Alumni Council to give back to Swarthmore and support fellow alumni.

Thomas C. Crochunis '81, P'23

Pronouns: he-him-they-them

I am associate professor of English at Shippensburg University, where I teach courses in secondary English education, drama, young adult literature, and direct the interdisciplinary arts program. My scholarship focuses on British women’s dramatic writing and theatre history, as well as teacher research, digital humanities, and sports-related young adult literature. I frequently present at state and national conferences and currently serve as vice president for colleges and universities of the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English Language Arts.

I would like to join the Alumni Council to support alumni connection and contribute to the College’s work in performing arts, public education, and athletics.

Catherine Malinin Dunn '87

Pronouns: she-her-her-herself

I graduated from Swarthmore through the Honors Program with a major in English literature and a minor in sociology and anthropology. After a stint in the environmental nonprofit sector, I earned a J.D. and a master’s in environmental management from Duke University. I’ve spent my career in federal government roles, including at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice. I also co-author a weekly column for the Islander News, my hometown newspaper in Key Biscayne. I’m retiring this year and look forward to more reading, travel, and reconnecting with Swarthmore friends. I’m the proud mom of two daughters and one half of a matchbox couple.

I would like to join the Alumni Council because I treasured my time at Swarthmore and want to support the College’s sustainability efforts and networking for alumni and students interested in public service.

Arsean Maqami '12

I serve as president of DC Partners, where I manage all aspects of the organization. I bring extensive experience in mixed-use properties, adaptive reuse, multifamily developments, and tenant fit-outs. I hold a B.A. from Swarthmore College and an M.B.A. from Columbia University.

I would like to join the Alumni Council to help keep Swarthmore alumni connected and to promote the College.

Anna Jacinta Mello '08

Pronouns: she-her-her-herself

I am the middle school science department head and director of robotics at The Chapin School. With 17 years of teaching experience, I hold a biology degree with a minor in education from Swarthmore and a master’s in ecology from the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil. I’ve taught at international schools in Costa Rica and Brazil and collaborated on conservation research with engineering departments. At Chapin, I teach seventh-grade science, lead gardening clubs, and coach a nationally ranked FIRST LEGO League team. I also translate and edit scientific articles and enjoy painting, puzzles, memoirs, plants, travel, and Brazilian cooking.

I would like to join the Alumni Council to support Swarthmore by organizing events, mentoring, and building community.

Ana Apostoleris Rivera ’13

Pronouns: she-her-her-herself

I am an agency attorney in the general counsel’s office of the NYC Department of Education, where my primary practice is in employment and human rights compliance. I also write semi-regularly about equity issues in education and athletics, with a focus on Title IX and women’s sports. Previously, I worked as a civil public defender in the Bronx and taught criminal and constitutional law at a college access nonprofit in Queens. I currently serve on the Education Law and Sports Law committees of the New York City Bar Association. At Swarthmore, I was a four-year athletics department staff writer and statistician, and a member of Grapevine a cappella. I majored in psychology with a minor in history before earning my law degree at Duke in 2016. In my spare time, I can be found at the gym, at a Yankees or Liberty game, or at home with my husband and our chaotic-good dachshund mix.

I would like to join the Alumni Council to help connect current students with the vast resource that is the alumni community, and to help ensure that future Swarthmore students have access to the same vibrant campus life that I did.

Shayla Smith ’20

Pronouns: she-her-her-herself

I am a middle school humanities teacher and coordinator at Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, Fla. A proud QuestBridge Scholar, I earned a B.A. in environmental studies with a minor in peace and conflict studies from Swarthmore. As a student, I contributed to the Global Nonviolent Action Database, served as a career peer advisor, and was honored as a Richard Rubin Scholar and Lib Lab Fellow. After graduation, I was a teaching assistant for the Environmental Studies Program and later became associate director of a K–12 test prep and college counseling center. I’m a bookworm, indie film fan, and beach lover.

I would like to join the Alumni Council to help the College continue to open doors and transform student lives.

Edward L. Strickler '78

Pronouns: all pronouns

After retiring with my husband to rural Virginia during the pandemic, I’ve devoted myself to community service. My work includes local civic initiatives like litter cleanup and public health writing, and national volunteer leadership with Braver Angels and the American Public Health Association. I’ve also served on Swarthmore’s LGBTQ Alum Network leadership team, expanding programs and visibility for LGBTQ alumni and students. My career focused on rural health and ethics, including launching HIV/AIDS services in underserved areas and holding roles at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. I hold three graduate degrees in ethics and public health.

I would like to join the Alumni Council to foster alumni connections, uplift underrepresented voices, and support the College’s mission for civic engagement and inclusion.

Becky Voorheis '93

Pronouns: she-her-her-herself

I graduated from Swarthmore in 1993 with a degree in economics and public policy. At Swarthmore, I was a resident assistant and co-president of the Class of 1993. After graduation, I worked as a research assistant at Harvard Business School, which launched my career in corporate development. I later earned an M.B.A. from Duke University and now specialize in venture investing, M&A, and strategic transactions. I live in Portland, Ore., where I serve as co-connection chair of Swat PDX, am a certified master recycler, a two-time Rebel Craft Rumble champion, and an avid upcycler.

I would like to join the Alumni Council to help ensure that alumni connections to Swarthmore remain joyful, relevant, and enduring.

Didn’t receive your ballot? We may not have your current contact information. Update your contact information by emailing alumnirecords@swarthmore.edu or calling 610-328-8408.

If you have questions about the Alumni Council, please contact acpresident@swarthmore.edu