Harvard Alumni Association Announces Board of Overseers, Elected Directors Nominees

Harvard announced the nominees for the Board of Overseers — the University’s second-highest governing body — and for elected directorships in the Harvard Alumni Association Monday.

The Board of Overseers provides input on decisions about the direction of the University, advises top Harvard administrators, and approves certain actions by the University’s highest governing board, the Harvard Corporation. Its members serve six-year terms.

Nine Harvard alumni are set to contend for the six anticipated vacancies on the Board. The candidates hail from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ghana. They are: Senior Advisor to the Mayor of Boston Monica Bharel, NBCUniversal News Group Chair Cesar R. Conde ’95, Africa Health Holdings CEO Sangu J. Delle ’10, photographer and investor Scott Mead ’77, University of Texas at Austin professor Lauren Ancel Meyers ’95, Devoted Health Executive Chair Todd Y. Park ’94, former special adviser to the CEO of HP Kim M. Rivera, Emory University Medical School Dean Vikas P. Sukhatme, and federal judge Wilhelmina M. Wright.

The nomination committee proposed nine candidates — one more than the traditional eight nominations — due to a vacancy created by the early departure of English professor Tracy K. Smith ’94, who stepped down after receiving her teaching post. The sixth-place finisher in the election will complete the remainder of Smith’s term, which ends in 2026.

Board of Overseers candidates can also be nominated by petition if they receive signatures from at least one percent of the number of eligible voters in last year’s election by Feb. 1.

Harvard Forward — a student and alumni group focused on promoting climate consciousness and increased representation within Harvard’s governance boards — will not put forward any petition candidates for the 2022 election, despite success in previous years. Four of the 30 members serving on the board this year were nominated by petition and backed by Harvard Forward.

The Harvard Alumni Association elected directors serve as alumni representatives throughout the University, focusing on alumni engagement and support. Nine alumni will run for the six available seats as elected directors of the Harvard Alumni Association: University of Texas at San Antonio assistant professor Sofia Bahena, Instagram executive Aditi Banga ’09, Microsoft venture capital fund portfolio development manager Michael K. Bervell ’19, SDA Conseil President André Du Sault, Elias Law Group associate Jyoti Jasrasaria ’12, retired physician Stein E. Rafto ’78, Simmons University assistant professor Cherie Lynn Ramirez, ChildFund Mexico Head of Fundraising Corina Santangelo, and Magic Deer human capital consultant Judith Michelle Williams ’91.

Elections begin April 1 and close May 17 at 5 p.m. All Harvard graduates who received their degrees by Jan. 1 are eligible to vote — except for alums currently in University governance roles, who cannot participate in the Overseers election.

—Staff writer Cara J. Chang can be reached at cara.chang@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @CaraChang20.

—Staff writer Isabella B. Cho can be reached at isabella.cho@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @izbcho.