ASU announces 2013-2014 Young Alumni Council members
The Arizona State University Alumni Association recently elected its officers and newest members for the 2013-2014 Young Alumni Council. The council was formed in 2009 to direct the development of the association’s Arizona State Young Alumni program for ASU graduates ages 35 and younger.
The following ASU alumni will be part of this year’s Young Alumni Council.
Officers
President:
Sean J. O'Hara ‘03 B.A. is a lawyer with Kercsmar & Feltus, PLLC. His practice focuses on commercial and intellectual property litigation. O’Hara, his wife Amy, and their children, Ellen and Patrick, are all avid Sun Devil fans who rarely miss an ASU football game.
Vice President/President-Elect:
Maja Aurora '03 B.A. has a degree from ASU in studio art with an emphasis in ceramics. She manages public art, art in private development and arts grants for the city of Tempe. During her time at ASU, she served as the president of Muralcles ASU, a student organization dedicated to brightening the lives of children through arts and music. Aurora currently serves the community by volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona, Emerging Arts Leaders Phoenix and serving on the board of directors for Tempe Leadership.
Secretary:
Jessica Aguilar '10 B.A. works as an enrollment advisor for the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Walden University. She also is a volunteer with the Center for Civic Education and works with East Valley high school students to better prepare them for competitive government competitions. At ASU, she was the vice president of the Devils’ Advocates organization and a member of the Student Admissions and Relations Team (START). She has interned for several congressional campaigns and participated in several "get out the vote" efforts.
Past President:
Jayson Matthews '03 M.P.A. is the chief development officer for United Food Bank. He worked for the city of Tempe as a management intern for former Tempe City Manager Will Manley, and as an executive assistant for former Tempe Mayor Neil Giuliano. Matthews currently serves on the Desert Botanical Garden's Monarch Council, Phoenix Suns Charities 88, and Chicanos Pro La Causa's Health and Human Services Advisory Committee. He is a past chair of the Tempe Transportation Commission and past president of Tempe Leadership. Matthews also has served on the City of Phoenix Commission on Housing and Neighborhoods, the City of Phoenix License Appeals Board and is a proud member of the Kiwanis Club of Tempe.
New Members
Sarah Hipolito '03 B.A.
Hipolito serves as a senior program coordinator for the Nonprofit Management Institute at ASU's Lodestar Center for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Innovation. She is responsible for the management of day-to-day operations of the institute, as well as the coordination of the center’s annual conference and forum.
Prior to her work with the Lodestar Center, Hipolito coordinated youth programs within the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix for six years. She served as the coordinator of youth and young adult ministries at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Phoenix and prior to that served in the same capacity at Blessed Sacrament Church in Tolleson.
During her student days at ASU, Hipolito was a recipient of the Doran Community Scholars Program Scholarship and remains active with the program as an alumna. She volunteers at St. Vincent de Paul Church as a high school religious education instructor, and is a choir member at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Glendale.
Jessica Mahony '08 B.S., '09 M.Ed.
Mahony works as a coordinator for the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at ASU. While earning her bachelor's degree in tourism management and her master's degree in higher and post-secondary education, Mahony was a scholarship recipient of the Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau's Excellence in Student Training Program.
Currently, Mahony serves as a mentor with the ASU Obama Scholar Program and volunteers with service projects through ASU’s Community Service program and The Valley Tourism Ambassador Program. She is a member of the Meeting Planners International professional association.
The new council members and officers join current council members Sara Agne ’04 B.A.; Tim Agne ’04 B.A.; Nicole Almond ’04 B.A., ’09 M.Np.S.; Saif Al-Alawi ’05 B.A.; Alexander Benezra ’03 B.S.; Alexander Clark ’10 B.A.; Alexandra De La Paz ’03 B.S.; Meghan Dorn ’02 B.I.S.; Matt Gervin ’01 B.S.; Ashley Irvin ’07 B.A., ’09 M.Ed.; Sharvil Kapadia ’10 B.S.E.; Dan Kiloren ’06 B.A., ’11 Ph.D.; Christopher Lee ’10 B.A.; Oquendo Perez ’06 B.I.S.; Billy Watson ’11 B.S., ’11 B.A.
For additional information on the Arizona State Young Alumni program, visit http://alumni.asu.edu/groups/asya.