Claire Alexander, Acting President/President Elect
Special Projects Manager, Office of VP External
University of Guelph
alexand@uoguelph.ca

As Special Projects Manager at the University of Guelph, Claire supports activities that advance the reputation of the University locally, nationally and internationally. She manages convocation, internal annual events and collaborates across campus on a wide variety of other initiatives. Over the past 13 years in her position at the U of G, she has hosted convocation in 4 different venues and has managed installation ceremonies for 3 Chancellors and 1 President. She has been a member of NAACO since 2006 and has served as the Regional Director, Canada-East, since 2016.

Serena Wallace, Member-at-Large, Strategic Initiatives
Georgia Institute of Technology
serena.wallace@comm.gatech.edu

Serena Wallace serves as Institute Event Manager in the Office of Special Events & Protocol at Georgia Institute of Technology. She and her team are responsible for the execution of high-level, award-winning Institute-wide events, consultation, and production of training resources. Before coming to Georgia Tech, Serena had experience in non-profit organizations and social events. Serena holds master’s degrees from Georgia State University.

James Cuaresma, Director-at-Large, Membership
California State University, Los Angeles
JCuaresma@cslanet.calstatela.edu

James Cuaresma is the Director of University Events and Protocol for California State University, Los Angeles. James supports and enhance Cal State LA’s mission of engagement, service, and the public good through events and programs that elevate the University’s profile. The scale and scope of the events he produce, develop, or manage vary from the multi-day commencement ceremonies, to high profile fundraising events and galas, to intimate gatherings at the university president’s home. He has been involved with NAACO in various capacities since 2015 from conference committee member, conference speaker, and regional director. James now serves in the NAACO Board of Directors as the Director-at-Large for Membership.

Claudia Dávila, Treasurer
Director, Commencement and Ceremonies
University of Arizona
treasurer@naaco.org

Claudia Dávila is the Director, Commencement and Ceremonies at the University of Arizona where she directs the overall production and execution of the main commencement ceremony along with other academic ceremonies. She has been working with commencement operations for over 23 years. Claudia is responsible for budgetary and logistical operations for the department. As well as, she serves on campus committees and assists with campus events that include large scale events.

Alanna Vernon, Past President
Associate Director, Ceremonies and Events
The University of British Columbia, Okanagan
alanna.vernon@ubc.ca

Alanna joined the Ceremonies Office at the inception of the Okanagan campus in 2005 and has managed every UBC Okanagan graduation ceremony since then. Besides the annual graduation ceremonies that are held each June, she is responsible for over 30 annual and special events each year, and none were bigger or more special than the Royal Visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in September 2016. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Canadian History from the University of Alberta.

Linda Bekerian, President
Northeastern University
l.bekerian@northeastern.edu

Linda Bekerian is the Associate Director for Academic Ceremonies at Northeastern University where she directs the oversight of the strategic and operational components underlying each of the university’s formal academic ceremonies. She is responsible for the logistical needs and the budgetary functions of the department. With more than 20 years of experience, Linda provides the professional expertise needed for the successful execution of commencement and other high-level ceremonies. Linda previously served on the NAACO Board as Treasurer and President and is a member of Protocol Officers Association/PDI-POA.

Siobhan Bhagwat, Communications Committee
Wilfrid Laurier University
sbhagwat@wlu.ca

Siobhan (Shi-vawn) is the Coordinator: Ceremonies & Events, responsible for externally facing and ceremonial events, at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo Campus. In addition to convocation she is involved with the planning of installations, governance events, university award ceremonies, and other ceremonial events such as ground-breakings and ribbon cuttings. She has over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector where in addition to planning events she has executed major fundraising campaigns, coordinated community engagement activities managed over 7,000 volunteers and fostered strong relationships with donors.

Aubrey Hughes, Membership Committee Chair
University of Nevada, Reno
aubreyh@unr.edu

Aubrey serves as the Chair of the Regional Membership Committee and has been a NAACO member since 2017. She has served on the NAACO conference planning committee since 2018 and hosted, along with her colleagues, the 2019 annual conference in Reno. At the University of Nevada she serves as a coordinator on the main Commencement Operations team since 2015. In addition to commencement Aubrey is the Executive Assistant to the AVP of Enrollment Services. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Nevada, Reno.

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Sariah Tillotson, Education Committee Co-Chair – Conference

University of Nevada, Reno
stillotson@unr.edu

Sariah currently serves as the Graduation Services Coordinator housed in the Admissions & Records Office at the University of Nevada, Reno. She has been involved with the commencement ceremonies as a coordinator on the main Commencement Operations team since she joined the University in 2012. In addition to commencement Sariah is responsible for graduation procedures, quality control measures, data reporting and analysis associated with undergraduate and graduate degree awarding and certification. She attended and presented at her first NAACO Conference in 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies from Utah State University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Ellen Liebman, Director-at-Large, Communications
Associate Director of Administration
The College of Arts and Sciences
University of Pennsylvania
eliebman@sas.upenn.edu

Ellen is the Associate Director of Administration in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, managing department finances, support staff, and academic advising in addition to major events like Family Weekend and College Graduation. In the past she has been the Faculty Affairs Coordinator for the Neuroscience Department, the Department Administrator for Romance Languages, and an assistant director in Alumni Relations, all at Penn. Ellen holds a bachelor’s degree in Classical Studies from Penn and a master’s degree in Latin from Bryn Mawr College.

Liz McMahan, Director-at-Large, Education
Manager, Convocation & Special Projects;
York University
lmcmahan@yorku.ca

Liz is the Manager, Convocation & Special Projects in the Division of Advancement at York University. She is responsible for the planning and operational oversight of the University’s 18 convocation ceremonies, along with Orientation Day and Remembrance Day. In addition, the University Events & Ceremonies office coordinates over 75 annual institutional and advancement events including groundbreakings and building openings, recognition events and installation ceremonies. Prior to joining York, Liz spent several years in arts administration, overseeing large festivals and events and also worked as a stage manager for theatre productions and events including the Vancouver Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony.

April Airhart, Communications Committee Chair
American Public University System
aairhart@apus.edu

April joined the University in 2006 as a transfer credit evaluator, then in 2009 took over the planning, coordination, and management of commencement operations and attended her first NAACO conference in Anaheim, Ca. In 2010, she presented at NAACO for the first time and over the years has presented, volunteered, and worked on multiple conference committees for the organization. She has also been on the NAACO Communications Committee for more than a year where she manages social media for the organization and now serves as the Communications Committee Chair.

Douglas Bolin, Past President
Associate Director for University Events
University of Texas at Austin
dbolin@austin.utexas.edu

Doug is responsible for strategic planning and creative elements integrated into a series of events
that focus on creating community across The University of Texas campus. Doug has an academic
background in music and was a member of the voice faculty at Baylor University prior to moving to
Austin. He received his doctorate in vocal performance from The Ohio State University, a master’s
degree from The University of Texas at Austin, and a bachelor’s degree in music education from The
University of Colorado in Boulder.

Melissa Picher Kelly, Treasurer
Academic Events Manager, Ceremonies & Events Office
The University of British Columbia
mpicher1@bcit.ca

Melissa has 12 years of experience as the Academic Events Manager in the Ceremonies Office at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver campus. Previously, Melissa was a member of the team that launched UBC’s downtown Vancouver campus where she led the successful event services department for seven years. In her current role, Melissa manages a cross-campus team that produces UBC’s bi-annual graduation ceremonies, held in the Spring and Fall. UBC graduates approximately 9,000 students per year and welcomes thousands of guests to campus for the festivities. In addition to graduation, Melissa coordinates several other University events as part of the Ceremonies Office team. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in French from UBC.

Melissa Picher Kelly, Budget Committee
The University of British Columbia, Vancouver
mpicher1@bcit.ca

Melissa has 12 years of experience as the Academic Events Manager in the Ceremonies Office at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver campus. Previously, Melissa was a member of the team that launched UBC’s downtown Vancouver campus where she led the successful event services department for seven years. In her current role, Melissa manages a cross-campus team that produces UBC’s bi-annual graduation ceremonies, held in the Spring and Fall. UBC graduates approximately 9,000 students per year and welcomes thousands of guests to campus for the festivities. In addition to graduation, Melissa coordinates several other University events as part of the Ceremonies Office team. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in French from UBC.

Suzanne Kahl, Past President
Commencement Coordinator
Tufts University
suzanne.kahl@tufts.edu

Suzanne has worked as Commencement Coordinator at Tufts University since 2006. She plans and organizes the all-university commencement ceremony, and helps coordinate and provide logistical support for the Baccalaureate service, and for 26 school and department diploma ceremonies. She is responsible for editing commencement publications, maintaining the commencement website, monitoring finances of commencement accounts, and coordinating the meetings of the university-wide commencement committee (consisting of 30 members). In addition, she helped coordinate Tufts’ presidential inauguration ceremony and events in 2011. Suzanne has been a member of NAACO for 8 years, and has organized two NAACO regional meetings at Tufts, most recently in December 2013. Suzanne holds a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University, and a Master’s Degree in Russian and East European Studies from the University of Birmingham, England.

Liz McMahan, Education Committee
York University
lmcmahan@yorku.ca

Liz is the Senior Planner, Ceremonials & Events Operations in the Division of Advancement at York University. She is responsible for the planning and operational oversight of the University’s 18 convocation ceremonies, along with Orientation Day and Remembrance Day. In addition, the University Events & Ceremonies office coordinates over 75 annual institutional and advancement events including groundbreakings and building openings, recognition events and installation ceremonies. Prior to joining York, Liz spent several years in arts administration, overseeing large festivals and events and also worked as a stage manager for theatre productions and events including the Vancouver Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony.

Lisa Arakaki, Secretary
Senior Director, Special Events
American University
larakak@american.edu

Lisa serves as the Senior Director of Special Events in the Office of the President at American University in Washington, D.C. She works closely with campus partners to coordinate large-scale events including commencement, All-American Weekend, Staff Appreciation, Celebrate AU, and the Faculty-Staff Holiday Party. In addition, she assists with special projects, advises departments and student organizations on event logistics and protocol issues, and represents the office on campus-wide committees. She has worked in Special Events for more than eighteen years and previously worked in the School of International Service. American University is a founding member of NAACO and Lisa served as co-chair of the 2013 Annual Conference in Washington, DC and the Southeast Regional Director for 2014-15.

Lisa Walker, Conference Committee Chair
University of Washington Bothell
lmwalker@uw.edu

As the director of ceremonies at University of Washington Bothell, Walker is responsible for planning and coordinating all aspects of the commencement and convocation ceremonies. This includes event logistics, budget preparation and reconciliation, as well as supervising all volunteers, faculty, staff and vendors to create and implement memorable commencement ceremonies. She also plans additional university events.