I am pleased to share that at the annual Board meeting of AFS-USA on June 21-22, the Board of Directors for AFS-USA elected four new Board members and new Board leadership positions. AFS-USA is fortunate to welcome such impressive professionals to our Board of Directors as the organization continues to implement its business priorities, as well as focus on re-envisioning the future of AFS-USA.  

On behalf of all of us at AFS-USA, we express our appreciation to outgoing chair Barb Olson (U.S. to Turkey) for her leadership and are very pleased that she will remain on the board for another two years. As Chair, Barb’s expertise and experience were critical to the organization’s efforts to recover from the pandemic. Barb worked to increase the organization’s profile and leadership efforts both within AFS-USA and throughout the network. Her many contributions and guidance were critically important as we launched the important project of Re-Envisioning AFS-USA’s future which is challenging the organization to find ways to thrive and not just survive.

We welcome Jane Ransom (U.S. to Italy) as the new Chair. Jane is a veteran nonprofit executive who has served as chief executive of seven leading organizations, focusing on turn-around and start-up initiatives. Most recently, Jane served as executive director of the American Brain Foundation from 2015-2023. Elected as Vice-Chair is John Bacon (U.S. to Belgium). John is the Deputy Chief Development Officer for Planned Giving at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, has served on the board for three years and was most recently the Chair of the Development Committee. 

We bid farewell to Jim Walker (U.S. to Indonesia) who has served two terms on the Board of Directors, and who also served as the Chair of the AFS-USA Volunteer National Council. We thank Jim for his enormous contributions to AFS-USA and know we can count on him as he continues his leadership at the local level as the Chair of the Capital team (around Washington DC). We also bid farewell to and thank Dr. Ken Wallace, Superintendent from Illinois, and wish him well in his retirement.  We thank Jim and Ken for their service.

Peter Robinson, (U.S. to Austria) was elected Board Treasurer. Peter is past (2005-2023) President and CEO of the U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB). Giselle Marcus is Board Secretary and currently serves as the Professor of Practice—Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis.  

Joining the AFS-USA Board of Directors are:

Dr. Marcus Campbell, superintendent of Evanston Township High School (ETHS) in Illinois, District 202 since July 2022. Campbell was previously the assistant superintendent/principal at ETHS, where he was responsible for providing leadership in developing district strategy and organizational change, including effective instruction practices, impactful diversity and equity initiatives, and responsive programs and services;

Tara Hayward who brings a diverse and robust background in business strategy, finance, and fundraising to the Board of Directors and is currently an independent consultant supporting clients with public health research and development programs for biotech and non-profit sectors;

Murray Johnson, who brings extensive experience in corporate and non-profit board governance, combined with a long history of dedicated AFS volunteerism to the Board of Directors. Murray’s AFS journey began in 1995 and he and his wife have hosted more than 23 full-year students; and Madelyn White (U.S to Belgium and U.S. to France), a deeply connected two-time returnee with AFS-USA and former AFS host sibling. Madelyn is Counsel at Carter Ledyard and Milburn and is an experienced litigator representing clients in complex litigation matters.