The individuals who serve on the Drake University National Alumni Board of Directors are serious about the Alumni Association's mission of providing its alumni with a channel for their imaginative and meaningful participation in the life and future of the University.
Nominated by a committee of the Alumni Association Board, directors serve three-year terms and meet on campus three times per year, serving on on a variety of committees focused on programming, student recruitment, marketing, and fundraising for the University. Board meetings are open to all alumni.
Meet the Board
Nikki (Coffman) Syverson, JO'03
National Alumni Board Chair
Owner/Partner, Isaacson-Syverson Consulting
Des Moines, IA
John Farmer, AS'92
National Alumni Board President
VP of Litigation, Charter Communications
St. Louis, MO
Tammi Blackstone, AS'00
Attorney, Iowa Criminal Justice Information System
Des Moines, IA
Chuck Blasgen, AS'92
Freelance, Financial Services Executive
Chicago, IL
Shawn Burke, LW'87
Senior Account Executive, Thomson Reuters
Des Moines, IA
JT Cattle, BN'13
Senior Development Director, Parkinson's Foundation
Overland Park, KS
Dana Clark, JO'90
Associate Director Relationship Manager, Moody's Coorporation
Chicago, IL
Bonnie Collins, LA'83
Retired
Broadview, IL
Kristopher Covi, AS'95
Shareholder, Dvorak Law Group
Omaha, NE
Adam Emmenecker, BN'08
Director of Market Strategy & Intelligence, Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield
Des Moines, IA
Drew Engebrecht, BN'02
Account Executive/Shareholder, Holmes Murphy
Waukee, IA
Tom Florian, BN'14, MBA'16
VP, Membership & Strategic Marketing, West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce
West Des Moines, IA
Elizabeth Kozor, AS'07, JO'07, MBA'12
Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Des Moines University
Des Moines, IA
Paul LeFort, JO'91
Director of Sales Development, The Nielsen Company
Los Angeles, CA
Tyson Moore, BN'03
Managing Director, J.P. Morgan
Atlanta, GA
Molly Nguyen, AS'13
Manager or Law School Analytics and Reporting, American Bar Association
Chicago, IL
Katie Petru, JO'04, MA'23
Director of Communications and Community, Casey's
Johnston, IA
Anthony Pudlo, PharmD'07, MBA'07, MS'23
Chief Executive Officer, Tennessee Pharmacists Association
Nashville, TN
Lizzy Stuart, AS'16
Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Miller Children's Hospital
Los Angeles, CA
Jenny Tran-Johnson, AS'06
Associate Provost for Academic Excellence and Student Success, Drake University
Des Moines, IA
Seejo Valacheril, BN'12
Chief Account Executive, Morningstar
Chicago, IL
Jim Verlengia, EdS'90, EdD'95
Retired
Johnston, IA
Bill Wells, LA'69
President, W. Wells & Associates, LLC
Eden Prairie, MN
Ex-Officio Members
Lynn Bolinger, AS'93
LGBTQ+ Alumni Association Co-Chair
Consumer Marketing Manager, People Inc.
Bertha Brubaker, JO'01, MPA'06
LatinX Alumni Association Vice President
Project Owner, Department of Management, Division of Information Technology
Tira Mays, MS'11, MJ'17
Black Alumni Association Chair
Government Programs Coordinator, Broadlawns Medical Center