The Douglass Advisory Board

Julie Domonkos DC'83 has devoted her career to advancing women's rights. She established one of New York City's first legal services offices for domestic violence victims and later was CEO of My Sisters' Place. She championed numerous pieces of legislation including New York's groundbreaking laws against stalking and human trafficking. Julie is a 2025 inductee into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni. 

Barbara Rodkin DC’76 earned a BA in Psychology from Douglass College, an MA in Psychology and Assessment from NYU, and completed doctoral-level work at the University of Minnesota in psychology, child development, education, and assessment. She built a successful career mentoring, teaching, and assessing individuals and families with complex needs. Over the last 15 years, Barbara and her husband, Gary RC’74, have focused on philanthropy in education and wellness. They live in Greenwich, CT, and Sarasota, FL.

Dr. Eileen L. Poiani DC’65, Special Assistant to the President and Professor of Mathematics at Saint Peter’s University, was the first woman professor in its Mathematics Department and first woman vice president, serving 12 years as VP for Student Affairs. A Ph.D. graduate of Rutgers, she has held leadership roles with the Mathematical Association of America, Pi Mu Epsilon, and the Association for Women in Mathematics. Her many honors include the NJ Governor’s Jefferson Award for Lifetime Service.

Shelly Alexander, DC'83 earned a BA in Economics (Finance) and was in the inaugural Douglass Scholars Program. After an AT&T internship, she joined its Management Training Program and later held management roles in customer service and finance. She built a sales and marketing career, including as National Sales Executive at a start-up acquired by Equifax. Since 2012 she has lived in Singapore, Belgium, England, California, and Texas, and now splits her time between Houston and Chicago, remaining active in alumni and community life.

Dr. Karen R. Stubaus DC’72 is Vice President for Academic Affairs Emerita at Rutgers University. A Ph.D. in seventeenth-century American history, she served as a senior administrator overseeing academic and budget issues across all Rutgers campuses and addressing faculty, graduate student, and postdoc labor contracts. She represented Rutgers on the National Academies’ Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment. She is now a Visiting Scholar and Co-Editor of The Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy.

Sarah Aiosa DC’93 is SVP and President, Latin America at Merck & Co., the first woman to lead the region in the company’s history. Overseeing 5,000 employees across 30+ countries, she grew revenue from $1.9B in 2022 to $2.7B in 2024, making Latin America Merck’s fastest-growing region. With prior leadership roles at Merck, Novartis, Sanofi, and Eli Lilly, Sarah brings global expertise in strategy and operations. She holds degrees from Rutgers and Johns Hopkins and serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards.

Mary Kay Brown DC’83 is a founding partner of Philadelphia’s first all women-owned commercial litigation firm, recognized as a top women-owned business. After earning her law degree from Rutgers Law–Camden, she clerked for the NJ Supreme Court and rose to co-head of a national firm’s office. A Pennsylvania Super Lawyer® for 16 years, she represents clients in high-stakes litigation nationwide. Mary Kay lives in Haddonfield, NJ with her husband David and has two grown children.

Wendy Cai-Lee DC’96 is Founder and CEO of Piermont Bank, the first digital-native commercial bank and
first multi-racial Minority Depository Institution in the U.S., making her the first Asian woman to launch
a U.S. commercial bank. With 30+ years of leadership at Chase, Citi, and Deloitte, she is a fintech and
banking expert recognized as American Banker’s Digital Banker of the Year and one of the Most
Powerful Women in Banking. She also serves on corporate and nonprofit boards.

Janine Gianfredi DC’02 is Chief of Marketing at Transcarent, a tech firm transforming personal health records. She previously served as CMO of the U.S. Digital Service in the Obama White House and spent a decade at Google/Alphabet, leading marketing for Google[x], Verily Life Sciences, and the self-driving car project. A seasoned speaker and strategist, she has been featured in major outlets and profiled in First Round Review. Janine lives in San Francisco with her husband and two dogs.

Dana Grant DC’15 is a SHRM-Certified HR professional with experience at Tiffany & Co., Gilbane, and Essex County, where she is a Personnel Technician. A former national-level figure skater and USFSA Gold Medalist, Dana graduated cum laude from Douglass with a degree in Psychology and earned a master’s in Human Resource Management. She serves on the boards of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan NJ and the Douglass Advisory Board. Dana lives in NJ and enjoys skating, golf, travel, and reading.

Cathy Guo DC’13 is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Douglass College and holds a master’s in public policy
from Harvard. She began her career as an Associate Economist at Stone & McCarthy Research Associates, analyzing Federal Reserve policy and U.S. trade balance. Guo has worked for the United Nations in China and Anbang Insurance Group. She has also been a featured speaker at the 95th and100th anniversaries of Douglass College

Imani Johnson-Jordan DC’15 is CEO of Kensington Brands, a portfolio empowering brands through commerce and community. In 2025, she launched Maven Haven, a mobile content studio, while scaling Maven Market, Kensington’s creative arm. With 10+ years in branding, communications, and DEI strategy, she has led campaigns for Google, Walgreens, and J&J. A Rutgers master’s graduate and proud Douglass alumna, she lives in NJ with her husband D’Andre, their son Jaxson, and dog Dior.

Tara Kousha DC’12 leads education programs in developing countries as a Product Marketing Manager at Google. She is also Founder of Your Voice, a nonprofit consulting firm providing interactive trainings and executive coaching. A first-generation Persian American, Tara has lived and worked on four continents over the past decade. She graduated from Rutgers with a degree in Literature and remains passionate about advancing global education and leadership.

Kristin Long DC’78 is Director of Marketing, Development & Communications for the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, where she leads outreach and donor engagement. She previously held leadership roles at The Philadelphia Citizen, Philly Ad Club, Tribune Media, and ABC Television, where she was SVP. A recipient of AWRT’s 20 Women Who Rule award, Kristin holds certifications from Villanova and IAB and is a Gallup Strengths Coach. She lives in Philadelphia and Stone Harbor, NJ.

Maggie Maniar DC’21 graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers with a degree in Biomedical
Engineering and is now a fourth-year medical student at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, applying to Emergency Medicine residencies. At Douglass, she served as President of the Governing Council, leading initiatives on water quality, emergency services, and menstrual equity. She earned the 2020 Sheila Kelly Hampton Student Leader Award and the 2021 Dean’s Award.

Susan Martin DC’68 is Donald G. Herzberg Professor Emerita of International Migration at Georgetown University and founder of its Institute for the Study of International Migration. Former Executive Director of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform, she has authored over a dozen books and advised global institutions including the World Bank, where she chaired the Migration and Environment Change group. She serves on the boards of Rutgers University and the Center for Migration Studies.

Susan Lendener Nicholas DC’80 is an accomplished CEO who has transformed brands and scaled businesses for over two decades.  She has held positions including President, Sidney Garber; CEO, H. Stern NA; President TAG Heuer USA; and CEO LVMH Watch & Jewelry USA and Canada. She is a Wharton MBA, fluent in French, a sought-after ACC ICF Coach, and founder of Métier & Muse. She has served as VP, Communications for the AADC, was a member of the Dean’s Women’s Health Initiative, and mentors Douglass students.

Carolynn Rosse DC’85 is Chief Compliance Officer for Raymond James Bank, TriState Capital Bank, and Raymond James Trust Companies, overseeing compliance for multiple subsidiaries of Raymond James Financial. With 30+ years in financial services, she previously held senior roles at Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, Depository Trust Company, and Chemical Bank. Carolynn earned a BA in Economics from Douglass and a BA in Computer Science from NYU.

Barbara Shepard DC’77 began her career as a geologist before moving into nonprofit leadership, retiring as a director with the American Jewish Committee. She holds an MBA from Rutgers and a master’s in Judaic Studies. A lifelong volunteer, she has served with the ADL, JCC of Houston, and her synagogue. An avid marathoner and world trekker, Barbara has completed 41 U.S. highpoints. She lives near Asheville, NC, with her husband, Stephen, her partner of 43 years.