Dawn Michele Whitehead, BA’97, MS’03, PhD’07, of Washington, DC; assumed the office of chair of the Indiana University Alumni Association (IUAA) Board of Managers on July 1, 2024. She previously served as chair-elect, vice chair, and manager at large of the IUAA beginning in 2019.
Whitehead led the adoption of IUAA’s strategic plan, Advancing IU 2030, in collaboration with the IU Foundation’s board and staff, during the semi-annual Executive Council meeting in November 2024.
As chair during the last six months, Whitehead presided at key alumni events and was honored to be on the platform party for and speak during the 2024 Winter Commencement in Bloomington. A tradition that has continued for decades for the chair of IUAA, Whitehead said of the experience, “It was an honor to celebrate with our newest graduates and welcome them into the Alumni Association.”
In 2025, Whitehead will chair February and June board meetings as well as the Alumni Leaders Conference in June, and is scheduled to attend alumni events in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Dubai.
Dr. Whitehead is the vice president of the Office of Global Citizenship for Campus, Community, and Careers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities. In this work, she focuses on strategies to integrate and advance equitable participation in global learning, integrative learning, community-based learning, and experiential learning for college and university students. She named an inaugural member of the Institute for International Education’s National Academy for International Education.
Her leadership experience with the Indiana University Alumni Association has been extensive. Whitehead has been a participant in the Washington, D.C. IUAA chapter and has served in leadership positions on the Neal Marshall Alumni Club board. She is an active member of IU’s Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council and is a partner of IU’s Black Philanthropy Circle. For her outstanding leadership of time, talent, and treasure, she earned the Volunteer Leadership Award in 2023 and the IU School of Education Distinguished Alumni Award (Outstanding Alumni Award).
As chair of the Board of Managers, Whitehead leads the 14-member governing board that provides general management and supervision of the affairs of the IUAA. Other officers of the Board of Managers are chair-elect Yung Nguyen, BS’89, MD’95, of Indianapolis; and vice chair Shontrai Irving, BS’97, MA/JD’03, of Gary, Ind.; treasurer Shelley Raper, BS’85, of Fishers, Ind.; secretary Kyle King, BS’07, OD’11, of Evansville, Ind., immediate past chair Martin Vargas, BS’94, of Knoxville, Tenn., and IUAA CEO Tricia Riveire Stumpf, MA’07, of Bloomington, Ind.
Mike Wargo, BGS’82, of Granger, Ind. and John Brown, BA’84, JD’87, of Westfield, Ind., are new managers at large. Continuing managers at large are Mary Susan Buhner, BA’94, of Fishers, Ind.; Mautrice Meriweather, BA’01, MA’15, of Indianapolis; Cindy Stone, BS’78, MS’08, of Bloomington, Ind., and Shishir Deshpande, LLM’06, of Delhi, India, The student representative to the Board of Managers is Katelyn King, BS’23, an IU Bloomington student completing a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs.
Board of Managers officers serve one-year terms, and the secretary and treasurer may serve up to three consecutive terms. A 36-member Executive Council advises the Board of Managers.
The IU Alumni Association, a global organization of more than 790,000 alumni, activates and supports the global alumni network — encouraging alumni to grow a lifelong connection with Indiana University, and inspiring their ongoing generosity toward each other and the university.