Campus & Community

2017 Election Results: Harvard Overseers and HAA Elected Directors

3 min read

Harvard University today announced the results of the annual election of new members to the Board of Overseers.

The five newly elected Overseers are:

Paul L. Choi, Chicago
A.B. ’86 magna cum laude, J.D. ’89 magna cum laude
Partner, Sidley Austin LLP

Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar, San Francisco
A.B. ’93 magna cum laude; J.D. ’97, Yale University; Ph.D. ’00, Stanford University
Justice, Supreme Court of California

Darienne B. Driver, Milwaukee
Ed.M. ’06, Ed.D. ’14; B.A. ’00, Spelman College; M.A. ’01, University of Michigan
Superintendent of Schools, Milwaukee Public Schools

Carla Harris, New York, N.Y.
A.B. ’84 magna cum laude, M.B.A. ’87
Vice Chair of Global Wealth Management and Managing Director, Morgan Stanley

Leslie P. Tolbert, Tucson, Ariz.
A.B. ’73 cum laude, Ph.D. ’78
Regents’ Professor, Department of Neuroscience, University of Arizona

The new Overseers were elected for six-year terms. They were chosen from a slate of eight candidates, who were nominated by a Harvard Alumni Association committee as prescribed by the election rules. Degree holders cast 27,725 ballots in the election.

The primary function of the Board of Overseers is to encourage the University to maintain the highest attainable standards as a place of learning.

Drawing on the diverse experience and expertise of its members, the board exerts broad influence over the University’s strategic direction, provides essential counsel to its leadership on priorities and plans, has the power of consent to certain actions, such as the election of members of the Harvard Corporation, and directs the visitation process by which a broad array of Harvard Schools and departments are periodically reviewed.

In addition, the six newly elected HAA Elected Directors are:

Martha Abbruzzese Genieser, London
A.B. ’91; M.A. ’98, Boston University
Director of Philanthropy, Alan Howard Family Office

Sangu Julius Delle, Accra, Ghana
A.B. ’10 cum laude, J.D. ’17, M.B.A. ’17 (expected)
Chairman and CEO, Golden Palm Investments Corp.; Founder and President, Cleanacwa

Sachin H. Jain, Cerritos, Calif.
A.B. ’02 magna cum laude, M.D. ’06, M.B.A. ’07
President and CEO, CareMore Health System

Elena Hahn Kiam, New York, N.Y.
A.B. ’85 cum laude
Co-owner and Creative Director, Lia Sophia; Marketing Director, Cirrus Healthcare Products

Ronald P. Mitchell, New York, N.Y.
A.B. ’92 cum laude, M.B.A. ’97
CEO, Virgil Inc.

Paola A. Peacock Friedrich, Marblehead, Mass.
S.M. ’06, Ed.L.D. ’14; B.A. ’03, Dartmouth College
Human Capital Management Consultant, AchieveMission

The Elected Directors were each elected for three-year terms. They were chosen from a slate of nine candidates, who were nominated by a Harvard Alumni Association committee as prescribed by the election rules. Harvard degree holders cast 28,541 ballots in the election.