Board of Directors Nominees

Please go to wmalumni.com/vote to cast your vote for the current slate of nominees.

The board recommends a YES vote for the entire slate. Voting closes Feb. 9, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. All alumni are eligible to vote in board elections.

James Ambrose ’07

Seattle, Washington

James H. Ambrose is a group finance manager at Microsoft Corp., where he leads the team responsible for revenue strategy and planning for Microsoft’s Azure data and artificial intelligence services. James has been a member of the Annual Giving Board of Directors since 2015. Immediately after graduating, James was a member of the Business Partners Board at the Mason School of Business. At William & Mary, James completed a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in accounting and double-majored in psychology. He and his wife, Catherine Williams Ambrose ’07, live in the Seattle metro area.

Milan Chakraborty ’00

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Milan Chakraborty is head of film at Marginal MediaWorks and is based in Los Angeles. He oversees all of the company’s efforts in independent, studio and streaming film. He is an 18-year veteran of the film industry and has produced over 26 films after a career in internal audit with Time Warner and as an auditor at Arthur Andersen. Milan was a member of the inaugural Asian-Pacific Islander-Middle Eastern Alumni Leadership Circle in 2021 and 2022. He has only missed two Homecoming & Reunion Weekends since graduating in 2000. He also regularly attends the W&M Ampersand Film Festival and W&M Women’s soccer matches, where he served as a student manager his junior year.

“The alumni community has been there for me through 9/11, loss of jobs, loss of fellow alumni, loss of my father and a career transition from accountant to film producer. I believe it is my duty to return that favor. I also want to remind fellow alumni about the special place we called home in our formative years. I want to make sure alumni feel like they still have a voice especially beyond the Commonwealth of Virginia and traditional careers. They should feel heard and supported by their alma mater and fellow alums. I have friends from the class of 1960 to 2027 (friends’ kids). As a member of the alumni board, I want to work so that every alum feels the love I have for this school and I want that bond to strengthen from the day they graduate for the rest of their life.”

Brian Focarino ’11, J.D. ’15

Boston, Massachusetts

Brian Focarino is an associate at Cooley LLP in Boston. From Northern Virginia, he graduated from William & Mary with a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and government in 2011 and a law degree in 2015. He received his M.Sc. from the University of Edinburgh in 2012. While in law school, Brian served as a trademark and digital media law intern at Google; a trademark, copyright and Internet law intern at Verizon; and a judicial intern for the Hon. Randall R. Rader, former chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. As a student, he was a member of William & Mary’s Appellate and Supreme Court Clinic, named Warnement Scholar in intellectual property law, served as president of the Student Intellectual Property Society and was executive editor of the Business Law Review. Brian is passionate about diversity and inclusion at Cooley and in the wider legal profession and is the firm-wide co-chair for Cooley's minority associates' group. His practice focuses on trademark and copyright litigation, enforcement, clearance and strategy.

“Serving on the William & Mary Alumni Association Board of Directors for the last three years has opened my eyes to the huge range of contributions William & Mary people make in their communities and professions across the country and world daily, and the many opportunities that exist for our Alumni Association to support, encourage, connect and engage them with one another and William & Mary. Community is a cornerstone of the William & Mary experience. It is an honor to support the William & Mary Alumni Association and the unique role and responsibility it plays in amplifying our community across geographies and generations.”

Aaron Mosby ’05

Washington, D.C.

Aaron leads public sector digital experience business development for TTEC Digital. He helps clients develop human-centered service delivery approaches by drawing on his diverse background in UI/UX design, web and business application development. His professional experience spans association management, publishing, government contracting and information technology. He lives in Washington, DC with his fiancé Lauren and their Havashu Roger. In his free time, he performs improv at Washington Improv Theater.

“I am excited for the opportunity to serve on the WMAA Board of Directors to help the organization realize its vision to ‘…create opportunities to strengthen bonds between each other and alma mater….’ I hope to offer my skills, experience, and passion to the board to drive an increase in alumni engagement with students so that we can help illuminate their paths towards leadership and service in the communities they will join after graduation. The first step towards that goal will be learning how alumni are already engaging with students and helping to define ways WMAA can build on and amplify those efforts for all time coming.”

Barbara “Barb” L. Ramsey ’75

Williamsburg, Virginia

Barb graduated from William & Mary with a B.S. in biology but segued into a 40-year sales and marketing career. She retired in 2016 when she was elected to Williamsburg’s City Council; in 2020 she was elected to a second term. She has served on the Annual Giving Board, the William & Mary Athletic Foundation Board, the Lord Botetourt Affair committee of which she was a co-chair for 8 years and on 1975 class reunion committees. She is a charter member of the Society of 1918, a member of the Griffin Society, a class ambassador and member of the Williamsburg-Peninsula Chapter Board. She has been awarded an Alumni Service Award, Alumni Medallion and Prentis Award from the university.

“Engagement is a hallmark of who I am, and I would like to further the connection of alumni to each other and to William & Mary by serving on the Alumni Association Board.”

JoAnn D. Adrales Ruh ’89, P ’22

Richmond, Virginia

JoAnn graduated with a B.A. in government and psychology. After a career in banking, she became a full-time parent and family manager. She actively supports various nonprofits in her community and is a board member of MENTOR Virginia and on the advisory board of the Branch Museum of Architecture and Design. Additionally, she is a trustee of Collegiate School, an independent school in Richmond, where she is also a substitute teacher. She is a member of the Admission Volunteer Network, a Greek Class Ambassador and a lead Class Ambassador for the Class of 1989. JoAnn and her husband, Colin Ruh ’89, served on the Richmond For the Bold campaign committee.

“William & Mary has given so much to me, and I’m grateful. I met my husband and many of my dearest friends there, and the education I received prepared me for a lifetime of learning and service. In the years since graduation, I’ve continued to reap the benefits of my connections with our alma mater. In my role as an advisor to my sorority chapter on campus, I’ve loved getting to know some of our impressive students. Watching my son and his teammates on the W&M Ultimate Frisbee team skillfully compete filled me with joy as I saw firsthand the school spirit and camaraderie that is a Tribe trademark. Being an active member of the College community is fun and rewarding. As a member of the Alumni Association Board, I will work to promote its mission to cultivate community and advance William & Mary.”

Hodan Seager ’18

New York, New York

Hodan Seager is currently a settlement specialist at Jane Street, a proprietary trading firm in New York City. There she primarily acts as a liaison between counterparties, brokers and clearing firms during the securities trading cycle. Previously she worked in the investment operations department of a financial advisory firm in Richmond, Virginia. She is an active member of the Society of 1918 and the Admission Volunteer Network. Additionally, she serves as a class ambassador for the class of 2018.

Laura Pinnow Sheehan ’99

Falls Church, Virginia

Laura graduated from William & Mary with a B.A. in philosophy and then went on to obtain her law degree from the University of Richmond. Shortly thereafter, she and her husband set out on what turned into a 20-year international adventure that spanned eight countries. In 2016, whilst still abroad, Laura shifted her professional focus from the law and U.S. Government to a career that allowed her to both leverage her job search experiences and better serve her expat community. She is an award-winning career coach and strategist who has assisted clients at all ages and stages to make successful career transitions. In 2021, Laura joined the world of higher education, taking on the role of manager for 3L and Alumni Career Services at The George Washington University Law School. She is now the associate director for graduate career coaching at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service.

“I feel strongly that my No. 1 responsibility as an alumna is to help students launch and develop their careers. Equipped with a firm grasp on the global job market, first-hand knowledge of current job search challenges and a keen understanding of university ranking factors (especially first-destination employment outcomes), I believe I could substantively contribute to deep-dive discussions, creative solutions and sustainable outcomes. I would be honored to be a part of W&M’s Vision 2026 value proposition: ‘W&M will be known as the best university for lifelong career engagement.”