The Phi Beta Kappa Society
GREATER DETROIT ASSOCIATION
Nominees for 2024 Board
Leaders of the Association are elected by majority vote of the members present at the Annual Meeting. The Nominating Committee has chosen the following candidates to stand for election at the Annual Meeting on December 9, 2023.
PRESIDENT (incumbent)
Janet Bauder Thornburg (ΦΒΚ Stanford University 1974)
Raised in California, Janet is a geologist who earned B.S. and M.S. degrees at Stanford University and a Ph.D. at the University of Colorado Boulder. While working in the petroleum industry, she lived in Oklahoma, Wyoming, Colorado, and Texas. Since retiring to Ann Arbor in 2016, Janet has served the Greater Detroit Association as VP for Membership (2017-20) and President (2021-23). She also serves ΦΒΚ as Senator and Chair for the East Central District. Janet's favorite pastime is riding her Icelandic horse.
PAST PRESIDENT (incumbent)
Pamela Trotman Reid (ΦΒΚ Howard University 2016)
Pam serves national Phi Beta Kappa on the Executive Committee and the Senate. She was President of the Greater Detroit Association in 2018-2020. An alumna of Howard Univ; Temple Univ; & Univ. of Pennsylvania, she served as president of Univ. of Saint Joseph (Connecticut) for seven years. Formerly a professor of psychology at Univ. of Michigan, as well as at City Univ. of New York, Pam now lives in midtown Detroit and is a senior scholar at the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute at Wayne State.
VICE PRESIDENT FOR PROGRAMS
Rebecca Kraus (ΦΒΚ Wayne State University 1975)
Rebecca earned dual B.A. degrees in History and Art History. She has worked in the corporate and academic worlds, heading planning organizations. She founded Rebecca Kraus & Associates LLC in 2006, providing strategic planning, executive coaching, and leadership development. She was the 2015 President of ICF (International Coach Federation) Michigan, and is a current Board member. Rebecca has also served on the boards of the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM), the Small Business Resource Center, and the American Lhasa Apso Club.
VICE PRESIDENT FOR MEMBERSHIP
Jonathan Jan (ΦΒΚ University of Michigan 2019)
Jonathan earned his bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science, Business and German at the University of Michigan, then continued with a master’s degree in Industrial and Operations Engineering. During his time at the University, he was a tenor in the Men’s Glee Club, the second oldest collegiate chorus in the U.S. He currently works as an Operations Specialist in Manufacturing IT at General Motors. Jonathan co-chaired the Young Professionals Committee of the Greater Detroit Association in 2022-2023.
SECRETARY, CO-CHAIR OF SOCIAL MEDIA & YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
Priyanka Ramkumar (ΦΒΚ University of Michigan 2022)
Priyanka earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology, Health, and Society. She currently works as a patient attendant at the University of Michigan Hospital and as a job development coach for those with disabilities at Living and Learning Enrichment Center. In her free time, she loves volunteering at hospice centers, painting, and playing her keyboard. She hopes to pursue a career in medicine and attend medical school in 2025.
TREASURER (incumbent)
Mary Stone (ΦΒΚ University of Michigan 1980)
Mary has bachelor and master's degrees in actuarial science. She began her career as an actuary in insurance before becoming a retirement consultant for organizations with defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Although recently retired, Mary remains active in the actuarial profession. She has been Treasurer of the Greater Detroit Association since 2019.
SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR (incumbent)
Christine Nasso (ΦΒΚ Wayne State University 1971)
Chris worked in reference publishing for most of her career --- as an editorial director, new product development director, and, finally, a publisher. She lives in Royal Oak and currently does free-lance marketing work for a publisher of reference books for middle and high school students. Chris has managed our association's scholarship program since 2009.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGER
Symone Menna (ΦΒΚ Wayne State University 2023)
Symone recently completed their bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Honors College with a minor in Asian Studies. Currently they work at Consumers Energy as an IT Analyst. During their free time they enjoy watching movies and walking in nature.
AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER
John Bassett (ΦΒΚ Ohio Wesleyan University 1964)
John is President Emeritus at Clark University. He also served as President of Heritage University and as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. A professor of English who began his career at Wayne State University (1970-84), he is now retired and lives in Auburn Hills. John was the VP for Programs of the Greater Detroit Association in 2019-2023.
AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER (incumbent)
Stacy Krainz (ΦΒΚ University of Michigan 1975)
Stacy Krainz was born in Detroit, raised in Royal Oak, and educated in Ann Arbor, where she earned her Phi Beta Kappa key from the Univ. of Michigan. Her career took her out of state as she earned three graduate degrees (MA at U Texas-Austin; MA and PhD in Linguistics at the Univ. at Buffalo, SUNY). She worked in adult education in Mexico City and taught university courses in Toledo (OH), Buffalo (NY), and two Middle Eastern countries. Now back in Michigan, she is retired and exploring old and new Michigan experiences. Stacy facilitates the Book Club of the Greater Detroit Association PBK.
AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER (incumbent)
Bryant Edward Russell (ΦΒΚ University of Delaware 1980)
Bryant earned his undergraduate Mathematics degree at the University of Delaware and his doctorate in Mathematics at the University of Michigan. He currently works as an actuary within enterprise risk management, focusing on Insurance Risk. He has been a math adjunct instructor at Oakland Community College since 1987. Leisure activities include reading, day trips around the state, and learning to play guitar.