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Nominees for 2025 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 November 17, 2024.

Nominees for 2025 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 November 17, 2024.

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PRESIDENT

Janet Bauder Thornburg (ΦΒΚ Stanford University 1974)

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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 (2021-24). She also serves ΦΒΚ as Senator for the East Central District. Janet's favorite pastime is riding her Icelandic horse.

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PAST PRESIDENT

Pamela Trotman Reid (ΦΒΚ Howard University 2016)

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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. 

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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. 

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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 prior to becoming VP for Membership in 2024.

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SECRETARY & YOUNG PROFESSIONALS CO-CHAIR

Clyde Granzeier (ΦΒΚ University of Michigan 2024)

 

Clyde received his bachelor’s degree with an honors major in Creative Writing and Literature and a minor in History. He lives in Royal Oak and is currently an associate reader for the Michigan Quarterly Review and an assistant at his parents’ law office. As he gets applications ready for graduate programs, he enjoys writing poems, volunteering with the Wyandotte Historical Museum, and playing tabletop games with friends in his free time. 

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TREASURER & 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.

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SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR

Christine Nasso (ΦΒΚ Wayne State University 1971)

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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.

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SOCIAL MEDIA CO-CHAIR

Daniela Galvez-Cepeda (ΦΒΚ Williiams College 2024)

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Daniela received her B.A. in Psychology and Mathematics from Williams College. She is now pursuing her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at the University of Michigan and plans to focus on the way different social factors influence children's identity development. Specifically interested in media and gender, Daniela’s work aims to inform content production to promote inclusivity and diversity in children's media.

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AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER

John Bassett (ΦΒΚ Ohio Wesleyan University 1964)

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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.

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AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER

Earl Major (ΦΒΚ Purdue University 1988)

 

Earl Major most recently served as the Vice President and Head of Human Resources at Delta Dental of Michigan, where he brought over 20 years of diverse experience in HR, line management, and leadership. His career spans roles supporting research and development, corporate staffs, and functional line organizations. He holds an M.S. in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources from Purdue University's Daniels School of Business and a B.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Purdue University.

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AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER & BOOK CLUB FACILITATOR

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.  

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