I joined the ALC to learn more about other MassArt Alumni and to expand my network of creatives outside of the interpretive design profession.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Find your niche and give yourself over to it.
Alumni → Get Involved
Alumni Leadership Council
MassArt’s Alumni Leadership Council (ALC) is the volunteer board that represents the MassArt Alumni Association.
The mission of the Alumni Leadership Council is to connect with Massachusetts College of Art and Design alumni and to foster mutually beneficial, engaged, and supportive relationships among the college, alumni, and those in the broader MassArt community. Working with the Alumni Relations office, we celebrate, inspire, and support alumni—creatively, professionally, and socially.
Our vision is for our alumni and the college to reach their potential both individually and collectively, to be thriving, well recognized, and to make a positive social impact.
Current Alumni Leadership Council (ALC)
Ed Malouf, Chair ‘85 BFA, Graphic Design & Photography Scituate, MA, USA
Sarah Shakeri, Vice Chair ‘13 BFA, Fashion Design Greater Boston, MA, USA
I joined the ALC to connect with fellow alumni. I also wanted to help MassArt engage their alumni base by fostering meaningful relationships with each other and the college through my work on the Alumni Leadership Council.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Have faith in yourself. Also say yes, take chances, and meet people! It will all work out.
Find Sarah on Linkedin
Tania Castro-Daunais ‘12 BFA, Graphic Design East Boston, MA, USA
In undergrad I was very involved in student leadership and loved life at MassArt. I’ve really missed being in the midst of our wonderful, caring, and creative community and staying up-to-date with all the goings on. It felt like it was time for me to come back “home” and once again give back to the community I love and to my fellow alumni!
Advice to Recent Alum:
Learning does not end at graduation. Make time for it throughout your life whether it’s continuing to learn about your focus, keeping up with new tools and trends, or learning something entirely new. You never know where it’ll take you!
ALC Directors
Dayanne Danier '99 BFA, Fashion Design Astoria, NY, USA
I joined the ALC because I recognize the importance of art education in the person I’ve become today and I wanted to give back to Mass Art as my way of saying thank you!
Advice to Recent Alum:
This may be the most freely creative time in your life, remember it and cherish it for what it is.
Robert Davison '89 BFA, Graphic Design Arlington, MA, USA
It has been exciting to witness the ongoing transformation of MassArt over the years. I welcome the opportunity to use my skills to further strengthen the MassArt alumni community and contribute to the institution’s ongoing and vibrant evolution.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Open yourself to new experiences and viewpoints but let your inner voice and unique point of view hold you steady as you navigate uncharted waters.
Sabrina Dorsainvil, Secretary '12 BFA, Industrial Design Boston, MA, USA
I reconnected with MassArt as a visiting artist/designer in several courses, as a partner in studio courses, as an adjunct professor and more. I saw current MassArt students, particularly BIPOC students, articulate similar struggles as alum. I see our capacity to have a positive, larger impact in our broader communities. I’m eager to address any pain points in our experience and celebrate our community of creatives wherever our paths take us.
Advice to Recent Alum:
A few thoughts: Don’t expect to figure it all out immediately. Reflect on what you’re interested in, where you hope to go, and what you’re wrestling with others. (You’ll find advocates in places you might not expect.) Remember that you can’t get what you don’t ask for and the worst you’ll get in return is a no. Be tender with yourself and make space for caring for yourself and your community.
Kristine Sanchez Henson ’09 BFA, Graphic Design Jersey City, NJ
I’m interested in the Alumni Leadership Council’s mission to make a greater impact, bridging student life at MassArt to becoming well connected and successful artists and designers in the real world. MassArt was essential to my professional success today, and I’m interested in helping to strengthen the bonds with both students and alumni alike to achieve their highest potential.
Advice to Recent Alum: Never stop learning. It’s essential to keep up and be comfortable, because the only constant is change.
Find Kristine on Linkedin and Instagram.
Leila Lee Mitchell ‘03 MFA, Dynamic Media Institute (DMI) Milton, MA, USA
To connect alums with the school’s larger strategic plans. To give back to my alma mater and community network.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Don’t seek traditional avenues to find a job. Focus on what you do well, what your passion is, and design your career path toward a fulfilled life.
Find Leila on Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook and www.llmdesign.com
Abby Ouellette ‘19 BFA, Illustration Helena, MT, USA
I joined the ALC to stay connected with MassArt and the community regardless of my physical location. Being involved during undergrad was one of my favorite parts about MassArt, and continuing to have similar roles in my life is so exciting.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Always follow your gut, don’t be afraid to be the first, and remember your life will have different seasons, welcome to your newest one. 🙂
Wesley Issac Richardson ‘99/00 BFA, Film/Video Boston, MA, USA
To engage with the larger community of grads in a more meaningful and purposeful way beyond my immediate circle of friends.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Your definitions of success can and will change along your professional journey.
Find Wesley on Instagram.
Sarah Shakeri ‘13 BFA, Fashion Design Greater Boston, MA, USA
To connect with fellow alumni. I also wanted to help MassArt engage their alumni base by fostering meaningful relationships with each other and the college through my work on the Alumni Leadership Council.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Have faith in yourself. Also say yes, take chances, and meet people! It will all work out.
Find Sarah on Linkedin.
Peter Strutt ‘05 BFA, Graphic Design Needham, MA
MassArt gave me a lot and I’m excited to be a part of the community and work collaboratively to help it continue to evolve.
Advice for Recent Alum: Figure out what you love and surround yourself with people who you admire and will learn from.
Jim Tirone ‘03 BFA, Industrial Design Harvard, MA
I joined the ALC to give back to the MassArt community, and help create opportunities for others in design.
Advice for Recent Alum: Stay curious. Be a sponge, but most important, be inquisitive and ask why.
Carlos Villamil ‘12 Fashion Design Certificate Boston, MA, USA
I joined the ALC because MassArt has given me so much at the professional and personal level. As an alumnus I want to give back to the institution by supporting the important work that the ALC does.
Advice for Recent Alum: Keep studying, keep learning and come back to MassArt to do it.
Find Carlos on Linkedin and Instagram.
Duncan Wilder Johnson ‘99 BFA, SIM and Photography North Weymouth, MA, USA
To lift up the Mass Art community and build connections throughout the alumni body.
Advice for Recent Alum: Art doesn’t happen in a vacuum. So, the more people you meet and relationships that you cultivate, the stronger your creative practice will be.
2025 Call for ALC Applications/Nominations
The Deadline for nominations was March 30, 2025
Each year, the MassArt Alumni Leadership Council (ALC) looks for new members join our active council of volunteers in celebrating, connecting, and supporting fellow alumni.
Ideal candidates are passionate about MassArt and working collaboratively and creatively to help alumni stay connected with the college and each other.
We are enthusiastically committed to representing the 22,000 body of alumni who make up the MassArt Alumni Association. Previous advisory board experience is helpful, but not necessary.
Interested candidates should complete all sections of the nomination form and attach the following documents: letter of interest, resume, brief bio statement, and references. MassArt alumni are also encouraged to nominate fellow alumni as candidates for the ALC.
For more information about serving on the MassArt ALC, check out our the ALC Requirements and Recruitment Timeline and Frequently Asked Questions below or contact Darlene Gillan, Alumni Relations Director, at Darlene.Gillan@massart.edu or 617.879.7050.
ALC Directors are expected to attend four council meetings and four to six sub-committee meetings annually. ALC meetings are currently held virtually, but we may move to a hybrid model in the future. Directors are also encouraged to participate in at least four in-person or virtual MassArt events annually. Directors are elected to serve an initial three-year term, which can be renewed up to two times.
The ALC is currently filling several director positions. The ALC Board Development Committee will be reviewing all applications and interviewing candidates between April – May 2025. We will reach out to all candidates during this time period regarding the status of their application/nomination. The newly-elected directors will be notified in early June 2025 and will assume office on July 1, 2025.
ALC FAQ's
The purpose of the MassArt Alumni Leadership Council (ALC) is to be the representative body of the 20,000+ MassArt alumni, who make up the Massachusetts College of Art and Design Alumni Association. The ALC connects with MassArt alumni and fosters mutually beneficial, engaged, and supportive relationships among the college, alumni, and those in the broader MassArt community. Working with the Alumni Relations office, they celebrate, inspire, and support alumni—creatively, professionally, and socially.
The MassArt Alumni Leadership Council is a volunteer council with 21 elected members. Also, the then serving Alumni Relations Director and an elected representative of the Student Government Association both serve on the ALC in an ex-officio capacity.
MassArt alumni who are matriculated members in good standing of the MassArt Alumni Association may serve on the Alumni Leadership Council. Matriculated members of the Association include all persons holding degrees from MassArt; all persons who have successfully completed at least two semesters or accumulated a total of eighteen (18) credit hours in a MassArt degree program; and all persons who have received a certificate through MassArt’s Division of Professional and Continuing Education.
If you know of a MassArt alum whom you think would be an asset to the Alumni Leadership Council, please nominate the alum or encourage them to self-nominate.
The Alumni Leadership Council meets four times a year, typically in September, December, March, and June. Additionally, sub-committees of the Alumni Leadership Council meet four to six times a year. ALC meetings are generally held in the evening, as are most sub-committee meetings. Regular attendance is expected. Currently, all ALC meetings are being held virtually via Zoom, but we may move to a hybrid model in the future.
Alumni Leadership Council directors are expected to provide financial support for the MassArt Annual Fund, to serve on at least one sub-committee, and to act as an ambassador of MassArt. ALC Directors are also encouraged to attend at least 4 in person or virtual alumni or other MassArt events per year.
Elected directors shall hold office for a term of three (3) years and in all cases, until their successors are chosen and qualified. Each three (3) year term can be renewed up to two (2) times, but no elected director shall serve as such for more than nine (9) consecutive years.
The deadline for nominations is March 30, 2025. The ALC is currently filling several director positions. The ALC Board Development Committee will be reviewing all applications and interviewing candidates between April – May, 2025. We will reach out to all candidates during this time period regarding the status of their application/nomination. The newly elected directors will be notified in early June 2025 and will assume office on July 1, 2025.
Contact Darlene Gillan, Alumni Relations Director at Darlene.Gillan@massart.edu or 617.879.7050.
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