Leadership Bios

 

Linda D. Hallman, CAE
AAUW Executive Director

As the executive director and CEO of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Linda D. Hallman, CAE, is a nationally respected leader with more than 20 years of executive-level experience.

Now in her fourth year at the helm of the 130-year-old membership organization, Hallman has guided AAUW through the financial recession and has increased its levels of funding to meet an ever-growing need. Under her leadership, AAUW ramped up its fellowships and grants program by an extra half-million dollars annually, allowing the organization to continue its primary commitment to break through barriers for women and girls at a time when many women have flocked back to graduate school because of the dismal job market.

Other highlights of Hallman's extensive nonprofit experience include leadership positions with the National Alliance for Health Information Technology, the American Medical Women's Association, the American Horticultural Society, and the American College of Health Care Administrators. Hallman also served in the U.S. Army as a soprano soloist with the U.S. Army Band and Chorus for nine years.

Today, Hallman lives with her husband in Washington, D.C., where she maintains a personal commitment to what close friends call her "exquisite" garden.

Carolyn H. Garfein
AAUW President

Carolyn Garfein represents a long tradition of accomplished AAUW leaders rising to higher office after years of previous AAUW service. She most recently served on the Board of Directors of the AAUW Educational Foundation. Before that, she was the state Legal Advocacy Fund chair, leading Georgia to first place in per capita giving. Her local branch in North Fulton, Georgia, has raised thousands in scholarship dollars significantly aided by an annual book fair, a tradition of philanthropic activism that dates back to half a century.

While serving on the AAUW of California board as budget director, Garfein returned to school — 18 years after receiving her bachelor of arts from Cornell University — worked full time, and raised two children. She received an MBA in marketing and management, graduated with honors, and was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest, largest, and most selective all-discipline honor society.

Garfein has had a successful marketing career, serving as manager of program research at NBC and vice president and regional manager at Maritz, Inc. Currently, Garfein is senior vice president of The Marketing Workshop, Inc., in Norcross, Georgia.

AAUW BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Carolyn Garfein, President

Patricia Fae Ho, Vice President
Patricia Fae Ho served as the AAUW North Shore (MA) Branch president, AAUW of Massachusetts state president, and New England regional director before her election to the AAUW board. She is a dual member of the AAUW Honolulu and Diamond Head (HI) Branches and the AAUW Wasatch (UT) Branch. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and an RSA/Cambridge certificate from the International Teaching and Training Center in the United Kingdom. She was the director of the Endicott College Center for Teacher Excellence in Massachusetts and worked as a gifted/enrichment education specialist in New York. Ho is chair of the County Commission on the Status of Women in Massachusetts, past president of Health Quarters, and a Peabody Essex Museum overseer.

Kathy Anthon
Kathy Anthon is a member of the AAUW Northeast Tarrant County (TX) Branch. She has served as branch president, interbranch president, and AAUW of Texas Legal Advocacy Fund vice president and currently is in her second term as a director-at-large on the AAUW Board of Directors. She has a master's degree from the State University of New York and works as a regional sales manager for a software company. Anthon is an active exerciser who has participated in a number of two- and three-day breast cancer awareness walks.

Amy Blackwell
Amy Blackwell is a member of the AAUW Douglas County (CO) Branch and serves as AAUW of Colorado public policy co-director, volunteer lobbyist, and social media administrator. She earned an associate degree from Craven Community College, as well as bachelor's degrees in history and biology and a master's degree in history from the University of Houston. Blackwell owns and operates a marketing and communications company and is an outreach volunteer for a domestic violence agency. She has served on gender research delegations to South Africa and Cuba and has climbed 17 of Colorado's “fourteeners” — mountains 14,000 feet or higher.

Kat Braeman
Kat Braeman, a lawyer and former judge, is an advocate for equity. She is a member of the AAUW Lobby Corps. She helped create a new AAUW Capitol Hill (DC) Branch, which focuses on legislative and leadership issues. Braeman has also been a state and local leader in Virginia and has served with the AAUW Leadership Corps. She has a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University, a master's degree in English from the University of Kansas, and a doctoral degree in law from the University of Nebraska. Braeman served in federal agencies in Washington, D.C., for 30 years. She is a member of the National Association of Women Judges, and at age 32, she ran in the Nebraska primary for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Braeman serves as board liaison to the Legal Advocacy Fund and helped develop the Know the Score: Title IX Compliance Program in a Box.

Julia Brown
Julia Brown is the board parliamentarian, serves as the liaison to the governance and audit committees, and sits on the marketing/branding working group. She has a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University, a doctoral degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, and a master's of law degree in military justice from the Judge Advocate General's School. She has completed further studies in public policy and public administration.

Sandy Camillo
Sandy Camillo is active in the AAUW East Hampton (NY) Branch and has served as co-chair of public policy, fundraising, and the issues and diversity committees in the AAUW Ballwin-Chesterfield (MO) Branch. She has also served as national public policy committee liaison, $tart $mart facilitator, and Leadership Corps member. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from St. John's University and a postgraduate certificate in administration from the University of Dallas. She spent the majority of her career as a school principal and writer. In addition to her work helping companies and nonprofits return to financial health, Camillo is active on the boards of directors of various organizations in Missouri, Texas, and New York.

Kathleen Cha
An AAUW member for more than 20 years, Kathleen Cha has served as president of AAUW of California and the AAUW San Francisco (CA) and Orange County (CA) Branches. She has also held positions on a number of AAUW state and national committees. She has nearly 30 years of experience in strategic communications and currently works as the senior communications officer for the Association of Bay Area Governments. She also serves in leadership roles with many women-focused community organizations in the San Francisco area and helped coordinate the first California Media Summit, which explored images of women in the media. Cha earned her master's degree and completed postgraduate work in literature at Marquette University.

Charmen Goehring-Fox
Charmen Goehring-Fox has been an AAUW member since 1992, when her grandmother paid her membership dues as a graduation gift. Since then, she has served in nearly every position on the boards of four branches — and as president of three — and has sat on two national committees. She is currently a director-at-large on the AAUW board and the AAUW of Maine president. She is passionate about honoring AAUW's history and opening the organization up to future generations.

Goehring-Fox is also a wife, the mother of two boys, a special education teacher, a local planning board member, and a volunteer for her son's school, scouts, and her church. In her spare time, she operates her Mary Kay business and loves to read novels and historical fiction, follow politics, and hang out with her family and friends. One of her favorite AAUW membership benefits is the ability to meet friends from all over the country.

Connie Hildebrand
Connie Hildebrand is active with AAUW of North Dakota and the AAUW Bismarck-Mandan (ND) Branch. She holds a master's degree from Columbia University and works as a clinical social worker and lobbyist. Hildebrand has expertise in management, supervision, education, advocacy, and group facilitation. She has served as chair of the public policy committee and is currently serving as secretary in her second term on the board. Hildebrand enjoys reading, writing, music, dance, and the exhilaration of participating in diverse cultures.

Millie Hoffler-Foushee
Millie Hoffler-Foushee is the board's finance vice president and a member of the AAUW Greensboro (NC) Branch. She has served as AAUW of North Carolina's state president and treasurer and as her branch's president and treasurer. She has a master's degree in public administration with an emphasis on finance and has been a tax practitioner for 20 years and in the financial field for more than 40 years. Hoffler-Foushee has also held leadership positions in various volunteer organizations, including the Strategic Planning Committee for Guilford County, the Guilford County Environmental Review Board, the Guilford County Mental Health Board, and the Greensboro Human Relations Commission.

Dave Kirkwood
Dave Kirkwood recently retired from Unisys Corporation, where he held positions in engineering, finance, and manufacturing. He is currently serving a second term on the AAUW board. His AAUW experience includes participation in the final editorial review of the strategic process document; an appointment to the executive search committee, which recommended hiring current AAUW Executive Director Linda Hallman; and two terms on the membership committee. He has served as board liaison to the fundraising committee and chair of the audit committee and the communications working group, which, along with AAUW staff, developed the One Member, One Vote process. He is also a Breaking through Barriers major gifts recruiter and donor.

Dot McLane
Dot McLane is a member of the AAUW Lansdale (PA) Branch and has served as program vice president and president of AAUW of Pennsylvania. She has a doctoral degree in biochemistry from Drexel University. She spent several years in the pharmaceutical industry and is currently a secondary school substitute science teacher. In addition to her work with AAUW, she volunteers for schools and sports organizations in her community.

Betsy McDowell
Betsy McDowell is past president of AAUW of Oregon and a member of the AAUW Salem (OR) Branch, where she served for many years on the leadership team. She is a certified $tart $mart facilitator and is in her second term as an AAUW director-at-large. She has served the board on the finance, long-range plan, member communication, and leadership committees and on the archives task force. McDowell holds a bachelor's of science degree and a doctor of optometry degree from Pacific University and works in a group practice in Salem. New hobbies include English horse riding and golf.

Peggy Williams
Peggy Williams served as the institutional representative to the AAUW board while she was president of Ithaca College. She is highly active in higher education programs, including the American Council on Education Fellows Program, the Fulbright Program, the International Women's Forum, the National Council for Research on Women, and the Governor's Working Group in Vermont. She is also a trustee of St. Michael's College in Vermont. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Toronto, St. Michael's College, a master's degree from the University of Vermont, and a doctoral degree in education from Harvard University. Williams is an accomplished athlete who enjoys sports and travel.