AAUW Announces New Members of Its Board of Directors
Washington, D.C. – AAUW welcomes six new leaders to its national Board of Directors, each dedicated to advancing equity for women and girls. The Board of Directors guides AAUW’s strategic direction and ensures the organization fulfills its mission to advance equity, making these appointments vital to our work and impact.
“AAUW is honored to welcome these new leaders to its Board of Directors,” said Gloria L. Blackwell, AAUW CEO. “At AAUW, we believe that leadership rooted in equity transforms communities and creates lasting change. I am inspired by the passion and vision our new board members bring, and I look forward to working alongside them to advance opportunities for all women and girls.”
AAUW’s New Board Members
Patricia Ashe
Patricia (Pat) Ashe spent her career in leadership positions in for-profit and nonprofit hospitals across the United States. She worked with thousands of women on issues including pay inequity, discrimination, human resources concerns, and changes to state and national regulatory requirements. Pat participated in major hospital mergers, strategic planning initiatives, and management of multi-million-dollar budgets. She joined AAUW Asheville in 2007 and has served in multiple branch and state leadership roles, including North Carolina State President and chair of the state Public Policy Committee. She also serves as AAUW Asheville/GEM President and is active with the ERA-NC Alliance and several local nonprofits. Pat holds a BSN from Fort Hays State University and a master’s degree from Arizona State University.
Sandra Gabe
Sandra (Sandi) Gabe is a seasoned leader with experience helping organizations navigate change, strengthen alignment, and expand their impact. She has been actively involved with AAUW at both the branch and state levels, including serving as President of AAUW California, where she focused on communications, organizational alignment, and outreach during a period of transition. Professionally, Sandi held senior leadership roles at UnitedHealthcare, Kaiser Permanente, and Catholic Healthcare West, leading large-scale initiatives in strategy, organizational design, and operations. She is known for guiding organizations through change, aligning stakeholders, and delivering sustainable results. Sandi also contributes to nonprofit and civic efforts in her community that focus on communication, engagement, and meaningful outcomes.
Malinda Gaul
Malinda Gaul is the senior partner at Gaul and Dumont, an employment law firm primarily representing employees. Malinda is a Fellow with the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).
Cynthia Hall
Dr. Cynthia (Cindy) Hall served as President of AAUW Pennsylvania for two terms from 2022 to 2026. Prior to serving on the state board, Cindy was Co-President of AAUW State College for two terms and served on the AAUW National Nominating Committee for several years. She is currently Co-Chair of the AAUW 2026 Atlantic States Regional Conference. Cindy previously served as Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications and Chief Marketing Officer at Pennsylvania State University, where she oversaw major branding and identity initiatives and taught public relations to senior undergraduate students. She attended the Management Development Program at the Harvard Institutes of Higher Education and has been a frequent presenter for organizations including Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, Association for Public and Land-Grant Universities, American Marketing Association, and American Educational Research Association. She holds a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University.
Kathleen Marrs
Dr. Kathleen Marrs has served on the AAUW Governance Committee since 2023. She is Professor of Biology at Indiana University Indianapolis, where her research focuses on science education and high-impact teaching practices that expand student success. She has held leadership roles, including Vice President of the Indianapolis Faculty Council, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the School of Science, and Director of UCASE, the Urban Center for the Advancement of STEM Education. In these roles, she led and secured major NSF-funded initiatives to strengthen STEM education and student success. Kathleen is committed to mentoring women, particularly in STEM fields, and advises organizations including Undergraduate Women in Science, Women4Change@IU, and the American Medical Women’s Association. She also serves community organizations, including Women4Change Indiana, Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, and the Good Trouble Coalition.
Ana Nygren
Ana Nygren has served as President and Executive Director of the John and Helen Murphey Foundation since June 2005. In this role, she has led the organization through strategic planning and oversees all financial operations for the multi-million-dollar private foundation dedicated to expanding access to higher education. She also serves on several boards, including the Pima Community College Foundation and the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona.
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AAUW (American Association of University Women) is the nation’s leading organization for equity in higher education and women’s economic empowerment.
Founded in 1881 by women who defied society’s conventions by earning college degrees, AAUW has since worked to increase women’s access, opportunity, and equity in higher education through research, advocacy, and philanthropy of over $140 million, supporting thousands of women scholars. Learn more at aauw.org.
