Sharon Carver's history with YFU began in 1985 when she went to Belgium for the summer on a Kellogg scholarship. A two-time YFU alumna, she also spent a semester in Australia in 1987. Both times, upon her return, Sharon became involved with the alumni in Michigan, eventually assuming responsibility as the Volunteer Alumni Coordinator for the Michigan Region while in college. After graduating, she switched focus and became a local Area Representative in Michigan. Since then, Sharon has relocated to Boston, where she is currently working with volunteers and the regional office staff to organize alumni in the area. Sharon has an undergraduate degree in Economics and an MBA. She currently works at BankBoston in the Global Treasury Group where she is responsible for helping the Latin American subsidiaries design models to measure their market risk.

Brad Lauman comes to the NAC from the Midwest Region and brings many years of experience in working with YFU in general and alumni in particular. He is a YFU alumnus who went to Venezuela in the summer of 1978. Brad formerly worked in the old regional office in Denver as the American Overseas Coordinator, and also served as the Regional Director in the Midwest Region. After almost four years of being the Regional Director, Brad moved to Rockford, Illinois, where he now lives and works as the Director of International Education for Rockford College, a small private liberal arts college. He has a Master's Degree from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Julia Martin, also an alumna, was an exchange student to the Netherlands for the 1985-86 school year. She began volunteering with YFU in California in 1991, and continued to work with a group of alumni there for the next 6 years. In that time she worked with alumni, American Overseas Students, International Students and their parents, and also acted as Field Manager in San Francisco. In 1997 she relocated to the East Coast, where she currently lives in New York and acts as the co-Field Manager with fellow NAC member Melissa McDonough. Julia was instrumental in organizing the metro NY area's first American Overseas Student Re-Entry Orientation last summer, and will be presenting a session on alumni involvement at the Northeast Region's Volunteer Conference this month. Julia currently works as an analyst at ABN AMRO.

Jodi Shurtleff continues on as a member of the National Alumni Council after being appointed to a vacant seat last year. She comes to us from the Pacific Northwest Region where she has done great work as the NAC Regional Facilitator (RF). Jodi's connection with YFU began in 1987, when she went to France on the year program. She has been a volunteer for the past 6 years doing a variety of things involving alumni, American Overseas Students and International Students. Currently, she is working on an Alumni Reunion for her region, as well as serving as the RF to the Pacific Northwest Region.

Melanie Walton, another YFU alumna, was an exchange student to Uruguay during the summer of 1989. Upon her return she became active with YFU in Midcentral and Gulf States Region, working at Pre-Departure and Re-Entry orientations across the region. In 1991, Melanie was elected president of the Midcentral and Gulf States Region Alumni Association, a position which she held until 1996. She currently lives in Cincinnati, OH. Melanie's plans for the NAC include working with the Ohio Valley Region to strengthen alumni involvement and hold yearly American Overseas Re-Entry orientations.

The National Alumni Council is composed of 15 members, each of whom serve three-year terms. One third of the Council is up for election each year and no member may serve more than two consecutive terms. Elections are held each March. For more information on the National Alumni Council or the other members, please contact NAC Secretary Melissa McDonough or visit our About the National Alumni Council page.

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