Alumni-Elected Trustees

As a prospective member of the Board of Trustees, I respectfully request your support in putting me in a position to lend my unique perspective and expertise to the Wesleyan community that has provided me with so much. It is through Wesleyan that I learned to approach any and all challenges with an open mind and analytical precision, balanced by a perspective rooted in what is best for the many (as opposed to the few). The resources and community made available to me as a student are the reason for my commitment to ensuring that my career path has always been inexorably intertwined with giving back to the community that surrounds me. 

My time at Wesleyan laid the foundation for my career in entertainment and the work I do in my role as the Chief Operating Officer of William Morris Endeavor (WME), a global talent agency. I have consistently used my position to push for future-forward business models and initiatives, promote the amplification of diverse voices, as well as to help aspiring, young professionals develop careers that align their talents with subject matters in which they are passionate to achieve successful careers.  

My commitment to Wesleyan extends beyond nostalgia; I am dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leaders and visionaries. If elected as a Trustee, I will work tirelessly to uphold Wesleyan’s traditions of excellence, fostering an environment where students are encouraged to push boundaries and explore new frontiers, all the while promoting a commitment to the communities that surround us. 

Together, let us continue to shape the future of Wesleyan University, ensuring it remains a beacon of progressive thought and intellectual curiosity for generations to come. Thank you for considering me for the Board of Trustees. 

• COO/Head of Business Affairs at WME (William Morris Endeavor) 
• Advisory Board Member at Ziffren Center for Media, Entertainment, Technology and Sports Law 
• Board member at CAM Foundation 
• Member of Wesleyan’s President’s Council  

It would be a privilege to serve Wesleyan as an Alumni-Elected Trustee. At this critical time in the arc of liberal arts higher education, I am eager to effect strategic change to help Wesleyan unlock the power and passion of the alumni community to strengthen bridges with students and better tap the distinctly diverse perspectives, insights and experiences that distinguish Wesleyan. 

For 16 years, I have worked at Princeton University, building what many consider to be one of the strongest alumni communities globally. I oversee the board of the Alumni Association, working alongside the president and vice president to set priorities aligning alumni and the University. Our 80-member leadership team creates initiatives that foster belonging and unite a broad constituency. Previously, I worked across Princeton’s alumni programs, including Reunions (which brings back 25,000 people every year), classes, regions and affinity groups. 

I’m especially proud of developing a series of conferences targeted to historically underrepresented communities (Black, Latino, Asian, LGBTQ+, and women) who didn’t have a strong sense of belonging while on campus. To provide a bit of perspective, recently over 3,000 alumnae attended a multiday women’s event, with 300+ women having a speaking role. Bringing back unengaged alumnae had a lasting impact, re-igniting their ties to the University and each other. These women became ambassadors for the institution and were eager to find meaningful ways to give back. 

My expertise and experience building community complements the 25 years I spent in commercial banking, consumer brand advertising, innovative marketing and as an entrepreneur creating a successful events and catering company. 

Wesleyan gave me the confidence and knowledge to be a creative problem-solver, act on my ideas, take informed risks and find my truth. I hope to have the opportunity to use my skills and insights to enhance our community and the impact we can have together—for today’s students, for each other, and for Wesleyan. 

• Director, Alumni Council Operations at Princeton University 
• Secretary, Board of Trustees of the Historical Society of Princeton 
• Former Vice Chair, Regional Board of Trustees of Planned Parenthood 
• Former Associate Trustee Board member of McCarter Theater 
• Wesleyan University Service Award Recipient, 2021 
• Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching Committee member 
• Longtime Reunion Committee member 
• Longtime Alumni Admission volunteer 

I am honored to be invited to be a candidate for Alumni-Elected Trustee. Connections with and through Wesleyan have been a recurring theme in my life. As a Trustee, I would draw on these relationships and my long and varied career in consulting, radio broadcasting, technology, and private equity, as well as in music-related endeavors.  

After graduating from Wesleyan in ’74 with both BA and MA in Music, I partnered with classmate Howard Litwak on an extensive research project, “Goin’ to Kansas City,” which culminated in a traveling museum exhibit, media presentations, and a book by the same name (U. of Illinois Press, 1987). I subsequently served as staff ethnomusicologist for the Smithsonian and worked with Alan Lomax to produce a series of Grammy-nominated recordings of traditional music as well as content for the Voyager spacecraft. 

In 1982, after receiving my MBA (Beta Gamma Sigma) from Columbia University, I joined McKinsey and Co. and led the consumer financial services practice. Following McKinsey, I acquired, took public, and sold Broadcasting Partners, Inc., and worked as operator of several companies in the financial services and software industries, in addition to being an operating affiliate with McCown DeLeeuw, a private equity firm. I am now a partner with Contemporary Leadership Advisors, a firm of social scientists focused on leadership development.  

As a committed supporter of the arts, I am currently chair of Young Audiences Inc., having been actively involved since being introduced to the group in 1983. I am also on the boards of City Lore, the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the Osborn, and the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival, founded by Wes classmate Lloyd Komesar. My wife, Jane, and I live in Rye, NY, and are the parents of Nate, Howe (Wes 2012) and Henry. 

I believe in Wesleyan’s unique emphasis on the combination of intellectual rigor, creativity, and collaboration. It would be a privilege to serve as a Trustee and to help Wesleyan continue to thrive. 

• Managing Director, Gallup Hill LLC 
• Partner at Contemporary Leadership Advisors; Windale Group 
• Advisor, Long Point Capital 
• Chair, Young Audiences Arts for Learning, New York, N.Y. 
• Director, former Chair, The Osborn, Rye, N.Y. 
• Director, treasurer, City Lore; National Council for the Traditional Arts; and Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival 
• Longtime Reunion Committee Member 

The first time I left my home country (Jamaica) was the day I flew to the U.S. and went to campus for international students’ orientation. I remember being terrified and unsure of what to expect, but my fears quickly dissipated the moment I set foot on campus, which became my home over the next four years. 

In addition to the top-notch education I received at Wesleyan, which I credit in large part for my professional accomplishments, Wesleyan also instilled in me the importance of community service and giving back. That is in part why I founded a non-profit to provide scholarships to Jamaican high school students from low-income households, and why I’ve dedicated significant time and effort to providing pro bono legal services to indigent individuals. I’m also extremely grateful to Wesleyan because I met the love of my life on campus during our freshman year. 

For these and other reasons, Wesleyan holds a special place in my heart, and I’m keenly interested in helping to preserve and build upon its defining and unique features. As someone who attended Wesleyan as an international student and a scholarship recipient, I believe I have a unique and important perspective to contribute. I’d also welcome the opportunity to leverage my professional expertise as a management consultant and corporate lawyer in service of the wider Wesleyan community. 

•        Senior Associate Attorney, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
•        National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 (2020)
•        Founder & Chair, The Mitchell Education Foundation
•        Wesleyan Class Agent and Fundraising volunteer
•        Former Reunion Committee member
•        Former Wesleyan regional events host
•        Wesleyan senior interviewer and tour guide (2010 – 2011)

My name is Aaron Veerasuntharam, and through my ten years of volunteering for Wes, I have always advocated for underrepresented groups within the University and would do the same as a board member.  

My Wesleyan journey was not conventional: my parents, who fled the Sri Lankan civil war, unfamiliar with "liberal arts" or Wesleyan, were skeptical when I was admitted. Despite their doubts, we all eventually saw Wes as where I belonged. Wesleyan instilled a limitless sense of possibility in me—to study broadly, embrace diverse interests, and aim for impactful change. Ultimately, I found my voice at Wesleyan and learned to speak out in accordance with my values. Having experienced this transformation, I'm eager to help others access similar opportunities.   

To that end, I currently serve on the Alumni of Color Council, the Alumni Association Executive Committee and as chair of the Asian Pacific American Alumni Council. I've supported diversity, one of Wesleyan's biggest strengths, by hosting events, leading orientation sessions, and facilitating in-person career workshops for first-generation and low-income students with the Gordon Career Center. Additionally, I helped organize my class's five-year reunion and am currently co-organizing my ten-year reunion while fundraising as a Class Agent.  

Having served in numerous alumni leadership roles, I am driven to become a Trustee to further my commitment to service. By working within the Board's committees, including University Relations and Campus Affairs, I would aspire to highlight voices that are important to be represented on the Board and in Board-level discussions.  

• Sustainability Manager in Cisco's Chief Sustainability Office 
• MBA from University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business 
• Member, Alumni Association Executive Committee and Alumni of Color Council  
• Chair, Asian Pacific American Alumni Council 
• Class Fundraising volunteer 
• Reunion Committee Member 
• Speaker, Gordon Career Center and the Resource Center 
• Mentor and keynote speaker, First-Things-First FGLI Orientation Program  

Looking back over the past 20 years, I realize that my accomplishments would not have been possible without the liberal arts education I received at Wesleyan. This education instilled in me a sense of duty to serve others, rather than focusing solely on personal gain. Now, I feel compelled to give back: to offer my time, resources, and energy in support of the alma mater that I am immensely proud to be associated with.  

I am eager to serve on the Board of Trustees because it was at Wesleyan that I discovered my voice and my passion for service to others. Hearing about the Wesleyan African Scholars Program filled me with joy and nostalgia, knowing that such opportunities were not available during my time as a student. I spent my first two years of college in Iowa before transferring to Wesleyan for my final two years due to financial constraints. Every decision I made during my college years was influenced by my family’s financial situation. Had programs like the Wesleyan African Scholars Program existed back then, my collegiate experience might have been vastly different. As confirmed a member of the Board, I would be committed to ensuring that current and future students have access to opportunities that I didn’t, and that financial barriers do not limit their potential.  

Furthermore, as one of the first African women, or possibly the first, on the Board, and with my extensive global experiences, I am eager to bring a diverse and inclusive perspective, through the lens of a minority group that has the power to contribute much more than we are given the opportunity to. I remember my time on campus that allowed me to interact with Trustees who played a significant role in shaping the institution and my future. Now, I aspire to be among those who contribute to guiding Wesleyan towards greater heights. 

• CEO of Ghana Enterprises Agency 
• Reunion Committee member 
• Former Alumni Admission volunteer  
• Class fundraising volunteer, Senior Class Gift