Caltech Alumni Association’s Board of Directors and Officers Election - Letter from the CAA Chair

To Caltech Alumni,

As we move forward through 2024, and look toward 2025, the Caltech Alumni Association (CAA) Board of Directors remains dedicated to strengthening alumni bonds and serving the needs of more than 26,000 living CAA Members, inclusive of age, location, and professional and academic background.

Throughout the past year, we have worked to create content and programming for alumni, by alumni, to tailor our activities and initiatives to be relevant and valuable to you. In turn, we have seen consistent growth in alumni participation at CAA events and programs, including our Alumni Weekend + Reunion, Seminar Day, Tables for Techers, regional events, and many more, including:

• 35% increase in alumni event engagement since Fiscal Year 2022
• Alumni engaged from 44 states and 14 countries since Fiscal Year 2022
• Alumni attendees from myriad generations and classes, from the 1940’s to 2024 Graduates – an 80-Year Span
• Caltech’s experiential alumni program engagement ranks in the top 10% among peer institutions

As we continue to grow alumni services and programming that are aligned with the diversity of our alumni community, I am excited to share the Board-Approved Slate of candidates for the CAA’s Board of Directors and Officers. This year’s Board-Approved Slate brings a wealth of experience and expertise, with candidates selected based on the following criteria necessary to continue to bring you strong and relevant programming:

• Dedication to Serving All Alumni
• Proof of Consistent Service and Commitment to the CAA and/or Caltech
• Positive Advocacy and Ambassadorship on Behalf of the CAA and/or Caltech
• Experience in Partnership-Building and Collaborative Leadership

In selecting this year’s slate, the Nomination Committee and Board seek to ensure that the CAA continues to provide meaningful and valuable programming, events, and initiatives designed to engage alumni and alumni families around the world and from all walks of life.

This year’s ballot also includes five self-nominated candidates for Director and two self-nominated candidates for Officer positions, thus necessitating an election. It is important to note that all self-nominated candidates were carefully considered by the Nominations Committee, but ultimately were not selected for appointment to the Board. In addition, the costs necessary to conduct this year’s election have substantially diminished funding for alumni programs and services: namely, the cancellation of two regional alumni events that impacted over 1,000 alumni. By relying on the thoughtfully selected, Board-approved candidates, we will be able to continue our positive collaboration with the Institute to deliver innovative programs that benefit our unique alumni community.

Before you cast your vote, please make sure it is an informed one: as part of the CAA Board Election Process, nominees’ relevant information is available on the CAA website (alumni.caltech.edu/techer-news/2025-caa-board-slate) during the Open Ballot period, which closes on Monday, September 9, 2024 at 6:00 pm (PT). The ten Director candidates and four Officer candidates with the largest number of votes will be officially elected and announced at the Annual Meeting of Members on Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 6:00 pm (PT).

Your vote in this year’s election is vital and will help shape the future direction of our Association as we continue to serve and build a vibrant, inclusive alumni community. Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement.

Cordially,

Jennifer Lee, PhD (PhD ’10) Board Chair, Caltech Alumni Association