“We are proud to have such a diverse and committed alumni board,” said Adrienne Bass, director of alumni relations for Oakland University. “We look forward to the contributions our board members provide, now with both a national and international foundation.”
The OUAA Board of Directors is a volunteer, 24-member body that offers advice and collaboration on matters relating to Oakland University alumni. The board governs the OUAA and provides counsel to the alumni relations office, president of Oakland University, the division of university relations and the Oakland University Board of Trustees. Members of the OUAA Board of Directors are distinguished individuals in their professional careers, community involvement and their dedication to the advancement and promotion of Oakland University.
Aman Awan
Aman Awan, a 2001 graduate of the School of Business Administration with a degree in finance, is currently an account executive for Hartford Life in Farmington Hills, a position he has held since March. Prior to joining Hartford Life, he worked with Citizens Charter One (CCO) Investment Services in Southfield, where he was cited as the number one insurance wholesaler for CCO Investment Services in 2006. An avid outdoorsman, Awan stays active in a variety of adventure sports as a member of the Southern Michigan Adventure Club.
Joseph T. Davidson
Joseph Davidson brings nearly 40 years of outstanding journalistic experience to the OUAA Board of Directors. Currently an assistant city editor at the Washington Post, Davidson’s career in journalism has been marked with distinction, beginning at the Detroit News and including service as a foreign correspondent with the Wall Street Journal for 13 years, management positions with Emerge magazine and the National Leader, and as a broadcast news analyst for CNBC, CNN, PBS and BET. Matching his commitment to professional achievement, Davidson contributes his success back into the community and the profession, having been one of the founding members of the National Association of Black Journalists in 1975 and serving as an adjunct professor of journalism at Howard University and Temple University. His career has been cited through reception of the Founders Medal of the National Association of Black Journalists, the Society of Professional Journalists’ Award, as a Pulitzer Prize juror, and as the winner of Oakland University’s Wilson Award. He received his bachelor’s degree from Oakland University in 1971 and a master’s degree in public administration and public policy from the University of Michigan.
Gregory T. Grabowski
Gregory Grabowski currently serves as president and chief executive officer of Leader Dogs for the Blind, a service organization that enhances the lives of visually disabled persons headquartered in Rochester. His career has been consistently centered around advancement and development for worthy non-profit organizations, most significantly Hospice of Michigan and the National Hospice Foundation. Grabowski, a 1991 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, was named one of the “40 Under 40” in Crain’s Detroit Business in 2005.
The Honorable Michael W. Michalak
Michael Michalak has more than 30 years of experience in the diplomatic corps of the United States. Sworn in as United States Ambassador to Vietnam in August 2007, Michalak’s career in foreign affairs has made him an expert in Asian relations. Prior to his current appointment, he was appointed Ambassador Designate to Japan in 2005, and has held high-ranking positions in Australia, Pakistan, China and domestically. He received his master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University, and he holds degrees in physics from the Catholic University of America and Oakland University (1968). His service to Oakland University has been strong despite his global deployments, serving as the annual Ambassador for the Leonard Woodcock Legacy Seminar and assisting Oakland University students through the Guizhou exchange program.
Teresa Stayer
A 1984 graduate in physical therapy from the School of Heath Sciences at Oakland University, Teresa Stayer is the owner and vice president of Spectra Med Incorporated, a West Bloomfield company. Found in 1987, Spectra Med provides home healthcare equipment and physical therapy services. Stayer has also served as director of rehabilitation for Pontiac General Hospitals. She has remained an active member of her profession through numerous professional associations, including the Michigan Physical Therapy Association and service to the Oakland University School of Health Sciences Advisory Board.