Seven alumni have been selected to serve on Rice University's Association of Rice Alumni (ARA) Board of Directors : Carlin Cherry, Kate Gunn Pagel, LaKeisha Batts, Chloe Oani, Shardee Caesar Douglas, Jim Pyke and Travis Johnson. They begin their three-year terms July 1, when Alicia Burns Wright becomes president of the ARA and Andrew Lin becomes president-elect.
Comprised of 28 members representing diverse experiences, majors and class years, the ARA board plays a vital role in shaping the vision and direction of alumni engagement at Rice, advising the university on alumni interests and strengthening connections between Owls around the world.
"Our ARA board is dedicated to strengthening the lifelong Rice experience for every Owl," said James Hurley, associate vice president for alumni relations. "Each member brings exceptional talent, skills and perspective to ensure our alumni community remains vibrant, connected and engaged. We are grateful for their willingness to serve and excited for the leadership they will bring in the years ahead."
The incoming board leaders and new members bring a wide range of professional expertise and involvement at Rice.
Alicia Burns-Wright '08
Alicia Burns-Wright '08 (president) earned her degree in sociology from Rice before receiving her law degree from Harvard University in 2011. She currently serves on the TikTok Inc. global public policy team. Prior to joining TikTok, she worked at Meta, the Federal Trade Commission and Vinson & Elkins. A dedicated volunteer, Burns-Wright previously served as chair of her class reunion committee, a member of the Annual Giving Steering Committee, an Owl Edge Externship host, a member of Rice Alumni Volunteers for Admission and a member of both the ARA's Recent Alumni Committee and Sallyport Award Committee. Prior to becoming president-elect this year, she served on the ARA board of directors from 2017 to 2020 and on the ARA board nominations committee.
Andrew Lin '02
Andrew Lin '02 (incoming president-elect) earned his bachelor's degree in computer science and economics. Lin has been actively engaged across various alumni communities by organizing networking events, interviewing prospective students through the Rice Alumni Volunteers for Admission and leading initiatives with the Houston regional team. He played a pivotal role in revitalizing the Rice Community of Asian Alumni (RUCAA) affinity group. Lin's contributions span both alumni and campus engagement. He has served as a Lovett College associate and contributed to milestone efforts, including Lovett College's 50th Anniversary celebration and EOLogy: Odell to the Toaster. He also serves on the social sciences advisory board and as senator for the R Association. Lin's volunteer leadership includes co-chairing his 10-, 15- and 20-year reunion giving committees, co-chairing homecoming and reunion in 2017 and serving as president of RUCAA.
Carlin Cherry '19
Carlin Cherry '19 is a senior technical product manager at GitHub where she focuses on AI and supply chain security. A philosophy and economics double major with a business minor, Carlin has remained engaged with the university community through conducting alumni admissions interviews, hosting externships for Rice students at GitHub, serving on her class's five-year giving committee and attending homecoming and Beer Bike.
Kate Gunn Pagel '05
Kate Gunn Pagel '05 is a project and change management leader at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she serves as one of the founding leaders of the clinical project management office, implementing institutional priorities under the direction of the president and chief operating officer. Gunn Patel hosts Rice summer interns at Baylor College of Medicine, served as chair for the Rice Fund Steering Committee, co-chaired her five-,10- and 20-year class reunions and is currently serving as a Lovett College alumni associate and annual giving class volunteer. Beyond her Rice involvement, Gunn Pagel has volunteered with the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo for nearly two decades, including as chair of the magazine committee, and served 14 years with the Junior League of Houston. She brings additional board governance experience from her time as director of board governance at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast and her service as a board fellow for Girls Inc. of Greater Houston.
LaKeisha Batts '02
LaKeisha Batts '02 is the research and operations lead at CAN DO Houston, where she advances health equity by leading community-based research and partnerships across academic, governmental and nonprofit sectors. She earned her doctorate in immunology from Baylor College of Medicine and previously served as a senior scientist in regulatory affairs at Merck & Co. Batts has remained actively connected to the university by serving on the Weiss School of Natural Sciences External Advisory Board, mentoring students in STEM and public health and participating in Rice women's track and field alumni events and R Association activities. A four-year letter winner on the Owls' women's track and field team, Batts is passionate about re-engaging former student-athletes and expanding alumni networks for Rice's communities of color. She and her husband, another Rice alumnus, are proud to continue their family's legacy as their daughter, Sydney, is a sophomore at Will Rice College.
Chloe Oani '21
Chloe Oani '21 has remained deeply connected to Rice by mentoring current students as a Lovett College associate, helping organize retiring College Coordinator Sharon O'Leary's retirement celebration for more than 100 Lovett alumni, supporting the revitalization of RUCAA and co-chairing the Class of 2021's fifth-year reunion committee. Oani brought her love of country line dancing to campus, teaching faculty, staff and students through Wellness Wednesday and homecoming events. Outside of Rice, Chloe served on the board of directors for the Mavericks Dance Foundation and contributes as an application reader for the Point Foundation, supporting LGBTQ+ scholars. A proud queer Filipino-American, she is passionate about creating inclusive spaces and empowering alumni to celebrate the full breadth of their identities and experiences.
Shardee "Shar" (Caesar) Douglas '07
Shardee "Shar" (Caesar) Douglas '07 is a CEO with an extensive career at the intersection of technology, media and marketing, including senior leadership roles in marketing for YouTube and as global head of marketing at TIDAL. Douglas has led large international teams across media, social platforms, gaming and music, bringing a global perspective shaped in part by years living and working across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As a four-year letter winner on Rice's track team, Douglas won three conference championships and served as president of the student athlete advisory committee, representing the Owls at the NCAA national conference. Since graduation, she has maintained uninterrupted giving to the university, served as an alumni admissions interviewer, mentored Rice student-athletes and stayed active in alumni chapters in New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Deeply committed to representation and inclusion, Douglas is a member of the Executive Leadership Council, a premier organization for Black senior executives and board leaders, and brings a powerful network across industries and a passion for advancing Rice's global impact and entreprenJim Pyke '97 eurial ecosystem.
Jim Pyke '97
Jim Pyke '97 is the managing director at TCB Advisors where he leads a boutique consulting practice that partners with corporate executives, investors and innovators to deliver sustained performance and growth through operational excellence and energy transition strategy. Pyke served on the Rice Engineering Alumni (REA) Board, including as president, where he helped launch the nationally recognized REA Summer Engineering Experience, a professional development program whose participants boast a 100% graduation rate from the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing. He also helped secure the naming rights gift establishing the REA Maker Bar in the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen and created and funded the Elizabeth A. Pyke Prize in the history department to support student experiential learning.
Travis Johnson '03
Travis Johnson '03 is a retired technology executive who spent more than 20 years at Accenture, where he led large-scale technology initiatives in the financial services industry and served as director of operations for Accenture's U.S. Innovation Centers, overseeing a more than $100 million annual research and development budget. Johnson returned to Houston in 2017 and has engaged with the university since by volunteering with Rice Alumni Volunteers for Admissions, serving as a Hanszen College associate and co-chairing his Class of 2003 20th reunion. Johnson served as president of the Friends of Fondren Library Board from 2025-26 where he focused on streamlining operations and strengthening communication with members.
Each year, the ARA welcomes nominations for new board members who bring passion, perspective and a commitment to serving the university community. If you know an alum who exemplifies leadership and service, consider submitting a nomination for future board service at https://alumni.rice.edu/board-applications.