board Candidates 2024-2025
Vote for the volunteers who serve the UVA community in NYC.
* Names with the asterisk are current board members.
2024–2025 Board of Directors Candidates
Alicia Bochi has been living in New York City since graduating from the College with a BA in Art History in 1994 – when she first joined the Virginia Club of New York.
She first worked in Finance for Lehman Brothers and JPMorgan and then returned to earn her MA in Modern Art and the Art Market at Christie’s Education. She has been working since as a freelance Contemporary Art Advisor.
Currently, Alicia is a Residential Real Estate Advisor with Elegran/Forbes Global Properties focusing primarily in the Manhattan and Brooklyn markets. Prior to this, Alicia served as Associate Director of Development for the McIntire School of Commerce for 5 years. Alicia raised her family and continues to live on the UES. She enjoys pedaling around Central Park or on the Peloton #VirginiaClubofNY leaderboard tag! (find her @artintheapple). On weekends, you can find her gallery hopping or attending stand up comedy and live music events. She also volunteers for God’s Love We Deliver in her spare time.
Alicia is a member of the Events Committee and enjoys STUDIO programming. She looks forward to enhancing traditional Virginia Club events and creating new experiences for members.
Andrew Kirwin graduated from the University of Virginia in 1988 with a BA in History and received his law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City in 1992. Andrew has helped guide the Virginia Club as a Board Member since the mid 90s. As one of the first Virginia alumni to join the clubhouse, Andrew has helped us sustain a healthy relationship with the Yale Club. Andrew currently serves as a Vice President of the Board and runs the Virginia Club’s monthly Business Forum Networking Breakfasts. Beginning in 2011, he has helped pilot the Club’s partnership with College Bound Initiative, an organization that places college guidance counselors in underserved schools in the New York City region. Andrew is also a committee member of the Glenn D. Kirwin Scholarship which supports a scholarship at the University of Virginia that honors his brother Glenn D. Kirwin. Glenn was a 1982 graduate of the University who lost his life in the tragic events of September 11, 2001. The scholarship is awarded annually to one or more third or fourth year students whose character and involvement in University life most resemble Glenn’s.
Belen graduated from UVa in 2021 with a degree in Computer Science and Cognitive Science. During her time at UVa, she was involved in APO and volunteering through Madison House, and loved getting to explore Charlottesville and the surrounding area. Belen has lived in New York since graduation, and works as a software engineer for Mastercard. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, exploring new coffee shops and restaurants in New York, and soccer (both playing and spectating).
A social member since she moved to the city, Belen looks forward to continuing her participation in many of the Club’s events, including attending panel events and volunteering with other members, along with the annual holiday and spring parties.
Catherine Melley graduated from the College of Arts & Sciences in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Foreign Affairs and a minor in Art History. She spent a semester studying abroad at the University of Virginia Valencia program in the fall of 2018. During her time at the University, Catherine held leadership positions in First Year Players, Spectrum Theater, Days on the Lawn, and Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority. She also worked at Ragged Mountain Running Shop on the Corner for all four years. Catherine moved to New York City in 2022 to work at Goldman Sachs where she is on the Marketing and Communications team within the Global Banking & Markets division. She is involved in (too) many books clubs, most notable the UVA community book club, and loves spending her free time exploring restaurants or catching the latest Broadway musical.
Christian graduated with a B.A. from the College of Arts & Sciences in 2004, majoring in Foreign Affairs and Religious Studies. While at UVA, he was a member of the Virginia Gentlemen, The University Guide Service, and Resident Staff, and he also served as the Entertainment Chair and a Trustee for the Class of 2004. A native Georgian, Christian first moved to New York in 2007 and is an active member of the Virginia Club of New York, attending as many lectures, panels, forums, and social and sporting events as he can throughout the year. He first joined the board in 2017, and he sits on numerous board committees and serves as co-chair of WahooLaw.
A recovering corporate lawyer, Christian graduated from NYU Law School in 2010, clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and practiced with Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP in both New York and London. A passionate advocate for legal technology and innovation, he is the founder and CEO of Lega, a software platform helping law firms and other enterprises safely test, assess, and adopt generative AI. He also organizes the NY Legal Tech Meetup (an 1,800-member community working to build an open, informed, and supportive NYC-based legal innovation ecosystem) and Insipre.Legal™️ (a collaborative mission to better understand and define the most pressing problems facing the legal industry). When not hunched over a laptop or geeking out over legal tech, he can usually be found riding bikes, screaming at an Arsenal match, or reveling at a trad or bluegrass session around town.
Clare graduated from the University in 2014 with a double major in psychology and French and was a member of the varsity tennis team. A native Virginian and a diehard Wahoo, Clare moved to NYC just after graduation to work in the arts and immediately connected with the Virginia Club. She now works as a full time artist: a painter, working in oil and watercolor, with a studio in downtown Manhattan (and always accepting studio visitors). She sets her love of the arts in motion as a co-chair of the STUDIO Arts Committee and is also on the Hoos in Entrepreneurship committee, ticking off all interest boxes: the arts, entrepreneurship, UVA, and NYC.
Along with the terrific events that the STUDIO and HiE committees put on, Clare also enjoys reaching out to prospective UVA students in the NYC area, dancing at the Holiday Party, and sipping a glass of vino on the Yale Club rooftop in the summer with fellow alumni.
Dillon graduated from the School of Architecture in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and a minor in Global Sustainability. An avid photographer, he served as the Photography Editor for the Cavalier Daily before joining the UVA Athletics team as a Photography Intern. He was also a member of the Jefferson Literary & Debating Society, the American Institute of Architecture Students, and co-founded RestoreUVa to raise funds for Rotunda Restoration. A licensed architect, Dillon serves as Director of Construction for Kering, a luxury group headquartered in Paris. His team designs and builds luxury boutiques and corporate offices for the Group around the world.
Since moving to New York City after graduation, Dillon has been a dedicated member of the Virginia Club softball team and loves attending Alumni panels and lectures hosted by the Club. He loves any opportunity to get together with his fellow Wahoos for a drink, a laugh, or a chance to sing the Good Old Song.
Dylan Fogarty graduated from the College of Arts & Sciences in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Economics, then returned to earn an M.S. in Commerce from the McIntire School of Commerce in 2016. During his time at the University, Dylan held leadership positions on Class Council and Trustees, Hoo Crew, Lighting of the Lawn Committee, First Year Players, and Project SERVE. He also worked as an employee (and Elite member) at The Virginian Restaurant and served as a graphic design intern for Virginia Athletics. Currently, Dylan serves as co-chair for the Virginia Club of New York’s Membership & Marketing Committee and a Vice President on the Executive Board.
In 2016, Dylan traded his Virginia home for the hustle and bustle of New York City. Previously, he was a Managing Partner at Decoded, a digital & data education company. Now, he heads the Partner Success team at Rize Education, a startup in the higher education space, which assists smaller liberal arts institutes in offering more competitive programs. When not working, Dylan enjoys traveling, reading, and sipping coffee. You can often find him at American Whiskey for a UVA game watch or actively participating in our UVA community book club.
Holly graduated with a B.A. from the College of Arts & Sciences in 2008 with a degree in Economics. Since moving to NYC right after graduation, she has been an active social member of the Virginia Club. Her favorite events include the diverse alumni panels, seasonal alumni parties, and community service opportunities. Holly has been an active board member for the last year and is co-chair of the Membership & Marketing Committee. Holly is currently a Marketing Director but spent the first decade of her career in retail buying & consumer marketing – working for VTS, People Magazine, Time Inc., and Macy’s. In her free time she enjoys boxing, spin classes, and running – she is currently training for the 2024 NYC Marathon. She also is an avid baker and loves to explore all the bakeries that NYC has to offer. Be sure to ask for her favorite spots!
James graduated from UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce in 2017 with concentrations in Finance, Management, and Real Estate. While at UVA, James served as the player-coach for the Men’s Club Lacrosse team and treasurer for the Chi Phi fraternity. James lives in New York City where he is working on his startup, Hyde Belt Company, a clothing accessory e-commerce brand focused on belts. James also works in Real Estate for ASG Equities, a family office investment firm. James enjoys sailing, water sports, and DIY projects (candle making, furniture woodworking, etc) and he also serves on the planning committee for the Hoos in Entrepreneurship Community of Interest.
Born and raised in New York City, James ended up at UVA on a whim and with some coercion from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland (it’s a long story). By time he graduated in 2014, James majored in Mathematics with a financial mathematics concentration, volunteered regularly as an EMT/Ambulance Driver for the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad, worked as a Resident Advisor in first year dorms, and discovered his love of dancing through the Ballroom Dance and University Salsa Clubs. James has worked at AIG since graduating and is currently a part of their Mergers & Acquisitions Insurance group as an M&A Underwriter. His interests include Film, Television, Performing Arts, Literature, Social Dancing, MMA, F1, and Comedy. In 2023, James decided he wanted to be more involved in the Virginia Club of New York and is now an active member of the Book Club and Events Committee, respectively. Although he can be seen at many different Club events throughout the year, his favorite seasonal event has been volunteering for the NYC Marathon.
Jane graduated from UVA in 2020 with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Business Spanish. After graduation, she relocated to New York City. Jane serves as the Events Committee chair for the Virginia Club of New York, and she is dedicated to connecting fellow Wahoos with all that NYC has to offer. During her time at UVA, she held leadership roles with the Women’s Business Forum at McIntire and Madison House’s Youth Mentoring program.
Jane currently works for UBS as a Wealth Strategy Associate. Prior to joining UBS, she started her career in the financial services industry with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring new restaurants, skiing, and fashion.
John graduated from the School of Architecture in 1992 and has been a resident of New York and active member of the club over the years since moving to the city in 1999 to get his MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business– all the while staying in close contact with fellow Wahoos from his home base in Chelsea – including his 3rd year nephew.
Today, John is a senior advisor for the health & wellness technology company, Delos and offers his real estate expertise to a variety of other product and services companies. John has served as a Virginia Club of New York Board Member for the past 5 years and has actively participated in several club committees and events over time, such as the Grants Committee, the “Hoos in the Know?” panel series, and has enjoyed welcome events for newly admitted students and those graduating and moving to New York. John’s goals for Virginia Club of New York include the continuation of his support for incredible programming already in place and building on the important philanthropic work of the Club.
Joshua G. Holmes currently serves as Co-Treasurer of the Virginia Club Board of Directors. Upon completion of his term as President in 2014, the Board reelected him Treasurer. He is also a member of Yale Club governance – serving as an observer on the Membership & Marketing Committee. He also contributes to multiple committees & groups, including: Hoos Hungry, Book Club, Events, and Grants. Joshua’s first introduction to the Club came through softball in Central Park; you will still find him in orange socks at shortstop co-captaining our team on most summer Sundays.
Joshua spends his days supporting roughly 270 charter schools across all five boroughs for the NYC Department of Education. Previously, he served as a Policy Advisor for Senator Cory A. Booker while he was Mayor of the City of Newark, New Jersey. While in Newark, he received his Masters in Public Administration from Rutgers-Newark. Prior to joining government, Joshua worked in the publishing industry; his final stop within the industry was at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), where he primarily focused on the circulation of its stalwart publication, Foreign Affairs.
Upon graduating from UVA’s Batten School in 2015 with her Master’s in Public Policy, Juliana moved to New York to serve as the Virginia Club’s Executive Director through 2017. Throughout her time at the Virginia Club, she helped launch the Hoos Hungry Community of Interest and the Grants Committee. Her favorite events are panels that highlight our amazing alumni community and community service outings. She currently serves as Vice President of the Board and on the Events Committee.
Originally from Cali, Colombia, Juliana is a double Hoo, having also received a B.A. in Anthropology from the College in 2014. During her time at the University, she was involved with the University Dance Club, Peer Mentoring Program for Latino and Hispanic Students, and Class Council. She is a Class of 2014 Trustee and also holds a Master of Science in Organizational Change Management from The New School. Following 4 years in human capital and talent management consulting, Juliana joined Thrive Global in July 2021. Thrive is the leading behavior change technology company founded by Arianna Huffington in 2016 with the mission to end the stress and burnout epidemic. At Thrive, she is a Principal Customer Success Manager where she works with large enterprises to help employees improve well-being, performance, and mental resilience.
Justine Gozzi is an active member of the Virginia Club and served on the Board last year. She serves as a co-chair of the WahooLaw Networking Committee. Justine plays on the Alumni Softball team, participates with the Book Club, volunteers with Story Pirates, CavsCares, attends STUDIO events, lectures, and much more. Justine is very passionate about UVA and her various activities allows her to interact with a diverse group of UVA Alumni, which provides an avenue for your thoughts/ideas be conveyed to the Board. Justine graduated from the School of Engineering and Applied Science (Civil Engineering) at UVA in 2004, and from Brooklyn Law School in 2007. She is a Special Counsel at Baker Botts LLP and registered patent attorney. She practices all aspects of intellectual property law and counsels clients on due diligence, freedom to operate, patentability, licensing and litigation concerns. Justine also is on the Board of the Foundation for the Advancement of Diversity In Intellectual Property Law, a scholarship foundation. Justine lives in the Upper West Side with her husband, son, and daughter.
Lorna Zhen graduated from UVA in 2007 with a B.A. in History and Economics and a minor in Art History. Following Charlottesville, she attended law school at Boston University School of Law, graduating in 2010. After spending a hippie year in Oregon, Lorna moved to New York City in 2011. She currently serves as a Senior Supervising Attorney for the New York Legal Assistance Group, representing domestic violence victims in divorce and family litigation in New York City.
As a Board Member for the Virginia Club of New York for the past ten years and the 2020-2022 President, Lorna helped found the new Hoos Hungry Affinity group which has organized restaurant and food tasting and cooking events. Her favorite Virginia Club events include Admitted Students Social, Hoos New to New York, the Spring Party, and the Holiday Party. Lorna spends her free time illustrating, experimenting with recipes, visiting museums, and turning her apartment into a greenhouse.
Margo graduated from the College in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in History and minor in Religious Studies. At UVA, she was a Class of 2016 Trustee, played for the Women’s Club Lacrosse team, and served as the Co-Chair of Transfer Student Peer Advisers, working closely with the Office of Orientation and New Student Programs to help transfer students better assimilate into University life. Of course, she was regularly seen at JPJ or Scott Stadium cheering on the Hoos! Margo currently works for AIMCo in the Private Debt & Loans group. Prior to AIMCo, she spent ~seven years at Barclays Investment Bank working in Leveraged Finance Capital Markets in both New York City and London.
Margo just completed her second year on the Board. She continues to appreciate the importance of the UVA community on both a personal and professional level. Whether it is attending the Holiday Party, playing softball in Central Park or listening to lectures by Professors at the Yale Club, she’s looking forward to continuing to enhance the social and professional alumni network. The newest move… HOOS Walking!
Mark Weber has been an active part of the Virginia Club of New York’s Board of Directors for over a decade and tries to help in whatever way is needed. Most of his efforts have been organizing community service events and summer softball in Central Park, but he is often caught lending a hand along with good spirit for various other Club events including the annual Mr. Jefferson’s Holiday Party, during which he organizes the Winter Coat Drive. Mark is currently the Co-Chair of both the Community Service and Grants committee, a group that organizes an average of two volunteer opportunities per month. He has an MBA in Health Care Administration and in his day job manages development of medical software and databases for Solventum Health Information Systems. Wahoowa!
Melissa graduated from UVA in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Math and Economics. At UVA, she focused her time on building community through her involvement with the University Programs Council and Class of 2016 Trustees. Her passion for creating shared experiences through event planning translated well upon moving to NYC, where she has enjoyed her roles as a Virginia Club of New York Board member, Yale Club Young Members Committee representative, and former Events Committee co-chair. Her favorite memories are the Stone Barns visit, summer Wahoo Wednesday happy hours, and of course, Mr. Jefferson’s Holiday Party.
Professionally, Melissa spent five years working in corporate strategy and finance in New York before pursuing her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and is happy to be back in the city with Boston Consulting Group. In her free time, Melissa enjoys rollerblading along the Hudson River, discovering delicious seafood dishes, and planning her next travel adventure.
Michael graduated from the School of Engineering and Applied Science in 2003 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a minor in Biomedical Engineering. Following graduation, Michael moved to New York where he has lived, off and on, for the last twenty years. He currently lives on the Upper West Side with his wife, son, and daughter. While in NYC, Michael has been a social member of the Virginia Club of New York and enjoys spending time with his fellow Hoos not only at game watches and professional panels but also at volunteer activities. Michael is a new board member of the Virginia Club. Prior to attending UVA, Michael began his career in the United States Navy as a nuclear mechanic and lab technician. In 2011, after years in the engineering design and construction industry, Michael decided to move to Madrid, Spain for his MBA. Today, Michael is the Principal and Founder of Edson Advisors, LLC, a real estate consulting and project management firm, focused on large infrastructure projects.
Mike graduated from UVA in 2006 majoring in Economics and Foreign Affairs. Mike enjoyed attending all UVA sporting events as an avid fan during his time as a student. He then graduated from Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2009. Because of his then girlfriend (and now wife) who is an alumna of UVA (COMM ’08), he moved to New York City to practice law. He spent approximately 10 years in the private practice of law focusing on all forms of litigation with a specialty in commercial litigation. Recently, Mike accepted an in-house counsel role with a small IT company that provides the Department of Defense services and software solutions.
Mike is a regular at the monthly Business Forum Breakfasts and other social events. During his spare time, he and his wife enjoy traveling, fine wine, and participating in and watching sports, especially the Hoos!
Miles graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2013 with a BA in Economics and commissioned as an Infantry Lieutenant through the Army ROTC program. He has lived in New York as an active member of the UVA Club since 2019, and is a regular at the clubhouse. On the professional side, Miles has served in the Army since 2013, both full time on active duty with the 101st Airborne Division and part time with the New York Army National Guard since 2017. He graduated from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth in 2019, and has served in a variety of business roles since then, including 2 years with Deloitte as a management consultant, and 3 years as the Chief of Staff at a health-tech startup called H1. Miles remains involved with UVA, serving on the board of the Glenn Kirwin and Quent Alcorn scholarships, and the Theta Chi Xi Chapter alumni corporation.
Noa Kipnis graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in Political & Social Thought. While at the University, Noa held leadership positions in the University Guide Service and within the Jewish community through the Brody Jewish Center. She was also a Legal Intern at the Women’s Center. Noa moved to NYC to work at the Fair Housing Justice Center, a civil rights nonprofit that works to eliminate housing discrimination. Since moving, she has loved attending VA club events but especially appreciated traveling to Charlottesville with some members of the current board for Hoos Headed to New York. Witnessing first-hand the board’s continued passion and investment in the UVA community solidified her desire to be on the board, too! Noa is a huge foodie and has enjoyed eating her way through NYC. She also loves reading, going to comedy shows, and running in Prospect Park.
Olivia graduated from UVA in 2023 with a BA in English-Poetry Writing and Biology. At UVA, she was involved in Flux Poetry and Spoken Word Club, Peer Health Educators, Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity, and the Raven Honor Society. After graduation, Olivia moved to New York City to work as a public health research assistant at Weill Cornell Medicine. In her role, she is studying how tree planting can help cool down urban environments in the summer.
Since moving to New York City, she has attended a variety of UVA Club events including the New York City marathon, the Spring Party, the Admitted Students celebration, and any STUDIO event! Her favorite events have been those catered to current New York City high school students — she loves talking about her experiences at UVA as a recent grad!
Outside of the Club and work, you can find Olivia exploring one of the many parks in New York City or helping out her roommate— UVA Club Executive Director Camille Kielbasa.
Sarah is a double Hoo and has lived in NYC since 2010. At UVA, she stayed busy through her involvement with the University Guide Service, Madison House Board of Directors, School of Nursing Class Council, Class of 2008 Trustees and Chi Omega sorority. After graduating from the School of Nursing, she worked at Columbia University on a Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s disease study before joining Sakara, a health and wellness company, based in New York City. She worked at Sakara for nine years as the Director of Client Experience and graduated with her Executive MBA from Darden in May 2023. At Darden, Sarah served as the Executive Vice President of her class and completed the GEMBA program. She recently joined Atria, a medical concierge practice in New York City, as the Head of Member Experience.
Sarah served as a Reunion Giving Co-Chair for her 10 and 15 year undergrad reunion as well as a Reunion Co-Chair for her Darden first-year reunion. She looks forward to her continued participation in UVA Club events in NYC and is on the planning committee for the Darden NYC club chapter. In her free time, Sarah enjoys walking or running in Central Park, trying new restaurants, planning her next trip and listening to health and wellness podcasts.
Sarah is a Double ‘Hoo and native New Yorker who has been involved in the Club since finding the softball team while still an undergrad. You can still find her on the field most summer Sundays, now as a co-captain. Outside of a short post-Darden stint in management consulting, Sarah has spent most of her career in startups and high-growth companies working at the intersection of tech and operations. She’s fiercely proud of having weathered both the great recession and Covid from within the travel industry and currently leads Data and Growth for Fora Travel, working to empower the next generation of travel agents (yes – travel agents!).
Sarah is the [outgoing] as President of the Virginia Club. Other than at the softball field, you can find her out and about on her bike, doing DIY projects in her apt, or cooking.
Stephen graduated from UVA’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences with a degree in Biomedical Engineering in 2022. At UVA, Stephen was focused on connecting first years and the community of UVA as a Resident Advisor in Cauthen and Shannon as well as providing some musical revelry as a Trumpet Section Leader in the Cavalier Marching Band at all basketball and football games. Some of the highlights of his time at UVA included volunteering at the UVA Children’s Hospital, performing neonatal kidney research and watching UVA sports of all kinds with friends.
After experiencing the thrills and joy of UVA and Charlottesville, Stephen returned home after graduation to the familiar hustle and bustle of New York where he grew up. He currently serves as a Research Technician in the Gonda Lab at the NYU School of Medicine researching pancreatic cancer and epigenetic therapies to combat it. Beyond work Stephen loves all UVA and NY sports, loves hiking and exploring Long Island and the rest of New York and discovering the best restaurants around the city. He is also an avid member of the UVA book club (where he voraciously reads every book), enjoys catching the sun during summer softball or can be found at American Whiskey cheering on the Hoos.
2023–2025 Executive Director
Camille Kielbasa (Col ’23)
Camille is from Charlottesville and graduated from the College in 2023, where she majored in Media Studies and minored in English. At UVA, Camille had leadership roles on the University Programs Council, the Women’s Leadership Development Program, Student Affairs, and was the Warner Brothers campus ambassador.
As Executive Director of the Virginia Club, Camille works full-time for the Club, managing membership recruitment and retention and executing the Club’s slate of programming, alongside her wonderful team of Board Members. Her favorite event thus far has been the ASchool Panel on Women in Design, where she got to hear from inspiring working mothers in with Architecture careers!
In her free time, she loves trying new restaurants, going to Book Club, watching movies, and cooking.
