Guided by Harvard Business School’s mission to educate leaders who make a difference in the world, the HBS Global Alumni Clubs & Associations Network provides thousands of opportunities to create and strengthen connections among and between HBS alumni as well as with the School. The Network comprises 104 clubs, including shared interest groups (SIGs) and liaisons that produce a wide range of programs and events to engage alumni in lifelong learning, networking, and making a positive impact in their communities.

According to Susan Gold, Director of HBS Alumni Relations, these Network efforts have indeed made a difference. “Last year, alumni participated in 1,400 club events worldwide, donated $14 million worth of time through pro bono initiatives, invested $11 million across more than 450 companies, and awarded 55 HBS scholarships and fellowships,” says Gold.

At HBS, the work of supporting this global alumni network falls to the HBS Alumni Clubs & Associations Team, which provides guidance on programming, governance and operations, facilitates faculty engagement and fosters connection and communication across clubs as well as directly with the School.

The Clubs Team saw some changes recently, says Gold, including a new director in Sarah Stockwell. “I’m delighted to announce that Sarah Stockwell has joined the Alumni Relations team as the new Director of Alumni Clubs & Associations,” says Gold, adding that Stockwell’s arrival this month completes a team of four staff members dedicated to serving clubs, SIGs, and liaisons.

Stockwell joins HBS from Tufts University, where she worked in Career Services and External Relations. Prior to that, she worked at Forrester Research as a senior consultant in learning and growth and human resources. Having lived and worked all over the world, she brings extensive experience in mission-driven roles leading teams and partnering with alumni, faculty and staff. “Sarah’s positive energy, collaborative nature, and thoughtful, strategic approach focused on high impact will serve her well in this new role,” says Gold.

Stockwell says she’s excited to join this international team and have the opportunity to “support and enhance the impact of the HBS Global Alumni Clubs & Associations Network in the communities where alumni live and work.”

“I’m looking forward to serving the clubs in a number of ways,” she says. “We’re here to support the hard work and dedication of club leaders—who volunteer their time and talent to build and sustain this strong alumni network. There are so many different types and sizes of clubs and varieties of programming. One goal will be to streamline and share best practices across the clubs, so they can tap into each other’s ideas, skills, and resources, and won’t need to reinvent the wheel. We’re also thinking about ways to help clubs connect with more recent HBS graduates, who tend to engage differently and want to connect in new ways.”

Another key objective, Stockwell says, will be to foster opportunities for more direct communication across and between the 104 clubs, SIGs, and liaisons, so that her team need only serve as intermediary where needed.

In addition to Stockwell,Kristina Anderson recently joined the team as the new Assistant Director. She brings nearly 15 years of HBS and Harvard experience to her role, having supported the development of HBS Online, and leading the HBS CORe team. Her primary focus is supporting the Alumni New Venture Competition (ANVC), the Global Networking Night (GNN), and faculty-clubs programming, as well as serving as a liaison for clubs.

Nicole Feldner is now the team’s new Manager, following supporting roles for Alumni Relations leadership team and special projects. Her primary focus will be supporting and managing club operations, club communications, the annual registration process, the Club Leadership Conference, and Alumni Board program management.

Vinay Devadanam continues as the Clubs Team’s Associate Director, a role he took on in December 2022 after serving briefly as Assistant Director. He brings experience from innovative roles within Harvard University, New York University, University of Vermont, and Ben & Jerry’s. He will help lead the team on a number of initiatives and programs.

Leaders of Clubs, Associations, SIGs, and liaisons can connect with the team anytime via email at clubsteam@hbs.edu. Alumni seeking to learn more about joining one of these organizations at the dedicated alumni page.

The 2023 Global Networking Night (GNN) takes place on October 25. The annual event features alumni gatherings—some in person, some virtual—hosted by HBS Clubs, SIGs, and liaisons on the same, day around the world. All HBS alumni are invited to this evening of informal networking and engagement, which might take the form of a cocktail mixer, a fireside chat, dinner at a local restaurant, or a special speaker event. This is a fun opportunity to connect with your HBS community. Check with your local club for details or find more information at the GNN homepage.

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