AADC Announces New Executive Director Eileen M. Cotter

On behalf of the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College (AADC) Search Committee, AADC President Lisa Dorio Ruch ’89 announced on December 5, 2024, that Eileen M. Cotter has accepted the position as the AADC’s next Executive Director. The AADC will officially welcome Eileen, the former longtime Director of Development, back to the “cottage” as of January 6, 2025. She will replace Valerie L. Anderson ’81, retiring December 31, 2024, following 14 years of outstanding leadership and vision as Executive Director.   

As many in the AADC community may recall, Eileen was previously employed by the AADC as our Director of Development from 2008 to 2022. In 2022, Eileen left the AADC to become a Philanthropy Officer at Kean University Foundation in New Jersey. Although Eileen is not a Douglass alumna (she graduated from Fairfield University), she is well known and highly regarded by many alumnae, friends, donors and staff due to her 14 years of excellent service to the AADC.

Eileen’s 35 years of experience in non-profit organizations and fundraising will be a huge asset to the AADC as we enter our next 102 years. The Search Committee was extremely impressed by Eileen’s passion for the AADC and its mission, her commitment to women’s leadership, her tremendous experience, her wealth of knowledge about the AADC and our Rutgers/Douglass Residential College community, and the challenges faced by non-profits today. We are truly excited about what Eileen can do for the AADC.

Special thanks to the Search Committee for their stellar efforts. Committee Chair Debbie Lynch ’79 and members Lisa Dorio Ruch ’89, Tina B. Gordon ’72, Linda Caldwell Epps ’73, and Karen McLane Torian ’73, worked closely over a three-month period searching for and meeting numerous exceptional candidates.