AADC Executive Director Valerie Anderson ’81 Announces Retirement

For the past 13 years, the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College (AADC) has been led by our superbly talented Executive Director Valerie Anderson ’81, who announces her as of December 31, 2024. 

“Please join me in thanking Valerie for her exceptional work and the many achievements that she has brought to our beloved AADC community” says AADC President Lisa Dorio Ruch ’89. “She has forged and nurtured connections and sparked countless relationships on behalf of the AADC during her tenure as Executive Director,” Lisa continued.

Valerie Anderson joined the AADC as our first African American Executive Director in 2011. She was instrumental in guiding the AADC, along with outstanding campaign co-chairs, staff and key alumnae leaders, to achieve the AADC’s greatest fundraising results to date, in the Campaign for Douglass, “Innovative Education, Women’s Leadership,” which surpassed its initial goal and concluded with more than $41 million raised when it ended in 2014.

In 2016 Valerie secured the benefactor to establish the Victoria Dabrowski Schmidt ’42 Workplace and Professional Development Symposium that is now in its 9th year. She brought the vision of two very successful gala events to fruition with the AADC 100th Anniversary Proud History to Bright Future Gala in June 2022, and previously with the 95th Anniversary Forward Together Gala, both with record turnouts.

Valerie also birthed and spearheaded along with a stellar committee, the first and highly innovative and acclaimed 2023 AADC Women’s Conference, with a keynote address by Valerie Jarrett, former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama and current CEO of the Obama Foundation.

In conjunction with the AADC Black Alumnae Network (BAN), Valerie was instrumental in the renaming of BAN’s Jewel Plummer Cobb Sisters Conference, which honors the legacy of the late Dr. Cobb as the first African American Dean of Douglass.

Valerie also helped launch the timely and impactful AADC Excellence in Inclusion and Equity Initiative, seeded through the generosity of an alumna, through which the AADC led discussions on how we can advance equity and inclusion in the context of uncomfortable realities and build on our community’s intrinsic trust. Valerie helped bring renowned authors to speak at AADC lectures, including Rebecca Skloot, author of “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” and Piper Kerman, author of “Orange Is the New Black.”

Valerie has led our organization through challenging times, including during the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. She credits her many accomplishments to the support of her outstanding staff, the Board, and countless volunteers. Valerie is a servant leader, who leads by serving others and focusing on the growth and well-being of the communities to which they belong. Beyond her contributions of her time and talent, Valerie is a generous donor to the AADC Annual Appeal and a supporter of the campaigns the AADC led, and her generosity will help ensure the strength of the AADC initiatives and programs for generations to come.

In 2017, Valerie received the AADC Medal for her work as a key member of the negotiating team that worked on the AADC’s 2016 Agreement with Rutgers Parties. She received the 2018 Sojourner Truth Phenomenal Woman Award from Rutgers Student Affairs. The New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs and Douglass Residential College presented her with the New Jersey Woman of Achievement Award in 2018, and that same year she was inducted into the Rutgers African American Alliance, Inc., Hall of Fame.

In 2022, Valerie was honored for her tireless efforts on behalf of the AADC when she was inducted into the AADC’s most prestigious Society of Excellence. In April 2024, Valerie was named to the Rutgers Alumni Association’s Loyal Sons & Daughters, a prestigious honor bestowed on individuals who have made a significant contribution of service to the Rutgers community.

Due in no small part to Valerie’s tremendous efforts, the AADC is stronger than ever as we look to our bright future! Replacing her will be a challenge, but we have assembled an experienced search team, led by Debra Lynch ’79, PhD. Debbie’s experience as Chair of the 2023-24 Rutgers University Board of Trustees Nominating Committee will be invaluable in identifying our next Executive Director. Also serving on the Search Committee are Tina B. Gordon ’72, Linda Caldwell Epps ’73, Karen McLane Torian ’73, and me, Lisa Dorio Ruch ’89. Debbie currently serves as the AADC’s Vice President for Alumnae Relations, and each member of the team is currently serving or have previously served on the AADC Board. They have decades of experience with the AADC, non-profit leadership, operations, development, and executive search functions.

We join in thanking Valerie Anderson and wishing her a long, healthy and joyful retirement. She spent countless nights and weekends leading AADC meetings, activities and events. Now that her time will be her own, we wish Valerie only the very best as she spends both high quality and quantity time with her family and friends, making beautiful memories with them all.

Valerie has promised to be an active alumna so we will not say goodbye to Valerie, but simply “see you at the next AADC event!” Valerie will always be our beloved AADC sister, and we are grateful for her immeasurable contributions both to the AADC as an organization, and to each of us individually who had the privilege of meeting her, working with her, learning from her, and growing because of her.