Birmingham Alumni Network USA

With nearly 5,000 alumni living in the US, the Birmingham Alumni Network USA was established to foster meaningful connections and create a vibrant community for graduates of the University.

The network organises regular gatherings for alumni across the country as it serves as a platform to reconnect with old friends, expand their professional networks, and engage with new opportunities.

A montage of images of University alumni in various groups across the USA

Key Contacts

Your alumni committee

Co-chairs

Dave Drinkwater (BSc Chemical Engineering 1987) New York City
Maria Velissariou (PhD Biochemical Engineering, 1992) Washington D.C.

Regional leads

Brian Beeston (PhD Material Sciences, 1965) San Diego
James Stamp (BSc Biosciences, 1977;  MSc Plant Biology, 1978; PhD Plant Biology, 1984) Berkeley, California
Alex Sinclair (MBA, 2019) San Francisco
Burak Yazar (MSc International Development, 2016) New York City

Members

British Schools and Universities Foundation (BSUF) representative: Luke Hawkridge (LLB Law, 2009) New York City
Brittany Atkinson (Msc Global Cooperation and Security, 2016) New Mexico
Sonia Boddie (Master of Public Administration, 2012) NYC
Jake Devine (MEng Civil Engineering, 2020) NYC
Stephanie Katz (PhD Philosophy, 2023) New Orleans

Development and Alumni Relations Office

Helen Carey, Head of Philanthropy - North America
Email Helen or call/WhatsApp +44 (0) 7966 179425

Adele Diviney, International Philanthropy Manager
Email Adele or call/WhatsApp +44 (0) 7974 898620

Yimi Liu, International and Events Officer
Email Yimi

News and events

The network sends regular updates to alumni in the States. To ensure you receive our e-newsletters and invitations to events please update your details.

To find out about upcoming events, check out the events calendar and visit the Facebook page.

See photos from recent events on Flickr.

USA Alumni Ambassador Program

Our USA alumni ambassadors are volunteers based across the States, and are there to offer advice and guidance to students and alumni. Whether you're looking for careers advice in a specific industry, or are moving to a new area, take a look at our ambassadors to see how they can help.

Get Involved

US Alumni Ambassador Program

We are creating a new alumni ambassador role for volunteers who would like to actively participate in the alumni community and connect with the University. 

What would an Alumni Ambassador do?

The role could include:

  • Being the local contact for alumni in a particular city or area of the USA
  • Being the local contact for students who are leaving the US to start at Birmingham
  • Welcoming returning alumni and introducing them to the local alumni community
  • Liaising with visiting University staff and academics
  • Offering industry expertise to the wider alumni community
  • Assisting in coordinating an event in your city around the Global Alumni Gathering in May each year

We will provide as much support as possible to ensure the success of this new role. Since this is the first year of the program we will closely monitor its effectiveness for both the Ambassadors and the alumni group. We envision that each Ambassador's term will be for one year to be reviewed and renewed annually if so desired. Please let us know if you would like to hear more about the program.

Giving

Our alumni and friends who are based in the USA can give to the University of Birmingham through BSUF (British Schools and Universities Foundation), a 501(c)(3) charitable organisation that is recognised by the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Helen Carey, Head of Philanthropy - North America works with alumni and friends in North America who would like to give to support our students, research and initiatives. Please contact Helen to discuss the impact you would like your giving to have at Birmingham.