NEW YORK - ColoradoDesk -- Cultural Vistas, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has facilitated skill-building international exchange programs since 1963, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ann-Janette (A.J.) Fuentes Twombly; Philip C. Lauinger, Jr.; Dr. N. Joyce Payne; Susan Stella; and Zali Win to its Board of Directors, effective on May 17, 2019.

"We are thrilled to welcome A.J., Phil, Joyce, Susan, and Zali to our Board," said Cultural Vistas' newly-appointed Board Chair Jeffrey Reinke. "The diversity and range of their experiences and perspectives, coupled with their passion for the mission of Cultural Vistas, will play an invaluable role in elevating the impact of our work and ensuring the long-term health of the organization."

View Cultural Vistas' Board of Directors

Transitioning off the Board after 20 years of valued service and leadership, including a decade in his role as chairman, is Karl Geercken.

"We thank Karl for his leadership and dedication to Cultural Vistas over the past two decades," Cultural Vistas President and CEO Jennifer Clinton said. "Karl has led the organization through a number of major milestones and demonstrated an amazing ability to inspire support for our mission, build consensus, and drive results. I am sure I speak for everyone at Cultural Vistas when I say that Karl will be missed."

Jeffrey Reinke, who has served as the Board's Vice Chair over the past six years, has been appointed to the role of Chairman. Kendra Mirasol will serve as Vice Chair.

Cultural Vistas' Board of Directors guides the overall philosophy and direction of the organization and is committed to the common goal of enhancing careers and building cultural understanding through life-changing exchange experiences.

Meet Our New Board Members

Ann-Janette (A.J.) Fuentes Twombly
Manager, LSS SMB Customer Success; LinkedIn

A.J. Fuentes Twombly leads a small and medium business customer success team at LinkedIn, and is  a member of the Truman National Security Project Defense Council and a Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations. She also served as Vice Chair of the National Board of Directors for America SCORES and as Board Treasurer of the National Board of Directors of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. Previously, Ms. Fuentes Twombly held management roles at American Express and worked at Goldman Sachs as a Private Wealth Advisor. She has served three overseas tours with the CIA and was a staffer in the U.S. Senate with Senator Lieberman's Governmental Affairs Committee. The daughter of Cuban refugees, Ms. Fuentes Twombly grew up in Miami speaking Spanish as her first language. She has an M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School and a BA in English and creative writing and a French minor from Trinity College-Hartford.

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Philip C. Lauinger, Jr.
Former Chairman, CEO, and Director; PennWell Publishing Company (now PennWell Corp.)

Philip C. Lauinger, Jr. is the former chairman and chief executive officer, and a director, of PennWell Publishing Company (now PennWell Corp.) in Tulsa, Oklahoma—an international publisher of business and trade magazines. He served in senior management capacities in this family owned company for almost 30 years and was chief executive officer from 1970 to 1992. A life member of American Business Media, he served as the trade association's director from 1972 to 1992 and as chairman of its board of directors from 1979-1980. Today, Mr. Lauinger is the co-chair of the advisory council of Global Ties U.S., a counselor of Meridian International Center, a director of the American Committees on Foreign Relations, an advisory counselor to the Georgetown University Library, and the current chairman of the Tulsa Committee on Foreign Relations. He is also a member of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Mr. Lauinger is a graduate of Cascia Hall Preparatory School, Tulsa, and he holds an AB in economics and philosophy from Georgetown University.

Dr. N. Joyce Payne
Founder; Sr. International Affairs & STEM Advisor to President; Thurgood Marshall College Fund

Dr. N. Joyce Payne founded the nationally-recognized Thurgood Marshall College Fund and has also served as Executive Director of the National Alliance for Public Trust and Vice President of the Office for the Advancement of Public Black Colleges. Today, Dr. Payne serves on the Board of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and continues to be an authority on African-American and women's issues in higher education and labor force participation. Previously, Dr. Payne was the president of Global Systems, Inc. and a senior staff member under the Carter administration. She has served as both member and chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia as well as a member of the national board of AARP and chair of the AARP Foundation. She also served on the distinguished Foreign Service Performance Evaluation Boards at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Commerce. Dr. Payne received a bachelor's in speech pathology from the former District of Columbia Teachers College and earned her master's and doctorate in education from the former Atlanta University.

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Susan Stella
Private Capital Marketing Strategy, Stella Advisors, LLC

Susan Stella is the Founder/Owner of Stella Advisors, LLC, providing strategic consulting to the private equity and venture capital industry. Her clients include multi-billion-dollar private equity funds, up-and-coming venture funds, and industry associations. Previously, Ms. Stella was Principal and Director with Knightsbridge Advisers, Director of the Thunderbird Global Private Equity Center, Marketing Co-Chair of the Thunderbird Independent Alumni Association, and Partner at Venture Archetypes, a strategic advisory firm. Her background also includes professional assignments with Intel; the German Ministry of Economics and Labor; Roland Berger Strategy Consultants in Germany; and the United Nations—as part of a three-year stint living and working in Mongolia. A 2003-2004 alumna of the Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship Program, she holds a BA from Drake University and an MBA in International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management. She is proficient in both German and Mongolian.

Zali Win
Managing Director, Global Commodity Finance Group; Credit Agricole

Zali Win currently serves as the Managing Director of the Global Commodity Finance Group at Credit Agricole CIB. He was previously the Managing Director at BNP Paribas. He has extensive board service experience, including pro-bono work. He has served as Treasurer on the board for Habitat for Humanity and has been on the board of Kenyon College since 2015. He is also secretary-treasurer on the board of Rondout-Esopus Land Conservancy in Ulster County, NY.  Mr. Win has an MBA from Babson F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business and a BA from Kenyon College in political science.

About Cultural Vistas
Founded in 1963, Cultural Vistas is a nonprofit exchange organization whose mission is to enrich minds, advance global skills, build careers, and connect lives through international exchange. We develop international professional experiences that create more informed, skilled, and engaged citizens. Every year, our 30-plus unique exchange programs empower people in the United States and in more than 130 countries around the world to drive positive change in themselves, their organizations, and society.