FAU Alumni Association Board Welcomes New Members

Florida Atlantic University’s Alumni Association (FAUAA) Board of Directors welcomed three new members to its board.
Florida Atlantic University’s Alumni Association (FAUAA) Board of Directors welcomed Eric Dansky ’12, ’15, Joseph Santiago ’97, and Sara Valdivieso ’99, ’04 to its board. The three new board members were recently approved by the current FAUAA board. Each will serve a two-year term.
“Our Alumni Association has made remarkable strides over the past year, and our three new board directors are excited to keep that momentum going,” said Katie G. Burke, Ph.D., ’08, ’10, ’15, ’17. “They are all terrific ambassadors of the university and will make an impact as we continue to grow.”
Dansky is a two-time FAU alumnus, receiving a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2012 and then an MBA in 2015. He currently serves as a senior investment officer at Cooper Family Office in Boca Raton.
Santiago graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1997. He is the owner of Advanced Professional Services, an independent insurance firm with locations in Deerfield Beach and Orlando.
Valdivieso is returning to the board for a second term. She is also a two-time FAU alumna, receiving a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1999 and a master’s in nonprofit management in 2004. She is currently an art teacher at St. Ann Catholic School in West Palm Beach.
Additionally, the FAUAA board welcomed one new member to its executive committee. Chris Ferreira ’16, ’20 will now serve as the alumni engagement liaison. Returning to the executive committee are Justine Avila ’05 as chair; Aryeh Lehrer ’03 as vice chair; Kris Wall ’01 as treasurer; Aleeka Perryman ’02 as secretary; Michael Miller ’98, ’04 as officer-at-large; and Thomas Zeichman ’09 as immediate past chair.
“I’m incredibly proud of all the accomplishments we’ve achieved,” said Avila. “We continue to strengthen our membership initiatives and have significantly expanded our scholarship programs to assist deserving students.”
For more information about the FAU Alumni Association, visit faualumni.org.
-FAU-
Latest Academic & Campus Life
- FAU Honors 2025 Talon Leadership Award RecipientsFAU hosted the annual Talon Leadership and Service Awards ceremony as part of Homecoming 2025.
- FAU College of Business to Host Boca Finance & Real Estate ConferenceFAU's College of Business will host a specialized conference and networking event to offer an inside look at the future of finance and real estate as South Florida accelerates its rise as "Wall Street South."
- FAU to Celebrate 'Homecoming: Paradise Island'Florida Atlantic University will celebrate "Homecoming: Paradise Island" beginning Thursday, Oct. 30 through Saturday, Nov. 8.
- Notice of Proposed Changes to Non-Resident Tuition FeesFlorida Atlantic now considering a tuition adjustment for non-resident students to begin in Fall 2026.
- FAU Hosts 'Engineer Your Future Day'Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering and Computer Science recently hosted "Engineer Your Future Day" at the Carole and Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium.
- FAU Receives $1.6M Gift for Student Entrepreneur ScholarshipsFlorida Atlantic University received a $1.6 million gift from long-time Boca Raton resident Bob Schattner, which will be used to continue providing scholarships that he established 15 years ago in perpetuity.


