2025 Yale SOM Alumni Advisory Board Nominees

The slate of proposed nominees to join the AAB includes a broad range of highly accomplished individuals with careers exemplifying leadership in business and society, and a demonstrated service and commitment to Yale SOM. The nominees were selected following an open call for nominations from the broader alumni community in November 2024, followed by a thorough evaluation process by the AAB leadership team and nominating committee.

The proposed nominees to join the AAB for a three-year term, beginning July 1, 2025, are:

• Jeremy Deutsch ’20 EMBA

• Robert Lucas ’23 EMBA

• Christiana Opoku ’21 MAM

• Julia Ying Zhu ’98 MPPM

Please vote by Friday, April 25, 2025, on the slate of AAB nominees here →

You may either approve the appointment of the full slate of nominees, withhold your approval from the entire slate of nominees, approve only some of the nominees, or abstain.

Thank you for participating in the confirmation of our new AAB members. Highlights from the nominees’ statements of interest are included below.

Learn more about the AAB here →

To contact the AAB, please email somalumniadvisoryboard@yale.edu.

Yale SOM AAB Nominees - Statement of Interest Highlights

Jeremy Deutsch ’20 EMBA

Jeremy Deutsch is a shareholder at Cozen O’Connor in the business litigation group and serves as lead trial counsel and advisor to boards of directors for a wide range of privately held companies and large nonprofit institutions. Previously, Jeremey was a partner at several other leading law firms in the U.S. with deep expertise in the field of business law representing clients in matters of complex corporate and commercial litigation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, securities litigation, and trade secrets.

Jeremy’s AAB statement of interest covers his deep experience at the intersection of business and law, his commitment to service, his leadership and impact as an advisor and board member in the nonprofit and private sectors, his track record in building board committees which leverage a diversity of experience to accelerate impacts, and the insights he will bring to the AAB “as we witness a great reshaping of the political, social, and business environment.”

Robert Lucas ’23 EMBA

Robert Lucas is a financial officer at the World Bank with significant experience in asset management and advisory services focused on increasing global resilience and prosperity in developing economies. Prior to joining the World Bank, Robert held a range of leadership roles in the public sector including the U.S. House of Representatives as a Senior Advisor to U.S. Congressman Mike Honda, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee as an administrative specialist for Chairman John Kerry, and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. In the public sector, Robert played an invaluable role in building coalitions for legislation and appropriations amendments that promoted affordable housing, good government, and social justice. Prior to his time at Yale, Robert earned a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University and was a Network Fellow at the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. At Yale, he was a John Kerry Fellow through the Kerry Initiative at Yale’s Jackson School of Global Affairs.

In his AAB statement of interest, Robert underscores his long-standing commitment to public service and community building. He is the founder and co-chair of the World Bank & International Monetary Fund Yale Club, launched in late 2023, which has grown into a dynamic network of more than 130 members. The Club regularly hosts luncheons and has brought together alumni and distinguished leaders across sectors, fostering meaningful dialogue, deeper community ties, and lasting impact. Robert’s accomplishments include facilitating a partnership between the World Bank and the nonprofit Girls Who Invest to increase women’s representation in asset management, reflecting a dedication to advancing Yale SOM’s mission and values.

Christiana (Christine) Opoku ’21 MAM

Christine Opoku is vice president - strategic initiatives to the office of the CEO at Genpact, where she leads a range of high-impact initiatives focused on growth, innovation and operational excellence across the company. Prior to Genpact, Christine held operational strategy roles at Amazon and Uber and spent close to a decade in banking in various client-facing roles. Christine is an advisor and mentor for Help Me Settle, a long-time youth mentor for the Talent Africa Foundation, a 2023 fellow for 92NY Women in Power, and was a global network ambassador during her Yale SOM tenure.

Christine AAB statement of interest covers her experience in strategy, stakeholder engagement, and governance, her commitment to service, and her board and mentor experience—qualities and insights that will greatly benefit the AAB and broader community as we strengthen alumni connections across industries and geographies, and create meaningful opportunities for engagement with the school.

Julia Ying Zhu ’98 MPPM

Julia Zhu serves as an advisor to SwitchOn Technology. Previously she was CEO of Phoenix TV Culture and Entertainment Company, a leading media and entertainment company in China, following executive roles at Redgate Media Group and News Corp’s STAR Group. She began her post-SOM career at JP Morgan Chase and is a founder and longtime mentor across the tech, mobile, and media ecosystem. Julia serves on the advisory board of the Yale Club of Beijing and was an at-large-delegate of The Yale Alumni Association from 2020 to 2023.

Julia’s AAB statement of interest covers her deep experience in media, entertainment, finance and entrepreneurship; her advisory board experience and long-standing service to the SOM community; and the insight and experience she will bring to the AAB’s mission to support Yale SOM’s meaningful engagement with alumni around the world.