AAPI Association of Vanderbilt Alumni (AAVA)

AAVA Leadership

• 

  Ankita Rakhe, BS'03

  President

  Ankita Rakhe (she/her) is a California transplant hailing from Texas and is the assistant dean for student support at Stanford University. Working in the Office of Inclusion, Community and Integrative Learning, she manages the bias reporting process and a peer mediation program and provides support for DACAmented/undocumented students on campus. Serendipitously, her current supervisor was the director of student activities at Vanderbilt while Ankita was a student. As an undergrad, she was the president of Masala-SACE and Vanderbuddies and held leadership positions in Alpha Delta Pi and VUCept. Ankita holds a master's degree in higher education and student affairs from The Ohio State University and a bachelor's degree in child development with honors and a Spanish minor from Vanderbilt.

  • San Francisco, CA
• 

  Kavi Saxena, BA'19

  Engagement Chair

  Originally a Florida native, Kavi graduated from Vanderbilt in 2019 with a degree in economics & history. Since graduating, Kavi has spent his time working in education. He was a middle school math teacher with Teach for America before moving into education finance where he currently works for Charter School Growth fund, investing in the nation's highest quality public charter schools. Kavi resides in the DC area.

  • Arlington, VA
• 

  Joy Cox, MD'02

  Student Support Co-Chair

  The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Joy grew up in Knoxville, TN. She received an undergraduate degree in molecular biology and fine arts in 1998 and a medical degree in 2002 from Vanderbilt University. Following the completion of her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology also at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, she then pursued a fellowship and is currently practicing as a Urogynecologist, with a special interest in minimally invasive surgery. As an undergraduate, she was involved in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and the study abroad program at Leeds University.

  • Nashville, TN
• 

  Neil Goklani, BS'97

  Outreach & Communications Chair

  Neil graduated from Vanderbilt in 1997 and has been working in New York City for many years. He has been a senior executive in global roles for companies such as American Express and JP Morgan. Currently Neil is a Partner at Prosek Partners, a global marketing and communications firm. He is the Business Head for Prophecy, a Cannes Lions and ANA recognized strategic branding advisory focusing on Financial, Professional Services, Healthcare and Technology sectors. Neil is active in his community and has been a member of the board of directors for Job Path NYC where he serves on the DEI committee. Job Path helps find employment for individuals with developmental disabilities. Neil and his wife have 3 children and reside in New Jersey, they are passionate travelers and active in sports and volunteering in community groups such as Reading Buddies.

  • Ridgewood, NJ
• 

  Aileen Rose, BA'94

  Student Support Co-Chair

  Joining AAVA is my answer to Vanderbilt’s 150th year call to Dare to Grow. Vanderbilt’s challenge of growth through belonging, innovation, and collaboration is inspiring. I am honored to work with the AAVA board creating community and connection with the Vanderbilt APIDA community.

  • Hendersonville, TN
• 

  Gerald Liu, PHD'13

  Engagement Chair

  Born in Jackson, Mississippi to culturally Buddhist immigrants from Taiwan, the Rev. Gerald C. Liu, PhD helps renew and start United Methodist ministries across Kansas and Nebraska. He earned a PhD in Homiletics and Liturgics [Greek for ‘preaching and worship’] from Vanderbilt’s Graduate Department of Religion [GDR]. He has served on the GDR Alumni Council [2017-18] and is a current member of the Vanderbilt Divinity School Board of Visitors [2020 - present]. Before becoming a church bureaucrat, he was the first tenure-track American-born Asian to teach worship and preaching at Princeton Theological Seminary. His books include Music and the Generosity of God (Palgrave, 2017) and co-authored with Khalia Williams, A Worship Workbook: A Practical Guide for Extraordinary Liturgy (Abingdon, 2020).

  • New York, NY