Professional Representative Candidates

Personal Information
B.S. (Chemistry), Virginia Tech, 1997
Rocket Scientist, L3Harris Technologies 2023-Present & Principal Consultant
Rae-Tec Consulting, 2012-Present

Fraternity Involvement
Professional Representative 2008-2009 2010-2012,2021-Present
Hexagon Correspondent, DelVal Pro Chapter 2009-Present
President and Secretary NEO Professional Chapter, 2001-2008
Attended the 43^rd-57^th Biennial Conclaves

Statement and Goals:
The Professional Representative position has evolved over the years since I first wanted to serve as one for my first term and then to today. At first, I wanted to serve the fraternity of my choice in a different capacity. Later I realized it was the PR’s role as the memory of the fraternity where we PRs served not only the professionals-at-large but the entirety of the fraternity. Now I am very concerned with how we maintain the active status of professionals after college is over. I want to find better ways that the professional branch can be of service to the fraternity. How PRs can help with the Transmutation from collegiate to professional and keep them active. Not only through our giving of money to the fraternity but to participate in groups. Go out to dinner, come back to Conclave or go to Conclave for the first time.

I know there has been a drain on recruitment lately but perhaps we can solve that through further engagement in the Professionals with the Collegiate Branch.  I would like to start on getting more engagement with the professional branch and the collegiate branch. Show them that once again we are a lifelong fraternal order that brothers of all ages show up and can have a good time. I would love to find ways of more professional engagement. It’s not a money thing. Yes, the fraternity could always use more cash, but I miss meeting new brothers. I miss that handshake when welcoming a group of recent graduates to the professional branch after a PIC and/or a PRC.

One project I’m working on is getting a place for professional activities and articles into the Hexagon. Another is reaching out to nearby collegiate chapters to be part of the pledge and brother education regarding the professional branch. Work to see what they want from us and what we can provide. Once they kinks are worked out then to possibly take it nationwide. Whether I am re-elected or not I intend on continuing with these as well as other ideas I might come up with or others ask of me.

Personal Information:
B.S. Biochemistry & B.A. Biology from the University of Virginia, 2023
Plant Biology Lab Research Assistant, 2023-2024
Assistant Director of Next Generation Philanthropy at UVA (professional fundraiser, 2024-present)

Professional Involvement:
ACS member, 2023-present
AGN (Annual Giving Network) member, 2024-present
CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) member, 2024-present
CASE Advocacy Network member, 2025-present
Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council Member, 2024-present

Fraternal involvement:
Collegiate:
Alpha Kappa, 2021
Historian, 2021-2022
Alumni Secretary, 2022-2023
Centennial Committee, 2021-2022
Alumni & Professional Committee, 2021-2023
Conclave 2022 (delegate), Conclave 2024 (professional member)

National-level Involvement:
Assistant to House Chapter Chair, Michael Quan (2024, compiled data on House Chapters)
Co-Chair of the National DEI Committee (2024-present, presents synchronous trainings to national officers and professional brothers)
Founding member of the Central Virginia Pro Group (2025)

Other Professional Contributions:
Treasurer of the Alpha Kappa Alumni Foundation (manages finances for a professional association of hundreds of Alpha Kappa alumni)
Liaison for the Alpha Kappa Housing Corporation (coordinates activities with professional and collegiate brothers, aids with house maintenance and improvements, and facilitates professional involvement with the Chapter)

Statement and Goals:
I am passionate about Alpha Chi Sigma, which I have demonstrated through uninterrupted service to the National Fraternity and my work in founding a new Professional Group in Central Virginia, as well as my continued connection to my Chapter’s collegiate and professional brothers. I am excited by the prospect of being able to expand on that work as a Professional Representative.

Collegiate Experience, Official Roles:
I joined AXS at a strange time and almost by accident; I rushed during COVID when the then VMA of the Alpha Kappa Chapter reached out to me after Rush had already started because she found a months-old email from me expressing interest that I had completely forgotten about. I then joined the virtual 2020 Rush and was Initiated (on Zoom) in the spring of 2021. I jumped into fraternal involvement by running for Historian immediately after Initiation. I held the position for a year, taking all of our event photos and creating our composite. The next year I became our Alumni Secretary, in which role I planned my Chapter’s Centennial celebration, including a reception at the house, collegiate-alumni social activities, a series of presentations by successful AK speakers, and a dinner at a local restaurant. I was also our Conclave delegate that summer (2022).

Collegiate Experience, Additional Work:
Though I loved what I was able to contribute in those positions, some of my proudest projects with the fraternity occurred outside any official office. I grew up renovating an 1800s house, so I became our home-improvement brother. My lovely brothers gave me a “Handy Woman” award (that phrase written on a paper plate on a string) upon my graduation for all the repairs I did to the house. I redid the house garden in yellow and blue flowers. I built us a vegetable garden on top of the hill, which current brothers invited me back to help plant this year. By vote of the Chapter, I painted a wyvern mural on our house wall. I then took to reorganizing materials in the house to make our chemistry outreach workshops easier to execute and to streamline other processes like elections. As part of this, I retyped and/or restored many old experimental protocols from past children’s chemistry workshops.

Collegiate Experience, AXS Project Collaborations:
I also pursued several of my own projects in partnership with or with support from my Chapter. I created an “Emergency Lab Pants” box in our Chemistry Department, which was a box of thrifted sweatpants in sizes XS through XXXL that students could borrow for lab if they forgot to wear long pants. It was a measure to reduce unnecessary lab absences and student stress, and it is maintained as an AXS project that continues today. I won the ACS Award for Chemical Ethics and Safety for this effort. I added indoor plants to our Chemistry Department after observing how people gravitated toward them in other buildings, and the weekly watering has now been done by two generations of AK brothers. I also hosted the first Chemistry Department Art Contest to get STEM-themed art on the walls of the department. Many of my brothers participated or promoted the project to their lab sections. I was invited to speak on a Jefferson Trust Symposium panel about the success of the project (78 entries) and was awarded the UVA Chemistry Department Service & Community Award for that, the plants, and a Chemistry Department game night that I organized, also with heavy support from the brotherhood. In short, my collegiate time in AXS was incredibly formative; every positive thing I did during undergrad was either motivated by my involvement in the fraternity or directly supported by my incredible Alpha Kappa brothers. The connection was strong enough that I took a position as Treasurer for the Alpha Kappa Alumni Foundation post-graduation. I continue to serve in this capacity and as Co-Chair of the National DEI Committee, which I volunteered for after the 2024 Conclave.

PR Goals:
Having served AXS in a wide variety of ways and enjoyed every minute of it, I would love to increase my involvement by becoming a Professional Representative. I believe my past experience highlights my self-motivation and ability to carry out the responsibilities of such an office, and given the opportunity to serve in this role, I have many ideas to bring to the table. They fall into three overall categories 1) Collegiate-alumni connection, 2) Conclave education, and 3) Fundraising. I would love to see other AXS Chapters connected with their alumni the way Alpha Kappa is, something I discovered was uncommon during last Conclave when several collegiate delegates expressed envy of our close-knit Chapter. Another thing I discovered at the 2024 Conclave was that the collegiate delegates did not feel adequately prepared for the event, and I would be happy to take full responsibility for coming up with ways to promote Conclave education. Ideas I have so far include a Conclave quick-guide and regular Zoom-hosted Conclave office hours in the months leading up to Conclave. I am also well-equipped to aid in the fraternity’s fundraising efforts, having developed a thorough understanding of effective techniques from courses, seminars, and conferences on fundraising for universities and non-profits that I have had access to through my current role as a professional fundraiser. I have already used this training to help local non-profit organizations better leverage their fundraising. I would love to volunteer any applicable knowledge for the benefit of AXS as well. My overall goal as PR would be to serve in whatever capacity the fraternity could best use me, but I think I have the most to offer in the areas listed. It would be an honor to hold the position of PR and contribute my knowledge, skills, and ideas to Alpha Chi Sigma in a new capacity.

Personal Information:
BSc Chemistry, University of Florida, 2019
Minor Materials Science & Engineering, University of Florida, 2019
MSc Polymer Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2023
Materials & Process Engineer, Raytheon Technologies, 2023 – Present

Professional Involvement:
American Chemical Society Member, 2017 – Present

Fraternal involvement:
Initiated Rho, 2023

Statement and Goals:
My desire to get involved with AXS stems back to my time in undergrad at the University of Florida. Although I did not choose to join the fraternity at that time, I had the pleasure of being friends and colleagues with multiple brothers within the Beta Iota chapter. Specifically, seeing the gradient student members serve as professional mentors to the undergraduate members really illustrated to me the impact the fraternity can have on its’ members and associates. When it came time for me to find my way at UNC Chapel Hill, the memories of my friends at the Beta Iota chapter played a significant role in my decision to rush, and eventually become initiated into, the Rho chapter. I always have valued the importance of mentorship and continued professional development/engagement; especially that it does not end upon initiation or the conferring of a degree. As such, the role of PR is important to me as I believe PRs are vital to the continued development and engagement of members on both a regional and national level once one’s time in school has concluded. If elected as PR, I strive to keep this core belief to heart as I engage with the professional chapters and its’ members and the national fraternity to strive for the continued enablement of one’s development.

Although I have not had the privilege to be involved with the fraternity at a chapter/national level in a leadership sense, I still believe that my time and experiences as a member of the Rho chapter will benefit me well as a PR. As the sole, active, graduate student member of the Rho chapter, I had the unique privilege as serving as a professional development mentor for rising undergraduates as they were advancing through their studies and figuring out what the first steps of their professional career would look like post undergrad. As someone who was blessed to have phenomenal graduate mentors during my time at UF, I was honored to be able to impart my experiences to the next generation of scientists and understand what it was they were attempting to figure out: whether it was going straight into the workforce, continue on in academia, or explore non-traditional routes. This enabled me to be a valuable resource to the members of the Rho chapter, and afforded me the privilege to see its members make the decisions to engage in research areas of their interest, pursue MSc’s and PhD’s of their choosing, and obtain early career offer letters. As I have previously stated, I believe that one’s development does not stop upon the completion of one’s degree, but rather it evolves over time with one’s professional needs and aspirations. My hope is that these experiences during my time with the Rho chapter will enable me to work with the national fraternity and its’ committees to identify opportunities for professional growth and development for not just the active collegiate members, but members of the professional chapters and associations as well.

If elected as a PR for the upcoming term, I have two main goals that I would love to focus on:

• The continued advancement and development of invigorating professional engagement and retention of professional members. One such idea for this goal that I would love to engage on is the development of an AXS at either a national or regional ACS meeting to foster a space for both in-school and professional members to network and exchange their research with one another.
• The continued expansion of AXS into the western region in the form of professional and collegiate charters and chapters. As I am starting the next chapter of my professional career based in Southern AZ, I believe this will serve me well to act as a lynch pin for continued growth and expansion of the fraternity within AZ and the rest of the western region.

Broader fraternal impact – It is my hope that my work as a PR will serve the fraternity in terms of both increasing the engagement and retainment of professional brothers upon their transition into the professional chapter of their membership, as well as expanding the presence of the fraternity in regions and universities that may not currently, or previously have had, AXS chapters.

Personal Information:
B.S. Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 2023
M.S. Multidisciplinary Biomedical and Biological Sciences, Pharmacology and Neuroscience Concentration, 2026 (in progress)
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Morris Library Writing Center, SIU-Carbondale, 2025-Present
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Chemistry, SIU-Carbondale, 2023-2025
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Chemistry, SIU-Carbondale, 2022-2023
Freelance Writer and Editor, Self-Employed, 2015-2021

Professional Involvement:
American Chemical Society Member, 2023-present
American MENSA Member, 2010-2018
Creative Activities and Research Presentations Presenter, SIU-Carbondale, 2024

Fraternal involvement:
Beta Psi, 2023
Vice Master Alchemist, 2024
Alumni Secretary, 2025
AXS Constitution and Bylaws Committee Member, 2024-Present
Beta Psi Financial Audit committee member, 2025
Beta Psi Audit Committee Chair, 2024
Beta Psi Fundraising Committee Member, 2024-2025
Beta Psi Social Activities Committee member, 2025
Beta Psi Volunteer Committee member, 2024-2025
Attended 57^th Biennial Conclave as Beta Psi Representative and served on Constitution and Bylaws Committee

Statement and Goals:
I first learned about the Professional Representative position when I was in pledge class, but I didn’t understand the significance of the position until I attended the 57^th Biennial Conclave at UIUC in 2024. I represented my chapter as an Elected Delegate and got the chance to talk to other PRs and members of the Professional Branch. I got to learn about how they contribute to the fraternity acting as representatives in the best interest of the professional Brothers, and I was able to see them in action during the general sessions. Several of the PRs debated during the session, and they poured their heart and passion into their comments and concerns. I was frequently reminded during those sessions that no matter how passionately we may debate something, no matter how small the matter, we are all Brothers and we all just want what’s best for our Brothers. PRs, the Supreme Council, and countless others inspired me that week to seek advancement and further involvement in AXS where I could.

I became involved with AXS Beta Psi as a new graduate student in 2023 at SIU-Carbondale. After initiating in November 2023, I quickly became involved in as many ways as I could. I was nominated to be Vice Master Alchemist a couple months after initiation and was excited to accept. During my time as VMA, I improved upon the previous Pledge curriculum and reorganized it to facilitate the joy of learning fraternal history. Since then, I have become passionate about learning and preserving AXS and Beta Psi history, when possible, which is why I was excited to accept the nomination for Alumni Secretary in 2025, my current office.

During my time as Alumni Secretary, I have worked with our Webmaster Alchemist and other members of our chapter to gather information about alumni with the hopes of fostering chapter involvement (where possible) and networking opportunities for our professional Alumni and Collegiate chapter members alike. Additionally, we are working to start the first ever AXS Beta Psi Alumni Newsletter, where we share information relating to initiation and other important events as well as recognize and share the accomplishments of our alumni (projected to publish by December 2025). These things, in addition to committee involvement, fundraising efforts, and leading various Second Object Outreach efforts, have allowed me to contribute meaningfully to Beta Psi and have enriched me as a Brother. I believe they have also prepared me to become an effective and productive Professional Representative.

My goals for the Professional Representative role would include offering logical and empathetic solutions to problems within the professional branch. Secondly, I would promote the second object by developing outreach opportunities for Professional branch members to encourage involvement, as well as to help create networking opportunities, such as conferences, for Professionals and Collegiates in the different districts to help foster career growth and development with the interest of helping each other “strive for [our] advancement” as scientists, professionals, and as human beings, thus promoting the Third Object. Ultimately, I want to do things to help promote the fraternity and foster brotherhood.

Personal Information:
B.S. Chemistry, University of Toledo, 2012
Contract Chemist, PPG, 2013-2015
Product Development Chemist, Pittsburgh Paints Co, 2015-present

Professional Involvement
American Chemical Society member, 2012-present

Fraternal Involvement:
Initiated Gamma Psi, 2011
Reporter, 2012
Steel District Committee, 2014-present
Pittsburgh Professional Group founder and contact, 2015-present
Attended 51^st-57^th Biennial Conclaves

Statement and Goals:
My name is Nichole Pawlowski and I am honored for the opportunity to serve as your next Professional Representative. I was initiated in 2011 at the Gamma Psi chapter of University of Toledo. At the time, most of my closest friends in my undergrad classes were Brothers, and they convinced me to join. It ended up being one of those decisions that has touched every aspect of my life since. I went on to hold the position of Chapter Reporter in my senior year and proudly represented our chapter at the 51st National Conclave in 2012, where I met my husband Sean. Since graduation, I have remained active in the Professional branch as a Steel District Committee member. I have attended every conclave since my first in Iowa in 2012, and I  established the Pittsburgh Professional Group in 2015. Sean and I got married in 2018, and half of our wedding party (along with a large portion of guests) were fellow Alpha Chi Sigma Brothers.

In attending the 2014-2024 National Conclaves as a non-delegate Professional, I have been able to keep a finger on the pulse of the Fraternity. I feel I’ve gained valuable insight as to what our members want from this organization. Primarily, I believe that support is lacking for brand new Professionals straight from the Collegiate branch. I think that implementing a more proactive transition process to the Professional branch could be key to retaining more active Professionals. I want to help foster these transitions for our collegiate members, and bolster member retention by providing support, ambassadorship, and career guidance. I want to promote growth and success for ALL our members, not just those who are the most active, and I am excited for an opportunity to serve our Fraternity in a new capacity.

Personal Information:
B.S. Chemistry from Truman State University, 2007
Quality Control Chemist, Catalent

Fraternal involvement:
Initiated Gamma Theta, 2003
Gamma Theta MC – 2006
Ritual Committee 2006–2008, 2016-2018
Central District Committee – 2007-2014, 2020-Current
Great Plains District Counselor 2014-2020
First Semester Freshmen Committee Chair 2016
KC Pro Vice President 2021-2022
KC Pro President 2023-currrent
Volunteer Coordinator 2024-Current
Conclaves attended 2006 – 2024

Statement and Goals:
While our fraternity is unique in having two branches, Collegiate and Professional, our focus has been primarily on the Collegiate Branch and its chapters for a long time. I believe that more focus should be placed on the Professional Branch, and running for PR feels like the best way for me to work on that. Based on current trends, our Professional Chapters are in desperate need of attention right now. I would like to work with Pro Chapters and Groups on developing social activities that they can host to engage current members without overburdening them. This would also address a complaint from Professional brothers about a lack of social engagement opportunities available to them. As for my credentials, I am the current President of the Kansas City Pro Chapter, and I am one of the original members that reactivated KC Pro in 2009. I have seen how membership ebbs and flows over a chapter’s lifetime, as well as the work that local brothers had to do in forming a group and chapter in the first place. Lastly, I have been working on changes within KC Pro to increase our own membership and engagement.

Personal Information:
M.S. Chemistry (UMSL), B.S. Chemistry / Biochemistry (SEMO)
Analytical Biochemist at ThermoFisher (2022-Present)
QC Chemist at Avantor (2020-2022)
Chemist at DynaLabs LLC (2019-2020)

Professional Involvement:
ACS Member (Attended Fall 2019 San Diego Conference)
Actor and Model through ImagesAgency (2023-Present)
Audiobook Narrator through Audible (2016-Present)
Owner of RedWellMedia, LLC (Est. June 9th 2025)

Fraternal involvement:
Professional Representative (2022-2025)
PR Conclave Delegate (2024 Conclave)
St. Louis Conclave Delegate (2022 Conclave)
Delta Delta Collegiate Conclave Delegate (2018 Conclave)
Delta Delta Collegiate Vice Master Alchemist (2019)
Initiated Delta Delta 2017

Statement and Goals:
What attracted you to volunteering for the PR position?
As a current PR, I would like to continue having a larger impact on the fraternity as a whole. I’ve enjoyed working with the current team of Professional Representatives and look forward to collaborating with future members to develop resources to bring value to every member of Alpha Chi Sigma. Specifically, I became interested in the PR position to volunteer my time and energy to an educational resource for the future generation of scientists. I’ve been fortunate to have been personally raised out of poverty through my pursuit of science and see AXS as a resource to benefit students on campus to have a similar impact in the trajectory of their own lives.

What goals would you like to attain during your term?
In the most recent meetings, it has become clear that we have a deficiency in social media outreach and have not capitalized on many mass media communication outlets. Specifically, I would like to develop a podcast for Alpha Chi Sigma creating episodes ranging from 45min to 1.5hr interviewing professional brothers, collegiate brothers, and other key players in the world of science on Zoom. I would target approximately 3 interviews a month but would like to overdeliver on that. I would edit this podcast using Descript (~$35/mo) and would provide both the audio and video on “Spotify for Creators” which would deliver the podcast to all outlets free of charge. This would serve two purposes:

• Highlighting members of the fraternity thereby fostering the connections we have with both our collegiate and professional members.
• Generate passive donations through advertisements.

All funds generated from this podcast would be directed into an Alpha Chi Sigma account and would directly drive donations by listening to our fellow brothers give interviews about their life as a scientist.

Broader Fraternal Impact
I believe the larger impact this resource could have on the fraternity is spotlighting members of our fraternity all the while raising funding for the greater cause. I was an early adapter to podcasting around 2009-2011 and have thoroughly enjoyed/benefited from the ideas expressed by the various podcasts I’ve listened to over the years. I’ve even attempted several times to create various podcasts throughout my life. In this, I have seen its impact to allow a deep understanding of individuals through a long-form conversation platform. It is important for collegiate members to have a source of inspiration for professional members working in the field of chemistry both academically and industrially. This resource will have a broad fraternal impact by allowing impressionable collegiate members to be guided by the trajectories of chemists in the field, as well as allow professional members the insight of the experience of collegiate members today. This resource would connect members at a national level.

Personal Information:
B.S. Chemical engineering, Ohio University 2011
Process engineer, DuPont, 2012-2022
Process engineer, IFF, 2022-present

Fraternal involvement:
Gamma Nu, 2008
Conclave Ritual Chair 50^th Biennial Conclave 2010 hosted at Gamma Nu
Member of Delaware Valley Pro 2014-2019
Attendee at 50th, 52^nd-55^th, and 57^th (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2024) National Biennial Conclaves

Statement and Goals:
I was initiated into the Fraternity in 2008, at the time, I didn’t really know what it meant to be a professional brother and I didn’t really understand what lifelong membership into a fraternity was until we hosted the 50^th biennial conclave in 2010. While hosting and attending my first conclave I was thrown into the wonderful world of a national fraternity, and I met friends that week who are still part of my life today. I have not been an official representative of the fraternity since then, but I have attended many district conclaves, as I have moved districts about every 2 years, collegiate initiations, many conclaves and try to be as active as I can.

I would be honored to represent the fraternity in an official capacity for the upcoming biennium. I would like to help with keeping brothers active after graduation and even after just becoming inactive. I think with my experience moving several times to different districts I could offer insights into how we can better help people make the transition from collegiate to active professional.

Personal Information:
B.S. Chemistry, College of Charleston, 2023
Ph. D. Candidate, Clemson University, 2023-present

Professional Involvement:
American Society for Mass Spectrometry Member, 2024-Present

Fraternal involvement:
Initiated Gamma Delta 2019
Master magician 2020-2022
Master Alchemist 2022-2023.
Alumni Secretary 2023-present
Served on the Student Advisory Committee in 2023
Attended the 56^th biennial conclave in 2022 as a delegate for Gamma Delta

Statement and Goals:
In my very first semester of undergrad, I was immediately drawn to AXS at the College of Charleston. I initiated my first semester and got as involved as I could, though we were hit with COVID in my second semester. My sophomore and junior years, I served as a master magician, aiding in ritual and outreach to schools in our community, as well as various fairs at The College. I attended the 56^th biennial conclave and was drawn to the community of AXS as I got to experience that great week with like-minded individuals and see the enthusiasm every member had. I served as the master alchemist during my senior year and have been the alumni secretary for Gamma Delta since. These experiences would aid me as a PR because I have had many opportunities to work on different teams within the fraternity to achieve the different goals we set, giving me the skills needed to work with a vast group of individuals. I have a bubbly and outgoing personality that can help others liven up and bring passion to the various projects in front of us.

Since starting graduate school at Clemson University, I have found it difficult to stay involved in committees or maintain close contact with other brothers, since the closest professional group or chapter is a minimum of 4 hours away. This position is important to me because I will be able to get back to the level of involvement I previously had to aid the fraternity, while rebuilding and maintaining relationships with other brothers. Primary goals I would have for the upcoming PR term include increasing involvement from the professionals and connecting the collegiate chapter to the national organization as a whole. If we as professionals maintain communication and involvement with the collegiate chapter, I feel many of them would be more inclined to stay involved with the fraternity once they finish undergrad. I also think it is important to highlight community outreach from the fraternity, as well as volunteering efforts. Since I have not had much professional involvement, I am very open to working on whatever projects are currently underway or need the most attention.

Overall, I would love to have an opportunity to serve as a PR for AXS, both to maintain involvement and build relationships, but also to give back some time and effort to the fraternity that aided me in becoming the scientist I am today.