Development & Alumni Relations Staff

Kat has over 3 decades of advancement experience, beginning with fundraising for AmeriCorps and then becoming the Western Regional Executive Director for Jumpstart. She completed 2 capital campaigns for new visual arts centers and served as VP of development at Girls Scouts of Louisiana East. 

Kat began higher education fundraising at Tulane University in 2005. She has held senior positions at Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering, Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business and Reed College. She has been recognized by Yale School of Management for outstanding nonprofit business plan writing, served on the Exec. Comm. of the Engineering Development Forum and received 2 best practices awards from the Corp. for National and Community Service. 

Anna Berman is the Development Assistant for SEAS, where she supports the team with stewardship, NAC activities, project design and management, and overall operational support. Before joining SEAS, Anna worked at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where she provided overall support to the development department’s individual giving program. Her prior work experience includes serving as the corporate and institutional giving coordinator at the National Building Museum. Anna holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the College of William and Mary. 

Sonia Deel joined GW Engineering Development team as Associate Director of Development June 2023. Sonia previously worked at Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, where she served as the Assistant Director of Development. In her new role, she will engage with engineering alumni in key markets (Northeast & Southwest) for the school. Sonia, as one of eight family members who have attended GW, is excited to continue her career at GW, fostering connections with alumni and donors as well as serving the institution that has been part of her family for the past two decades.

Furthermore, Sonia is also continuing her education by pursuing her doctorate in Human and Organizational Learning at GW and is excited to continue applying the skills she has learned in her program to her position at GW Engineering. Beyond her academic endeavors, she will continue to impact her GW community through her membership in the DAR social committee.