Ohio University Alumni Association Board of Directors welcomes 5 new members

The Ohio University Alumni Association (OUAA) is proud to announce the selection of five new members to its Board of Directors.

The newest Bobcat alumni who have been appointed to the OUAA Board of Directors are

• Imani Edwards, BSS '18
• Jim Gieger, BSC '93, MHA '98
• Bill Keenist, BSJ '80, MSA '82
• Olivia Rees, BSCE '19
• Pam Siemer, AB '75, MS '01

“We're excited to welcome these incredible Bobcats to the Ohio University Alumni Association Board of Directors. Their knowledge, experience and insights will greatly benefit the Alumni Association in its work on behalf of all OHIO grads,” said Jennifer Shutt Bowie, BSJ ’94, MS ’99, associate vice president of alumni relations and annual giving and executive director of the OUAA.

As the official organization representing Bobcats from across the world, the Ohio University Alumni Association aims to connect, inform and serve the university's diverse alumni and friends in support of the University's mission and vision. Composed of 26 OHIO graduates from many different backgrounds, the OUAA Board of Directors represents the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the more than 290,000 Bobcats worldwide.

“Our Board members are committed to supporting Ohio University and our alumni in numerous ways, and they also serve as inspiring examples for today’s students through their career success, leadership skills, community impact and personal achievements. We're proud to welcome these new members, and we're grateful to them for their dedication to Ohio University and its students,” Bowie said.

Meet the new Board members

Imani Edwards, BSS '19

Imani Edwards is a proud native of Cleveland, Ohio and a graduate of Ohio University. She began her career on Capitol Hill serving in the office of Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge. After her tenure on Capitol Hill, she joined the Biden-Harris Administration at the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as the executive assistant to the Secretary. Following that role, she transitioned to the Office of Public Affairs where she served as the associate director of Public Engagement for HUD. In this position, she co-led the planning and execution of department-wide stakeholder engagements across the country, which were instrumental in amplifying the priorities of HUD and the Biden-Harris Administration.

In 2024, Edwards joined Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP as a director of public affairs. This multidisciplinary government relations team represents corporations, small and medium sized companies, nonprofit organizations, and associations within the federal, state and local legislative and executive branches of government. Edwards is also a member of YWCA USA national board of directors.

Edwards is passionate about being a part of the solutions that will create a more equitable world and plans to achieve that through her work in policy, meaningful engagements and generating new opportunities for others.

Jim Gieger, BSC '93, MHA '98

Jim Geiger has more than 20 years of external affairs leadership experience in higher education, including working at OHIO during the successful $200 million Bicentennial Campaign.  His experience includes leadership roles in both public and private universities.

Earning a degree in communication systems management in 1993 and a master’s degree in healthcare administration in 1998, Geiger’s “Athenian” OHIO roots date back to the late-1960’s when his father, Alan Geiger, began his long career at Ohio University. 

Geiger currently serves as the vice president for university advancement and the Clarion campus administrator at Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest). He was on the strategy and implementation leadership team when PennWest was established in 2022 as a result of the integration of California (PA), Clarion and Edinboro universities.  Geiger is responsible for managing PennWest’s comprehensive institutional advancement program, which includes communications and marketing, printing and graphic services, and fundraising and alumni engagement. He also serves as the university liaison with PennWest’s three affiliated foundations.

Active in the community, Geiger volunteers for multiple organizations, including serving on the boards of the Clarion County Hotel Tax Committee and the Clarion Borough Civil Service Commission.

Geiger and his wife Kristen (Ritter) Geiger BA, ´97 and MPA ´99, live in Clarion, Pennsylvania and have three children, Natalie, Mitchell, and Reece. Reece is currently majoring in biology at OHIO.

Bill Keenist, BSJ '80, MSA '82

Bill Keenist's career spans over five decades in professional football, with 44 of those years dedicated to the National Football League (NFL). His journey began in his hometown of Pittsburgh, where he excelled as the sports editor and editor-in-chief for his high school newspaper, "THE WARRIOR." 

As an Ohio University student, Keenist was very active, working in the Bobcat Sports Information Department, serving as a resident assistant, and contributing to WOUB Radio and ACTV. His senior year saw him named sports editor for "THE POST," where his section was recognized as America's Best College Sports Section for the 1979-1980 academic year. He earned his B.S. Degree in Journalism in 1980 and continued at Ohio University for a Sports Administration Graduate program, supported by a scholarship from the NFL and an internship at Duke University.

Keenist's professional career took off in November 1981 when he joined the Washington Redskins as a public relations assistant. His role quickly escalated, earning him a Super Bowl ring after the Redskins' victory in Super Bowl XVII. By 1983, he was working as the public relations director for the USFL’s Maulers before moving to the Pittsburgh Civic Arena to handle public relations for the Penguins. Keenist’s long tenure with the Detroit Lions began in 1985, where he ascended through the ranks to become senior vice president for communications. 

After retiring from the Lions in 2021, Keenist continued his involvement in sports through various roles. He works with the NFL's Broadcasting Department, co-hosts a Sunday Night Football radio show on WJR Radio, and contributes to Heritage Werks Inc. as a Sports Heritage Archival expert. 

Keenist is also deeply involved in community service in Oxford, Michigan, and has three children—Billy, Christopher, and Lindsay—and recently became a grandfather to Eleanor Rose.

Olivia Rees, BSCE '20

Olivia Rees is a native of southeastern Ohio and a 2019 graduate of Ohio University. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, she continued her education at Oklahoma State University by completing a Master of Business Administration degree in 2024.  Her passion for continued learning and mentorship is evident in her ongoing involvement with Ohio University's Russ College of Engineering and Technology. As a proud Bobcat, Rees has returned to campus on many occasions to speak to students about career paths in civil engineering - providing valuable insights and guidance to the next generation of engineers. 

To date, Rees has focused her career on estimating and sales for heavy highway companies, bidding and building costs for numerous asphalt construction jobs. Currently, she serves as the environmental manager at West Virginia Paving, a CRH Company, based in Charleston, W.Va. In this role, she creates sustainable performance plans for asphalt plants as well as stone yards and ensures overall environmental compliance within the company. 

In addition to her professional responsibilities, Rees is a past president and board member of the Gallia Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO). Through her work with FAO, she has played a pivotal role in supporting local initiatives and improving the quality of life in her community. Rees also serves on the executive board of the Women of Asphalt West Virginia chapter, where she champions inclusion and diversity in the construction and asphalt industry and promotes awareness about industry opportunities.

Pam Siemer, AB '75, MS '01

Pam Siemer graduated from Ohio University in 1975 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and then later earned her Master’s degree in Journalism in 2000.

Serving as the executive director of the Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens for 11 years, Siemer oversaw the renovation of the facility and expanded the program to include numerous national and international exhibitions. In 1990, Siemer was recruited as assistant dean for development to the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, serving for eight years, spearheading their Third Century Campaign and eventually becoming Associate Dean.  In 1998, OHIO President Robert Glidden appointed Siemer as associate vice president of external telations to develop the first Federal Relations program for OHIO in Washington DC. She represented the University as liaison to the Congress, the Cabinet, the White House and other federal agencies helping to raise millions of dollars for Pell grants, research grants and funding for the Ohio University Airport expansion. In this position, Siemer was also in charge of Airport operations, the expansion of the OHIO Airport runway and the construction of a new Terminal building. During her tenure she served on the OHIO Athletics Board and chaired the university’s Percent for Art Committee, purchasing numerous works of art for the Athens campus.

After leaving Athens in 2003, Siemer served as executive vice president of United Way of the Bluegrass in Lexington Kentucky, as the director of Corporate and Foundation Relations for the University of Maryland Clark School of Engineering, and as the development director for the Light House Homeless Support and Prevention Center in Annapolis, Maryland.  Siemer “officially” retired in 2017 and went on to co-found Rise and Shine Bakery, a workforce training program that helps people who have barriers to employment become professional bakers

Siemer lives in Annapolis, Maryland with her husband, Dick Siemer, former vice president for Finance at OHIO and Treasurer of the Ohio University Foundation. They have four children and four grandchildren.