New AVP for Alumni Relations

In November, James Allan was named the new assistant vice president for alumni relations and executive director of the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association.

Allan brings two decades of experience in alumni relations and development. Before joining Johns Hopkins, he served as vice president of advancement at the University of Calgary, where he led the creation and implementation of major branding initiatives, reputational activities, events, and programs that engaged more than 35,000 alumni and community members annually.

"James brings a strong knowledge of international alumni experience from his work in Australia and Canada," says Jason Heiserman, Johns Hopkins' executive director of Alumni Relations. "As we continue to expand our reach to alumni and identify new ways to engage them across the globe, his insight will be extremely beneficial."

Earlier in his career, Allan was director of Alumni Relations at the University of Melbourne. There he developed and implemented a comprehensive engagement strategy for Melbourne's 420,000+ alumni and 27,000+ donors. He also played a key role in the university's $1 billion philanthropic and engagement campaign.

Allan holds a doctorate in communications from the University of Massachusetts, a master's degree in communications from McGill University, and a bachelor's degree in English and history from the University of Toronto.

"I'm a huge believer in the importance of research universities, particularly in the valuable contributions they make to society—and Johns Hopkins, as America's first research university, is having such a remarkable impact in so many areas that when I saw an opportunity to join the Development and Alumni Relations team, of course I pursued it," Allan says. "I've already met some truly amazing alumni and volunteers, and I'm excited to work with many more over the coming years."

Allan is eager to collaborate with the Development and Alumni Relations team and colleagues across Johns Hopkins to revitalize Hopkins' entire suite of alumni engagement programs and activities, ensuring they remain relevant and valuable to all alumni. In the next few months, he says alumni will receive a comprehensive survey to gather feedback on how Johns Hopkins can best support their needs and preferences.

"It will be the first pan-university alumni survey since 2018," Allan notes. "Our societal context has changed a lot since then, so we're excited to hear from our alumni and learn how Hopkins can continue to be a meaningful part of their lives."