Advancement Committee
The Advancement Committee works closely with the Chief Advancement Officer to establish a clear fundraising strategy, set achievable targets, and evaluate ongoing fundraising efforts. The Committee ensures that fundraising activities align with the Bulletin’s overall strategic priorities and advocates for an informed and healthy fundraising culture among Board members.
Members of the Advancement Committee
John Balkcom
Balkcom is a former management consultant, college president, and board member of both for-profit and nonprofit firms. He served twice previously as chair of the governing board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. He is a native of Atlanta, Georgia; a graduate of Princeton University, of the Booth School of the University of Chicago, and of St. John’s College. John has been married to his high school sweetheart for 58 years.
Alexandra Bell (President and CEO)
Bell is the president and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. A noted policy expert and former diplomat, she oversees the Bulletin's publishing programs, management of the Doomsday Clock, and a growing set of activities around nuclear risk, climate change, and disruptive technologies. Before joining the Bulletin, Alexandra Bell served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Affairs in the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability (ADS) at the U.S. Department of State. Previously, she has worked at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and the Council for a Livable World, Ploughshares Fund, and the Center for American Progress.
Mari Faines
Faines serves on Democracy Forward’s Policy and Public Affairs team as the Manager of External Affairs and Coalitions. Just prior, Faines served as a strategic advisor and policy expert at the U.S. Department of State, working on AUKUS, the trilateral security agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Prior to joining the State Department, she spent five years in the United Kingdom completing graduate work in Peace and Security studies, while working as a project manager for an international solutions corporation. Upon returning to the United States, she continued working at the intersection of nuclear nonproliferation policy and social justice issues. Faines has written for a multitude of publications and was a former podcast host. She remains engaged in global policy issues by volunteering with various advocacy organizations and has been recognized for many of these contributions over the past decade. Faines holds a Master’s of Science (MSc) from SOAS University of London and a Bachelor’s from Colgate University.
Lee Francis
An internist and the CEO of Erie Family Health Center, Francis is assistant clinical professor of internal medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. He is a past president of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), a national organization dedicated to the prevention of violence and nuclear war, and continues to serve on its Board of Directors.
Vesa Koivumaa
Vesa Koivumaa is the Head of Growth, Americas for Voyage, a division of Wärtsilä, focusing on strategic maritime solutions and technological growth. With over 20 years of experience, his expertise includes integrating European companies into the Americas network, network security, OEM management, complex project management, and customer experience. He has previously served as VP, Channel Management for Stonesoft, a former IT security company, and holds an MBA in International Business from George Washington University. Koivumaa also serves on the board of Maritime Blue and as President of the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce, Greater Houston.
David Kuhlman (Co-chair)
Kuhlman is a partner at Lotis Blue Consulting (formerly Axiom Consulting Partners), a consulting firm that helps clients identify pathways to profitable growth and align their organizations for long-term success. For over 30 years, he has worked with people-intensive/asset-light businesses including accounting and law firms to establish and realize transformative strategies. Previously, Kuhlman was managing partner of Sibson Consulting, a leading HR consultancy and global head of Human Resources for Russell Reynolds Associates, a premier executive recruiting firm. As chair of the Governing Board, Kuhlman is a member of the Science and Security Board, ex officio.
Greg Movesian
Movesian’s career in professional fund development over forty years has included service to a variety of human service and religious organizations locally, nationally, and internationally. Movesian serves on the boards of the Community College of Denver Foundation, which he chaired 2021-2023, St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal School, Mile High Early Learning, and Colorado Preservation, Inc. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1978, and a Master of Arts in Social Sciences, with a concentration on Middle East economic and social development, from the University of Chicago in 1981.
Dimple Shah (Co-Chair)
Shah is the president and CEO of Gamma Technologies (GT), a global engineering software company that helps accelerate sustainable innovation with predictive compute and advanced simulation technologies traversing scales and physics. For over 25 years, he has collaborated with pioneers across diverse industries transforming the state of the art for the digital development of complex products and systems. He is passionate about solutions that make our planet more habitable and sustainable for future generations. Shah is committed to the uplifting power of education and is associated with organizations that drive long-lasting societal change with increased access to knowledge and networks. He holds a BE in Mechanical Engineering from COEP Technological University and a MS in Mechanical Engineering from Stony Brook University.