Alumni Council
The Alumni Council is composed of seven alumni representatives who are nominated and elected by the AAU alumni community, for a term of three years.
It serves as an autonomous representative body for the Alumni Community, and its mission is to create opportunities to connect alumni, AAU, and the wider AAU community, in meaningful, mutually beneficial ways.
The goals of the Alumni Council are to:
- Extend the alumni network and increase alumni activity
- Improve AAU visibility both locally and internationally
- Contribute to the goodwill and reputation of AAU
- Provide the alumni community with opportunities to network and collaborate with each other and with AAU through various events and projects
- Collaborate with the AAU Student Council on creating mutually beneficial opportunities, via internships, mentoring, or research projects
2024 – 2027 AAU Alumni Council Members
Martina Wojtylova Opava
Martina is an Amazon bestselling author, founder of the Energy Coaching Academy, and founder and chair of the La Vida Loca Endowment Fund. She has received several awards for her charity work, including the European Parliament award for the project Life in a Suitcase and the honorary title of “Laskavec” from the Karel and Lilia Janecek Foundation. Additionally, she was nominated for the “Women of the Year” award in 2019. Her mission is to inspire individuals to reveal their hidden potential, talents, and gifts. In so doing, she hopes to empower them to live fulfilled and meaningful lives.
As Alumni Council President, Martina will help strengthen engagement within AAU’s international alumni network and contribute to the continued development of the alumni community. Martina is committed to creating a positive impact in the world by setting an example as a conscious modern mom, entrepreneur, coach, author, and charity leader.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Roman Oeschger
Roman grew up in Büren SO, Switzerland and earned a BA in Politics & Society and an MA in International Relations & Diplomacy from AAU. Following internships at Light for the World (Czechia) and the Institute for International Relations Prague, he worked as a business developer for a Czech company. Since 2020, Roman has been self-employed, specializing in business development, trade business, and e-commerce. In early 2016, he founded the Forum für Mittelost- und Südosteuropa.
Roman has been a member of the municipal council in Büren SO for over six years, holding the position of vice-president since 2024. He likewise joined the board of the Forum Schwarzbubenland some years ago and is co-founder of the Chamber of Commerce Switzerland-Ukraine. His vision for the Alumni Council is to promote communication and collaboration between the Alumni Council and the Student Council, creating opportunities for social interactions, constructive exchanges and joint initiatives.
Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Jakub Kanovics
As a former Student Council representative of some renown, Jakub is excited to now extend his dedication and passion to the Alumni Council. With expertise in music and business, he excels in sales, and possesses strong skills in networking and negotiation. Additionally, Jakub is a DJ and music producer, bringing creativity and energy to every project he works on, and was responsible for organizing the first AAU Spring Music Festival at Střelecký Ostrov. As a recent graduate, he maintains close ties with students and the Student Council. This unique perspective allows Jakub to seamlessly integrate student spirit with the goals of the Alumni Council, and, together with fellow AC members, he hopes to build an even stronger alumni network.
Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Natalie Smutna
Natalie is based in Prague and has built a career focused on operations, partnerships, and event management across international organizations. Currently serving as Operations and Partnerships Manager at the Pyszko Foundation, Natalie previously spent over two years at the CEELI Institute managing international events and online learning programs. Earlier experience includes roles at Etincelle o.p.s. and DefSec. Passionate about collaboration and community-building, Natalie enjoys creating impactful programs and partnerships.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Drake C. Dewey
Drake is from Cleveland, Ohio and came to AAU in August 2021 to blaze a new path for himself. In the course of undertaking the MA in International Relations and Diplomacy program, he met countless friends, created numerous memories, and found a home at AAU. As financial aid counselor, he strives to help students financially succeed in their journey at AAU. Drake has plans to help foster alumni-student relationships, build a more pronounced alumni presence on campus, host an alumni gala mirroring the AAU Ball, and much more. He looks forward to representing the community.
Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Kyle Herda
Graduating in 2023, Kyle has already gained a wealth of experience. With over four years of freelance experience, he is all about merging video production with marketing and has collaborated with high-profile clients such as Coca-Cola, Pfizer, and Honeywell, while crafting engaging video content that drives marketing goals. Currently, Kyle is also exploring the exciting realm of AI app development at MMCC Productions, where he is leveraging his expertise to create innovative solutions. Whether it’s producing captivating short-form videos or diving deep into cutting-edge tech, he thrives on pushing boundaries and delivering results and is thrilled to bring this passion for innovation and collaboration to his role on the Alumni Council, where he hopes to foster connections and drive meaningful engagement among fellow alumni.
Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Marco Pascucci
Marco earned his master’s in international relations and diplomacy from AAU, where he was an active club supporter. He specializes in automation, analytics, and process improvement for large corporations in the healthcare sector and, lately, has been leading a truly interesting AI implementation project. AAU represents fond memories for Marco, which he treasures. He is happy to now have the opportunity to contribute to furthering the development of the university and the alumni community in particular.
Connect with him on LinkedIn.
If you would like to contact the Alumni Council, please send an email to alumni.council@aauni.edu , and one of the members will get back to you. You can also reach out to the Alumni Relations Specialist, Almedina Ibrahimović, at a.ibrahimovic@aauni.edu.