Andrew J. Nussbaum ’85, an attorney who clerked for Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is the new chair of the College’s board of trustees. He replaces Cullen Murphy ’74, who was named chair in 2012 and trustee in 2000.
Nussbaum’s six-year term starts July 1. “During his eight years as a trustee,” said Murphy in the announcement of the change, “Andy has been involved in virtually every aspect of the board’s activities—always on call, always collaborative, always available to offer insight and knowledge—and has demonstrated time and again that wisdom goes hand in hand with collegiality and a sense of humor.”
President Biddy Martin said, “Andy’s experience on the board, love of the College, wit and generosity make him a wonderful choice as board chair. I look forward to working with him. On behalf of the entire community, I also express my profound thanks to Cullen Murphy for his extraordinary
service as chair.”
Nussbaum was elected to the board in 2010 and appointed a term trustee in 2016. A partner in the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in New York City, he specializes in mergers and acquisitions, cross-border transactions and corporate governance. He also has extensive experience with international companies and in the media and entertainment areas.
“If I am well-prepared for this new role, which it is a privilege to accept, my Amherst education itself has made it so,” he said in the announcement. “The unwavering commitment to integrity, robust inquiry and openness to dialogue and disagreement so fundamental to the Amherst liberal arts education, past and present, not only matters but is essential. We go forward with strength, thanks to Cullen, Biddy and our impactful faculty, staff, students and alumni.”
Nussbaum—a Russian major, varsity swimmer and summa cum laude graduate—received a master’s from Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship and a law degree from the University of Chicago. He was a law clerk to Ginsburg on the U.S. Court of Appeals, and to Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court.
A former member of the Folger Shakespeare Library board, he chairs the board of the nonprofit Asphalt Green, which offers sports, fitness and wellness activities for children in New York City public schools, as well as adults in need. He lives in Manhattan with his wife, Darcy Miller Nussbaum, and their three daughters.
“If I am well-prepared for this new role,” Nussbaum says, “my Amherst education itself has made it so.”
Five alumni begin six-year terms as College trustees on July 1:
Mary Elizabeth Cisneros ’89 is vice president and deputy general counsel of the American Red Cross, where she leads the humanitarian services legal team.
Eunei Lee ’89 lives in Hong Kong, where she is on the boards of the Hong Kong International School and the Asia Art Archive, and is active in the organization Mother’s Choice.
David W. MacLennan ’81 is chairman and chief executive of Cargill. He serves or has served on several boards, with a focus on the needs of underprivileged youth and access to education.
David A. Novak ’91 is a partner at Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, a private equity firm. Based in London, he is responsible for its European business and serves on its management and investment committees.
Nicolas Zerbib ’93 is a senior principal at Stone Point Capital, a private equity firm. He is a member of its investment committee, actively involved in all Stone Point portfolio investments.