Our Board

Christian M.L. Bonat

Christian M.L. Bonat is Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary of Telephonics Corporation. Before that he served as Vice President and Counsel for the Defense Systems & Services unit of Sikorsky, a Lockhead Martin company. Previously, he served as General Counsel for ACADEMI, and Deputy General Counsel and Senior Counsel at the US Department of Defense.

Mr. Bonat was a U.S. Navy Officer for a decade, serving as a Naval Aviator and strategic planner.  He has served on the Board of the US Naval Institute and has published papers on defense, legal, and cultural issues.  He earned a BS from the US Naval Academy and an MA and law degree from Georgetown University. 

Damon Young

Damon Young is Finance Director for the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, whose mission is to promote health equity and improve the health outcomes of populations disproportionately affected by serious diseases. He is responsible for the financial management and governance of the Foundation and administration of the employee giving program. Damon began his career at Deloitte and earned his CPA. He then joined Bristol Myers Squibb as an internal auditor and held various financial roles, blending management skills with technical expertise. He holds a BS from St. John’s University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Mr. Young is a member of St. John’s University’s Board of Governors.

Anthony C. Hooper

Tony Hooper is a retired Executive Vice President of the world’s largest bitoech company, Amgen Inc. He now serves as an Independent Director of BeiGene BioParmaceuticals Ltd., the MannKind Corporation, Lykan BioScience and Amplity Health. With a successful biopharmaceutical career spanning over 40 years, he also held executive roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Wyeth Laboratories and American Cyanamid. Mr. Hooper serves on a number of non-profit boards as part of his commitment to give back to society. He was born and grew up in South Africa where he earned his Law and MBA degrees from UNISA, the University of South Africa.

Dr. Christopher B. Howard

Dr. Christopher B. Howard, the founder of IYL, is President of Robert Morris University, near Pittsburgh, and Director Emeritus of IYL. Previously, he served as President of Hampden-Sydney College. A distinguished graduate of the US Air Force Academy, Dr. Howard is a Rhodes Scholar who earned his Doctorate at Oxford University and his MBA at Harvard. He is retired Air Force colonel who received a bronze star for his service in Afghanistan. Dr Howard has served as the Reserve Air Attache to Liberia. He is a member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Howard has worked for Bristol-Myers Squibb and General Electric. He is a member of the Harvard University Board of Overseers

Gary A. Kraut

In 1969, Gary A. Kraut started G.A.Kraut Company, a global investor relations counselling firm. He served as President from founding until his retirement 47 years later. He is now Chairman of IYL Foundation, Vice Chair of the University of California Press Foundation, a director of Big Picture Learning and Civics Unplugged and advises the American Exchange Project. He is Founder of the Professors Fund at Boston University and the Global Impact Research Fund at Boston University and the University of California San Diego.

Sonia Jackson Myles

Sonia Jackson Myles is Founder of The Sister Accord Global Movement and author of “The Sister Accord: 51 Ways To LOVE Your Sister.” Before launching The Sister Accord as a full-time position, she served as an executive at Ford Motor Company, Gillette and Procter & Gamble. Her last corporate role was Global Packaging & Purchasing at Proctor & Gamble where she was responsible for a $6 billion annual budget. Sonia holds a BS and MBA degrees from Florida A & M University, and is a member of the University’s School of Business & Industry Hall of Fame. She serves as a board member for the Matlet Group and Fresh Start Beverage Company. Among number citations, she was names one of Essence Magazine’s “Women of Power” and “Bloomberg’s History Makers”.