Phillips Academy announces new trustees

Eric Zinterhofer ’89, P’18, ’19, president of the Phillips Academy Board of Trustees, announced today that two new members have joined the board. Ruben Alvero ’76, of Sacramento, Calif., and Christine Okike ’01, of Englewood Cliffs, N.J., both will serve four-year terms as alumni trustees.

Dr. Ruben J. Alvero has devoted decades of service to Andover and to the communities shaped by his career in medicine. His volunteer leadership includes serving on his Reunion Planning Committee and the Alumni Council Executive Committee, and as a class secretary.

Renowned for his work in reproductive health, Alvero retired from full-time clinical practice in 2024. He is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford Medical School and former division director of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital. In addition to board certification, he is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Surgeons.

Alvero served as division director for infertility services at the National Naval Medical Center and Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Over 27 years of military service, he rose to the rank of Colonel (Ret.) and was deployed to regions across the U.S. and abroad. His honors include the U.S. Army Meritorious Service Medal with Four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters. A founding member of the Center for Surgical Innovation, Alvero has earned numerous accolades for teaching, including three National Faculty Awards for Excellence. His research, editorial, and board service, and commitment to diversity reflect the breadth of his contributions. 

He holds degrees from Harvard University and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and an honorary degree from Brown University. Alvero lives in Sacramento, Calif. with his wife, Karen. They have three grown children.

Christine Okike is an attorney practicing corporate restructuring law in New York City. She is a partner at the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

While at Andover, Okike was a Blue Key and a three-sport athlete, playing varsity basketball, volleyball, and tennis. Since graduating, she has remained deeply engaged with the community. She is a member of the Andover Women’s Endeavor, the Bulfinch Loyalty Society, and the Non Sibi Circle, and has served as a class agent and as a member of her 25th Reunion Planning Committee. Okike has also been involved with alumni programs including Opening Blue Channels and Blue Runs Deep, both of which have kept her connected with current students interested in potential careers in law.

Embracing non sibi beyond Andover, Okike maintains a robust pro bono practice, representing immigrants and survivors of human trafficking, sexual abuse, and other crimes to ensure they have equal access to justice. Her board service has included Lawyers Alliance for New York, Legal Outreach, and Her Justice, and she has volunteered as a teacher in the New York City Public School System.

Okike graduated from Brown University with degrees in political science and Spanish before earning a J.D. from Columbia University. She lives in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., with her husband, Jeff, and their son, Lion.