AGM 2025: A Look Back—and a Look Ahead
Today, the American Association of Malaysia held its 2025 Annual General Meeting, celebrating a year of connection, giving back, and growth. The meeting highlighted AAM’s accomplishments in 2024 and outlined exciting plans for the year ahead.
Celebrating 2024: A Year of Connection and Giving
2024 was all about showing up—for each other and the greater community.
AAM hosted two to three social events every month in 2024, welcoming members and friends alike. From Easter brunch and Mother’s Day tea to our first Halloween fundraiser and a cozy Thanksgiving potluck, there was no shortage of ways to connect. Our members-only Family Field Day and Holiday Happy Hour added a little something special for those more deeply involved.
We also tried some new things—rollerskating, a hammam spa day, dinner tastings, and even a few U.S. debate and election watch parties. While our Halloween and Día de los Muertos events didn’t raise quite as much as our traditional Christmas bazaar, we’re confident that with a bit more awareness and planning, we’ll grow this new tradition into something amazing in 2025.
Our mission—having fun while giving back—remained at the forefront all year. Through community support and charitable outreach, we raised thousands in direct donations and provided numerous in-kind contributions, including soap, clothing, school backpacks, and participation in an angel tree drive. We also helped small local charities by covering booth fees at bazaars and helping them gain exposure.
Financial Snapshot
AAM remains in a strong financial position. Our monthly bookkeeping services and annual audit added a few thousand more, but thanks to careful planning and oversight, we ended 2024 with a good revenue.
The path forward includes growing our fundraising potential through membership growth, sponsorships, and fun events with a small participation fee. The good news? We’re already making progress.
Membership has grown steadily: from 20 families in early 2024 to 42 by the year’s end. We’ve already surpassed last year’s membership numbers at this time. We also added exciting new member perks for 2025, set to officially launch next month.
We're also thrilled to welcome Joe Govoni as our new Sponsorship Director. This role has been unfilled for some time, and his expertise is a welcome addition as we work to secure new partnerships and sponsorships in 2025.
Introducing the 2025 Board of Directors
Elections were held, and we're excited to announce the 2025 AAM Executive Board:
President: Lauren Gilmore
Vice President: Shelby Raaj
Secretary: Jennifer Cooney
Treasurer: Guru Jaswant Khalsa
We also welcomed several new faces to our Board of Directors:
Membership Director: Nancy Russell
Sponsorship Director: Joe Govoni
Events Director: Megan Barclay
Operations Director: Liz Lewis
Additionally, and to better reflect how we operate today, members also voted in three constitutional amendments related to privacy, intellectual property, and the handling of confidential information.
Before wrapping up, we took a moment to thank a few incredible board members stepping down after years of service. Huge applause and heartfelt thanks went out to:
Cha Jones, 2024 Events Director
Teisha Dickerson, Digital Media Director since 2022
Khaleelah Porome, who’s held nearly every board role since 2018
We wouldn’t be where we are today without their energy, commitment, and creativity.
Looking Ahead
The meeting closed with enthusiasm for what’s ahead—more events, deeper community engagement, and new ways to support one another and give back.
AAM is more than an organization—it’s a community. One that continues to grow, adapt, and thrive because of members like you. Whether you’ve been with us for years or just joined, thank you for helping make AAM such a vibrant and welcoming part of expat life in Malaysia.
Here’s to another great year ahead!