Brian Nathanson is the guy who has lived in the Program Board office for the past two-and-a-half years. He welcomes visitors with his friendly smile and Californian demeanor.

“It can often be uncomfortable for those who first join,” Nathanson said. “I want to put everyone at ease so they feel like they can jump right in.”

This open attitude is what Nathanson says is key to his two-fold platform for PB executive chair – people and programs.

Nathanson said he wants to expand the role general members play in orchestrating major events. Encouraging and welcoming new and old members alike is the way to do it, he said.

In the past, PB has been too “chair centric” by not allowing general members without titles the opportunity to lead, he says.

As executive chair, Nathanson says he wants to put the initiative back with those eager to help – but who haven’t been able to move beyond hanging posters or telephone calling.

He says he has big plans for this new energy.

With a talented and inspired group comes memorable and quality programming, he says. Nathanson adds that he wants to take this new energy and make PB a model for other schools.

As a business administration major, Nathanson says he would bring more than goodwill to the executive chair position. He says he is qualified to do financial planning for large programs that might have seemed fiscally out of reach in the past.

By combining his financial know-how and previous experience as corporate sponsorship chair, Nathanson said he sees PB putting together larger programs than ever without going into debt.

As corporate chair, Nathanson said he has done the “merry-go-round” work of dealing with outside organizations as well as making important connections that will help PB expand.

Nathanson’s desire to empower the individual is reflected in his campaign tactic of door-to-door campaigning.

“I want to get out and talk to people, to find out what people want to see happen,” Nathanson said. “When you don’t, you lose sense of what people are looking for.”