Letter from Soyica Diggs Colbert, Interim Provost, Georgetown University, to the community:
Dear Colleagues,
By way of Vice Provost Jeff Urbach, we learned of the sad news of the passing of Al Bertrand, Director of Georgetown University Press. I recognize how challenging this news will be for members of our community. I encourage you to visit Every Hoya Cares for mental and spiritual well-being resources.
Let us hold Al’s family and friends in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Please see information about Al’s time at Georgetown below.
Sincerely,
Soyica Diggs Colbert
Interim Provost
____
It is with sadness that the Office of the Provost shares news of the passing of Alfred “Al” Bertrand on April 20, 2025.
A distinguished figure in academic publishing, Al joined Georgetown University Press in 2018, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his tenure at Princeton University Press and John Wiley & Sons in Oxford. Al held a master's degree in classics from Princeton University and a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Chicago.
Al brought a wonderful enthusiasm for ideas, books, and publishing to Georgetown. He established the first Faculty Editorial Board and reached out to many people across the university to share his excitement about the Press. Through his vision and leadership, Al diversified the publishing portfolio to expand the scope and variety of books that the Press publishes, adding books that reach beyond academics and connect us more deeply to the university, the broader Washington, DC community, and readers around the world. He brought his publishing enthusiasm to Georgetown students through the Press’s expanded internship program, taking great pride in mentoring a new generation of publishing professionals. We are grateful for his service to the Georgetown community.
Beyond his professional achievements, Al was deeply committed to social justice. He was a mentor in the Georgetown Community Scholars program and is remembered by his colleagues and friends for his kind spirit and dedication to his family and friends.
Al is survived by his wife, Claire, and children, Eve and Jamie. He will be deeply missed. We will share additional information about a memorial service when it becomes available.
