Paul J. Ayoub has been elected chair of the national board of directors of American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC), the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Ayoub is a partner in the real estate and finance department at Nutter McClennen & Fish, and a member of the executive committee and Nutter Charitable Advisors.

In his new role, Ayoub will provide oversight to ALSAC. ALSAC exists to raise the funds and awareness from supporters around the world to operate St. Jude, which works to treat and defeat childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

“We are so pleased that Paul Ayoub has assumed the role of chair of our board,” Marlo Thomas, daughter of the late entertainer Danny Thomas, who founded ALSAC and later the hospital, said in a statement. “His experience and skills will be invaluable to lead our board at this time.”

Ayoub most recently served as vice chairman of the ALSAC/St. Jude National board of directors and has been a member of the board since 1992. Ayoub has 30 years of experience representing clients in the financing and development of commercial real estate projects, and advises clients in the areas of regulatory enforcement and compliance.