2025 Johns Hopkins Alumni Association Awards Celebration by JHU_Alumni_

2025 Alumni Association Awards Celebration

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2025 6:00 - 9:00 P.M. EDT M&T BANK EXCHANGE

Celebrating 150 years of discovery, research, and impact

The 2025 Johns Hopkins Alumni Association Awards Celebration is among the inaugural occasions of Johns Hopkins University’s 150th Anniversary Celebration. For one hundred and fifty years, Johns Hopkins has stood at the forefront of discovery and progress as America’s first research university. Our legacy is defined by transformative contributions in education, medical research, public health, and civic engagement — all driven by an enduring commitment to improving lives across the globe.

The Sesquicentennial is an opportunity to honor our past and inspire our future through “Stories of Impact,” a yearlong series of reflections and events that illuminate the profound ways in which the Hopkins community has shaped the world. What greater way to bring these stories to life than through the recognition of tonight’s distinguished awardees, whose achievements exemplify the vision, dedication, and spirit of service that define Johns Hopkins at its very best.

The 2025 Johns Hopkins Alumni Association Awards Celebration takes place in the magnificent M&T Bank Exchange, a setting befitting the significance of tonight’s celebration. Originally constructed in 1887 as the Eutaw Savings Bank, this architectural treasure was preserved as part of the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center and, following a thoughtful restoration, reopened in 2023 as the M&T Bank Exchange. Today it stands as a luminous new venue for performance and community, where history and innovation meet.

Welcome

Recognition of 2025 Alumni Association Awards Recipients

Outstanding Recent Graduate Awards

Community Champion Awards

Global Achievement Awards

Public Service Awards

Dinner and Student Performance

Recognition of 2025 Alumni Association Awards Recipients

Heritage Awards

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Dessert and Conversations

2025 Johns Hopkins Alumni Association Awards

Outstanding Recent Graduate Award

Honors alumni who have received their Hopkins degree in the last 10 years and demonstrated outstanding achievement or service in their professional or volunteer life.

Lauren Choi, Engr ’20

Molly Claire Cook, Nurs ’18, BSPH ’18

Emily Maheras, Engr ’20, ’23

Eric Morrissette, SAIS ’17

Nam Nguyen, Ed ’23

Aneri Pattani, BSPH ’24

Michael Repper, Peab ’22

Community Champion Award

Recognizes outstanding contributions that address critical social, economic and environmental needs throughout our society and communities, including local communities. Both individuals and groups are eligible. The nominee(s) may be either Johns Hopkins alumni (individual or group) who have impacted any community or non-alumni (individual or group) who have impacted a Johns Hopkins Institution.

Chukwuemeka (Emeka) Ebo, Engr ’04

Alka Gupta, A&S ’06

Wesley Jamison, BSPH ’24

Kathryn Locke-Jones, Ed ’15

Matthew Reeds, Bus ’23

Alicia Lynn Wilson, Nursing Advisory Board, Former JHU Trustee

Global Achievement Award

Honors alumni who exemplify the Johns Hopkins tradition of excellence and have brought credit to the university and their profession in the international arena through their professional achievements or humanitarian service.

Clayton Ajello, BSPH ’83

Jonathan Burks, SAIS ’10

Jacqueline Brysacz, Nurs ’11, ’14

Melanie Higgins, A&S ’96, SAIS ’96

Razia Kosi, Ed ’21

Kathryn Koval, BSPH ’11

David Ugai, BSPH ’16

Public Service Award

Intended to honor alumni of Johns Hopkins who have brought credit to the University by their current or recently concluded distinguished service to the public as elected or appointed officials.

Philip Gordon, SAIS Eur ’86, ’87, ’91

Sana Shaikh, Ed ’13

Laura Herrera Scott, BSPH ’05

Carlos Dawayne Williams, BSPH ’09

Heritage Award

Intended to honor alumni or friends of Johns Hopkins who have contributed outstanding service over an extended period to the progress of the University or the activities of the Association.

David Bernstein, A&S ’57, Trustee Emeritus

Benjamin Cirka, Bus ’06

Mary Ann Dickson, A&S ‘97

Lynn Laverty Elsenhans, Engr Advisory Board

John Kocjan, SAIS ’78

Helaine Lerner, Friend, and Sydney Lerner (posthumous), Hon. Degree Recipient

Ellen MacKenzie, BSPH ’75, ’79, Dean Emeritus, Faculty

Michael Pryzby, Engr ’09

Alison Paige Smith, Nurs ’93

Distinguished Alumni Award

Intended to honor alumni who have typified the Johns Hopkins tradition of excellence and brought credit to the University by their personal accomplishments, professional achievement, or humanitarian service.

Katrina Armstrong, Med ’91

Cybele Bjorklund, BSPH ’95

Alyssa Eve Bowlby, Peab ’04

Ian Brown, Bus ’99, ’04

Sarah David, A&S ’07

Park Dietz, BSPH ’75, Med ’75, ’84

Patrick Dumont, Engr ’96

Caylah Green, Ed ’21

Ben Hwang, A&S ’95, ’01

Ajit P. Isaac, BSPH ’96

Luke Kelly-Clyne, A&S ’10

Nai-Wen Kuo, BSPH ’98

Anuj Kumar Mittal, A&S ’02, Trustee

Pravin Patel, Engr ’80

Hugh Rienhoff Jr., Med ’81, HS ’84, Med ’86 (PGF),’93 (PGF)

Marni Sommer, Nurs ’99,’01, BSPH ’01

Tiffany Tate, BSPH ’96

Shelton Williams, SAIS ’68,’71

Karl Wingate, Peab ’14

Outstanding Recent Graduate Award

Honors alumni who have received their Hopkins degree in the last 10 years and demonstrated outstanding achievement or service in their professional or volunteer life.

Lauren Choi, Engr ’20

Lauren Choi is the founder and CEO the New Norm, a sustainable fabrics and yarn company. The idea for the company began through Lauren’s senior design project in 2020, which had the goal of creating a machine capable of recycling plastic into a filament for fabric. This idea spun into founding the New Norm. After graduation, Lauren continued this important work, pushing the company to new levels of succes—turning party cups and ocean plastics in recycled fabrics. Based in Los Angeles, the company is now an online clothing retailer. Their featured products include sweaters, scarfs, beanies and they are working on a table cloth line. The company is truly dedicated to pushing the boundaries of sustainability. Lauren shared, “My hope is that The New Norm can inspire real consumer change. Any company that uses The New Norm fabric will be able to claim that they have a truly sustainable and transparent supply chain. From the beginning, having a reliable, sustainable supply chain has been a priority and has been built into the business model. It’s a key component of our product design. Ultimately, I hope The New Norm plays a role in bringing the fashion and recycling industries together and helps to move our world towards a more circular economy. It’s possible: now it’s up to us to make tangible, impacting changes.” The company has been featured in Vogue’s Business Founders Forum, with Lauren serving as a panelist at the 2023 event. They have formed partnerships with Reynolds Consumer Products (makers of the Hefty Party Cup) and have been awarded the Forge Impact Development Grant. Lauren was also named a 2024 Tory Burch Foundation Entrepreneur. As the Johns Hopkins website shares: Johns Hopkins University is proud to make ambitious commitments to reduce our environmental impact. Lauren’s work through The New Norm, exemplifies this ideal.

Molly

Claire Cook, Nurs ’18, BSPH ’18

Molly Cook, MSN, MPH, RN, exemplifies the ideal candidate for the Outstanding Recent Graduate Award through her extraordinary achievements as a health care professional, grassroots organizer, and now a trailblazing state legislator. Molly has consistently leveraged her education to serve her community in innovative and impactful ways. As

an emergency room nurse, Molly has dedicated herself to providing compassionate care to patients during some of their most vulnerable moments. Her work in the ER exposed her to the broader social determinants of health, which inspired her to pursue public health advocacy and grassroots organizing. Molly’s leadership was instrumental in passing a citizen-driven amendment to the Houston City Charter, and she was recognized by the Houston Chronicle as one of the city’s transportation leaders for her efforts to challenge the expansion of Interstate 45—an initiative aimed at protecting communities from displacement and environmental harm. Molly’s commitment to public service reached new heights when she transitioned into politics. She recently became the first openly bisexual member of the Texas Senate, representing Senate District 15, a position previously held by a single individual for four decades. Her victory in a highly competitive special election was a testament to her grassroots organizing skills and ability to connect with constituents. Throughout her campaign, Molly championed progressive policies, including Medicaid expansion, environmental justice, gun safety, and LGBTQ+ rights. Molly’s leadership extends beyond her professional achievements. She has inspired countless individuals through her advocacy for health equity, reproductive rights, and community-driven solutions. Her ability to bridge her experiences as a nurse and public health expert with her role as a legislator exemplifies the impact Johns Hopkins alumni can have on their communities and beyond. In every endeavor, Molly embodies the values of compassion, resilience, and leadership that define the spirit of Johns Hopkins.

Emily Maheras, Engr ’20,’23

Emily Maheras is a NASA Thermal Engineer at VERTEX Aerospace LLC. Most recently, Emily was awarded the Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal at NASA. This prestigious NASA medal is awarded to both government and non-government individuals for exceptional engineering contributions toward achievement of the NASA mission. This award is given for individual efforts for applications of engineering principles or methods that have resulted in a contribution of fundamental importance in this field or have a significantly enhanced understanding of this field or have significantly advanced

Outstanding Recent Graduate Award

the state of the practice as demonstrated by an application to aerospace systems. Emily was awarded this metal for outstanding engineering efforts on the Integrated LCRD Low Earth User Modern and Amplifier Terminal payload’s active and passive cooling design trades and analysis. Emily is one of the youngest recipients of this prestigious award. Following graduation, Emily worked as a NASA Thermal Engineer for Lentech, Inc at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center until she transitioned to her current role at VERTEX Aerospace LLC in 2022. She has moderated panels with prestigious alumni about the James Webb Telescope and is a Johns Hopkins volunteer.

Eric Morrissette, SAIS ’17

Eric Morrissette is the former Acting Under Secretary of Commerce, where he led the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) in its service of the nation’s nearly 10 million minority business enterprises. His appointment on January 12, 2024, followed President Biden’s 2021 signing of the Minority Business Development Act, which expanded and made permanent MBDA as the United States’ newest federal agency after more than 52 years in existence. Prior to this, Mr. Morrissette served as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of Commerce, acting as the principal advisor and part of the Department’s leadership team supporting priorities on minority entrepreneurship, place-based economic development, and national security. Earlier, as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, he successfully worked to pass the Minority Business Development Act of 2021, in addition to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act. Before joining the Department of Commerce, Mr. Morrissette held various impactful posts in the Federal Government. These include Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, managing the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy, and service in both analysis and operations at the CIA. He also worked in the Office of Board Members for the U.S. Federal Reserve and as a legislative aide under U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer. In all these roles, Mr. Morrissette consistently drove equity, transparency,

and positive change on behalf of the country. A Global Public Policy Fellow and Bryce Harlow Fellow at Johns Hopkins’ SAIS, Mr. Morrissette has held several distinguished appointments within the U.S. Government and maintains a commitment to helping people navigate their own careers in service.

Nam Nguyen, Ed ’23

Nam Nguyen is a dynamic leader whose work bridges education, technology, and global impact. He currently serves as a Consumer Card Analyst in Mobility and Convenience Americas at BP in Chicago, Illinois, where he manages the nationwide gift card program across 7,000+ gas stations and supports a $3 billion credit card portfolio—driving strategic growth and customer engagement for the company. In 2023, the UK-based Energy Intelligence named Nguyen one of only eight Energy Leaders for Tomorrow worldwide, recognizing his emerging influence in shaping the future of the energy industry. A first-generation college graduate and immigrant, Nguyen’s journey is defined by resilience, service, and innovation. He is the founder of The Bach’s Wish Fund, a nonprofit empowering underserved Vietnamese students through scholarships and mentorship. His unwavering commitment to public good has earned him some of the world’s most prestigious honors, including the Diana Award from the UK for his humanitarian impact, the Community Champion Award from the CEO and President of the Starbucks Coffee Company, as well as the President’s Volunteer Service Award from three consecutive U.S. Presidents—Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. Nguyen is also a Schwarzman Scholar, one of the world’s most selective fellowships for future global leaders, and has been inducted into the Clinton Global Initiative University and the Obama Foundation’s Leaders USA program. He earned his undergraduate degree in business from Washington State University and his master’s in educational technology from Johns Hopkins University. His global perspective is shaped by studying abroad on all seven continents and by impactful roles with NASA, the U.S. Department of State, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Outstanding Recent Graduate Award

Aneri Pattani, BSPH ’24

Aneri Pattani is an experienced journalist who shines a light on health care and health policy issues in the everyday lives of people across the United States. As a Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellow, she was able to bring public health knowledge and practices to her work, expanding the impact of her journalism. Ms. Pattani worked closely with Johns Hopkins University faculty members to develop a massive open online course focused on responsible suicide reporting for journalists, which has been instrumental in shaping the way her organization, KFF Health News, reports on mental health issues. Her work also earned national recognition, with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Journalism Ethics hosting her in 2023 as their journalist-in-residence, where she presented to multiple classes and hosted a training open to the public about responsible reporting on suicide. Ms. Pattani has received multiple awards for her reporting, including a 2021 award from the Institute for Nonprofit News for reporting on the flawed oversight of addiction treatment facilities in Pennsylvania. She was also part of a team that received the News Leaders Association’s 2021 Batten Medal for Coverage of the Coronavirus Pandemic. She was a 2019 recipient of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism. In addition to this outstanding work, Ms. Pattani has spent the last two years covering the roughly $50 billion that is being allotted to states from opioid settlement dollars and reporting on how states use, or misuse, this funding. In nearly 30 articles published with KFF Health News and partners such as NPR, she has brought attention to political decisions that might otherwise remain hidden from public view. Her reporting has increased transparency around the second largest public payout in United States history and is critical to the health and wellness of individuals and communities. The impact of her work will be recognized long after the final settlement money is distributed.

Michael Repper, Peab ’22

Michael Repper’s accomplishments are remarkable, not only for their breadth but for the impact they have made in the classical music world. At just 30 years old, he became the

youngest North American conductor—and the second youngest of all time—to win a GRAMMY® for Best Orchestral Performance. This honor speaks to his exceptional skill and his ability to inspire both musicians and listeners alike. As the Music Director of the Ashland Symphony Orchestra, Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, and Northern Neck Orchestra of Virginia, Michael’s commitment to creating meaningful, inclusive musical experiences shines through. His tenure as Principal Conductor of Sinfonía por el Perú, a prestigious social impact program, and his work with the New York Youth Symphony at Carnegie Hall further demonstrate his dedication to education, outreach, and innovation in music. His album with the New York Youth Symphony, featuring works by Florence Price, Jessie Montgomery, and Valerie Coleman, topped the Billboard charts, cementing his place as a leader in music circles. Michael is particularly dedicated to new music and the next generation of composers, regularly programming world premieres and pursuing innovative commissions. He has been an advocate for fresh voices, with performances of Carnegie Hall premieres and collaborations with some of the world’s most respected ensembles. As a Conducting Fellow with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, he demonstrated a keen ear for new music and gained recognition as a trusted collaborator with orchestras nationwide, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ravinia Festival, and the New School of Music, among others. Beyond his conducting achievements, Michael’s ability to adapt and lead through challenging times is equally notable. During the pandemic, he was one of the first to embrace distanced orchestral performances, showcasing his resilience and innovation. His work was featured on CNN, alongside a special performance with Billy Ray Cyrus, highlighting his ability to connect with a broad, diverse audience. In recognition of his extraordinary talents, Michael has been awarded multiple Solti Foundation US Career Assistance Awards and continues to receive widespread acclaim in the global music community. His passion for using music as a vehicle for positive change is truly inspiring and brings credit to the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.

Community Champion Award

Chukwuemeka (Emeka) Ebo, Engr ’04

Emeka Ebo founded Ekovolt, a startup dedicated to providing telecommunications services and internet access solutions to underserved communities and emerging markets. The company has partnered with Microsoft to deliver affordable internet access and cloud computing solutions to communities and small to medium-sized enterprises in Nigeria. Currently, Ekovolt is focusing on improving connectivity in underserved areas across three cities, including high-need institutions like schools and hospitals that may not be seen as profitable by other providers. Some of these schools lack connectivity, and these hospitals have limited access, many of which do not have the security needed to operate effectively. While Ekovolt’s current strategies can provide these upgrades, Emeka states that they are looking ahead to a pan-African solution that transcends geographic borders so local communities can fully experience the benefits of IT solutions and cloud services. In collaboration with the Microsoft Airband initiative, Ekovolt also aims to address the existing gender gap in these underserved communities. The company provided students at Gbaja Girls High School with computers for their ICT laboratory, along with consistent solar-powered electricity and reliable internet, fostering a digital transformation in their education. This comprehensive support not only transformed the students’ educational experience but also facilitated a significant shift toward digital advancement in their academic pursuits. By empowering these girls with a range of valuable digital skills, the Gbaja Girls School project has opened doors for students to access numerous opportunities in the digital space. A group of successful beneficiaries graduated from Gbaja Girls High School in Surulere in 2022 and have since enrolled in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Alka Gupta, A&S ’06

Alka Gupta, MD, believes that exceptional health care should encompass all dimensions of wellness, including physical, emotional, and mental health. She is the Chief Medical Officer and Co-founder of Bluerock Care, located in southeastern Washington, DC. Founded in 2021, Bluerock Care aims to meet the healthcare needs of seniors and

underserved communities. The organization has strategically chosen a location with a high percentage of minority residents and notable healthcare disparities. Many of its senior patients are enrolled in Medicare and face obstacles in accessing quality care due to transportation issues and limited local resources. Under her leadership, Bluerock Care is implementing innovative strategies to make healthcare more accessible to those who usually have difficulties, and her team is dedicated to improving health outcomes in the broader community by systematically addressing inequities. In 2024, Alka was named to the American Journal of Health Promotion’s prestigious “20 Under 40” list, which honors exceptional professionals under 40 who have made significant contributions to the healthcare sector. She serves as a board member for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at George Washington University. Previously, she co-founded and served as the medical director of integrative health and wellbeing at New York Presbyterian & Weill Cornell Medicine. Recently, she represented her field as a panelist at a congressional briefing discussing the benefits of combining GLP-1 drugs with food-as-medicine to enhance outcomes in obesity treatment. As a JHU alumna, Alka dedicates her time to the Krieger School’s Second Decade Society advisory board and serves as a mentor and alumni participant for the Hopkins Semester in DC program. She is also a longtime member of the JHU healthcare affinity group.

Wesley Jamison, BSPH ’24

Wesley Jamison, MPH ’24, is a catalyst for health, health education, and community building in Baltimore. As the Director at MissionFit, a nonprofit devoted to creating a supportive community centered around fitness, Mr. Jamison uses movement and coaching to develop young leaders with the capacity to be health leaders. Mr. Jamison and his team at MissionFit recognize that many young people in Baltimore do not have access to fitness services or infrastructure such as gyms in schools, healthy food, or mentors to guide them. Since 2019, Mr. Jamison has worked with MissionFit and directly with community members and other youth-serving organizations to create summer and yearround programs that teach young people to “take ownership over their health” and bring

Community Champion Award

those skills to their communities. He developed the Coach Development program that allows young coach participants from local universities to work alongside MissionFit Coaches and earn certifications. This collaboration-based program creates more impact and allows the team to offer more free youth fitness classes to students ages 11-24 that teach the foundations of fitness along with life skills of communication, public speaking, goal setting, and accountability. It creates multiple layers of membership and allows young people to support each other. Along with supporting the health and wellness of Baltimore’s youth, Mr. Jamison has also built powerful community bonds between MissionFit and other local businesses, including Johns Hopkins University and SOURCE, a community engagement and service-learning center for the University’s health professional schools. As a SOURCE partnering community-based organization, Mr. Jamison has served as a preceptor for multiple graduate students through practice, service-learning courses, and field placements. He supports the development of future health professionals, while simultaneously supporting local youth. Mr. Jamison is a champion of building knowledge-sharing capacity and strengthening community partnerships all with the goal of supporting Baltimore’s young people.

Kathryn Locke-Jones, Ed ’15

Kathryn Locke-Jones is a nationally celebrated educator, mental health advocate, and community leader whose work reflects the highest ideals of the Johns Hopkins University mission: excellence, innovation, and service to others. A Teach for America alumna, Locke-Jones currently teaches English Language Arts at Hampstead Hill Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has distinguished herself as a transformative force in both pedagogy and school culture. Her classroom is more than a place of learning—it is a “brave space” where students are challenged not only to achieve academically but also to develop their voices, identities, and resilience. Through a student-centered approach rooted in high expectations and social-emotional growth, her seventh-grade students have earned the highest state assessment scores in Baltimore City for five consecutive years, with an 82% pass rate that far exceeds both local and state averages. Locke-Jones’s

focus on equity has helped close achievement gaps for economically disadvantaged and multilingual learners—affirming her belief that with the right supports, all students can thrive. Beyond her instructional work, Locke-Jones has expanded opportunities for student growth and expression throughout her school. She founded Hampstead Hill’s first school-based writing center, offering tailored support to multilingual learners and a space for peer-led literacy development. She also launched the school’s National History Day program, introducing students to rigorous research practices and encouraging critical engagement with the past—an initiative that has inspired new confidence and academic curiosity among her students. Locke-Jones’s leadership in the field was formally recognized when she was named the 2024 Maryland State Teacher of the Year, a distinction that has amplified her voice as an advocate for student well-being and educator support across the state and beyond. This passion for mental health advocacy is deeply personal. Following the loss of her younger brother Sean, Kathryn co-founded SL24: Unlocke the Light, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the stigma around mental health and increasing access to care for young people. In 2020, the organization opened Sean’s House, a free 24/7 peer support center for young adults in Newark, Delaware. In just a few short years, Sean’s House has served more than 32,000 individuals, offering life-saving support in moments of crisis and ongoing wellness programming that helps students and young adults build long-term coping strategies and connections. Through both SL24 and her classroom, Locke-Jones has championed the use of “courageous conversations” to help young people navigate complex emotional and social landscapes. Her advocacy is reshaping how schools address trauma, mental health, and emotional well-being— ensuring that students and teachers alike are equipped with the tools they need to succeed both academically and personally. Locke-Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in English Education from the University of Delaware and a Master of Science in Education from the Johns Hopkins School of Education. She continues to give back to the Hopkins community through alumni engagement and mentorship.

Community Champion Award

Matthew Reeds, Bus ’23

Matthew Reeds is a lifelong Baltimorean who has made an immense impact on his hometown community. A graduate of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute high school and Morgan State University, Mr. Reeds was awarded a Baltimore Scholars Fellowship by Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and graduated from the full-time MBA program in 2023. The Baltimore Scholars Fellowship recognizes outstanding Baltimore City high school graduates who enroll in Carey’s MBA program. Mr. Reeds is outstanding in every way. Following his graduation from Morgan State in 2017, Mr. Reeds spent about a year and a half working for Goldman Sachs in New York City. But he returned to Baltimore because he wanted to make a difference in his community. In 2019 he co-founded The Reeds Fund, a nonprofit organization that educates and supports families in Baltimore that are affected by autism and sarcoidosis. The Reeds fund has since organized numerous events in Baltimore City to build a community to support young people with autism. Also, the Roxanne L. Reeds Scholarship Fund has awarded over $3,000 to local autistic youth in support of their educational journeys. In addition to the Reeds Fund, Mr. Reeds has worked in the City of Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success, recently completed a term as Deputy Director of Baltimore Homecoming, and serves on the boards of Disability Rights Maryland and Green Street Academy, a public charter school in Baltimore City.

Alicia Lynn Wilson, Nursing Advisory Board and 2023 JHU Trustee

Alicia Wilson is a member of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Advisory Board and serves as Vice President for Civic Engagement and Opportunity at Johns Hopkins University and Health System, Alicia leads the institution’s comprehensive strategy to strengthen partnerships with local, national, and global communities — advancing economic development, education, health equity, and community investment. In this role, she oversees initiatives that position Johns Hopkins as a model anchor institution, deeply committed to empowering under-resourced communities, expanding access to opportunity, and driving inclusive growth. Previously, as Managing Director and Global Head of

Philanthropy for JPMorgan Chase in North America, Alicia profoundly impacted communities both locally and nationally. At JPMorgan Chase, she oversaw local philanthropic strategies across more than 40 markets, guiding the firm’s $2 billion Racial Equity Commitment to create sustainable and transformative change. Her work drove critical investments in education, economic development, and healthcare access, addressing systemic inequalities and fostering opportunity. Prior to JPMorgan Chase, Alicia served as Vice President for Economic Development and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University and Health System, where she led transformative programs in neighborhood revitalization, education, and healthcare, further strengthening the institution’s role as a key partner in Baltimore’s ongoing renewal. Alicia’s achievements have earned her national recognition in Forbes and the National Business Journal for her leadership in creating economic opportunity. Her deep commitment to education and equity is further demonstrated through her service as Board Chair of the CollegeBound Foundation, which has helped countless Baltimore City students realize their dreams of a college education.

Global Achievement Award

Clayton Ajello, BSPH ’83

Clayton Ajello, DrPH ’83, is an epidemiologist, a global health and nutrition advocate, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who has worked collaboratively in 60+ low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) guiding governments, foundations, and service agencies toward adopting and scaling-up evidence-based health, nutrition, and social protection interventions and programs. Dr. Ajello is known throughout the nutrition and health philanthropic world as a crisp-thinking, knowledgeable, capable entrepreneur, and diplomat, able to bring foundations, academia, and other technical agencies around the table to commit, collaborate, donate and achieve. Throughout his career Dr. Ajello has focused on assisting a range of stakeholder organizations in LMICs to implement innovative, sustainable, high-impact, evidence-based public health interventions by catalyzing efforts to move research into everyday practice. He has also worked to help these same organizations adopt more entrepreneurial approaches to their operations; and has successfully engaged the manufacturing sector to produce low-cost, high-quality products required for many public health and nutrition initiatives. He also found time to spin off a for-profit, health technology company from the Johns Hopkins University in 1997 as a licensee of the University. His successes stem from working effectively across the academic, nongovernmental, governmental, bi- and multi-lateral, and private sectors. His most recent global success has been his role in guiding the strategic philanthropic decisions of Kirk Humanitarian for the past five years affecting the allocation of $150m of investments in public health nutrition. With the Vitamin Angel Alliance, he has for nearly 17 years, provided guidance to advance its strategic growth and public health programming – helping it leverage its resources to introduce, strengthen and/or expand the reach of sustainable, evidence-based health and nutrition interventions through more than 1,200 government and non-government program partners in over 60 countries. Before that, Dr. Ajello had a 14-year career with JHPIEGO, an affiliate of the Johns Hopkins University where he was vice president for programs. His career efforts have advanced large-scale deployment of many of the most important public health and nutrition interventions including oral rehydration therapy, family planning methods, urgent obstetrical care, preventive vitamin A

supplementation and deworming therapies for children, and most recently UN-endorsed multiple micronutrient supplementation for pregnant women in underserved, nutritionally vulnerable populations. His efforts over just the past decade have been key in connecting important public health and nutrition interventions with more than 70 million women and children annually.

Jonathan Burks, SAIS ’20

Jonathan Burks is the Executive Vice President for Economic and Health Policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center. He is an experienced senior public policy professional and corporate board member, who has worked over two decades in the public and private sectors. Until February 2025, Jonathan was vice president for global public policy at Walmart where he led the global retailer’s efforts to analyze and develop positions on pressing public policy issues. While at Walmart, he played a critical role in the success of the Walmart-SAIS Global Policy Challenge where SAIS students are able to get handson, real work experience as they work on a case competition in direct collaboration with Walmart employees working on these issues. Prior to joining Walmart, he was a partner at the global consultancy the Brunswick Group where he was the co-lead for the U.S. public affairs offer. Before moving to the private sector, he served as the chief of staff to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, where he served as the Speaker’s principal adviser on policy, strategy, and management. Jonathan also advised Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on budget and appropriations issues, served as policy director of the House Budget Committee, director of legislative affairs at the Securities and Exchange Commission, senior advisor (chief of staff) to the Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, and policy advisor in the transition office of the newly created Director of National Intelligence. In 2012, Jonathan was the deputy policy director on the Romney for President campaign. Early in his career, he served for four years at the White House working first for Vice President Cheney and then for President Bush in a variety of positions including as the Vice President’s staff secretary, associate staff secretary to the President, and special assistant to the President for policy in the Chief of Staff’s office.

Global Achievement Award

Jonathan serves on the boards of directors for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and the American Idea Foundation. He has a master’s degree from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor of science in foreign service from Georgetown University.

Jacqueline Brysacz, Nurs ’11,’14

Jacqueline Brysacz is a nurse practitioner and public health specialist. Since 2014, Jacqueline has worked in primary care with federally qualified heath centers. Jacqueline got her start in international work when she served as an agriculture volunteer in the Chaco region of Bolivia with the US Peace Corps from 2007-08. She focused on community beekeeping initiatives. Her experience in the Chaco led her to a career focused on reducing barriers to health and well-being for low resource populations. She currently works as a family nurse practitioner in a community health center, serving all comers regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Jacqueline embodies what it means to be a global contributor through her work with the Chaco Fund. With colleagues she met during her time in the Peace Corps, Jacqueline started a scholarship program called the Chaco Fund (www.chacofund.org). In conjunction with support from two local high schools in the Chaco region of Bolivia, the fund selects and supports two rural and indigenous young women so that they can pursue their dreams of a university degree. Since 2017 the Chaco Fund has sent 12 young women to college as of the end of 2023. In addition to financial support, the fund provides the scholarship awardees with mentorship as well as technological and emotional support to provide a holistic support system for these pioneers.

Melanie Higgins, A&S ’96, SAIS ’96

Melanie Harris Higgins is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, with 25 years of experience representing the United States. Amb. Higgins is currently serving as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, covering portfolios that include U.S. policy engagement in southern Africa as well as regional peace

and security programs across sub-Saharan Africa. She is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, who recently completed an assignment as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Burundi from 2021-2023. From 2018-2020, she was the Director of the Office of Central African Affairs (AF/C). She previously served as Principal Officer and Consul General at the U.S. Consulate-General in Auckland, New Zealand and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Amb. Higgins has also served in the U.S. Embassies in Indonesia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Australia, and Cameroon, and has worked in the State Department’s Operations Center, as Acting Public Affairs Advisor in the East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau, and as the Thailand Desk Officer. Amb. Higgins joined the Foreign Service in 1998 and is married to a Diplomatic Security Special Agent. In 2010, she received the Matilda W. Sinclaire Language Award from the American Foreign Service Association. She speaks French, Indonesian, and some Bosnian.

Razia Kosi, Ed ’21

Razia F. Kosi, EdD, is a pioneering mental health professional, equity leader, and culturally responsive practitioner whose career has been dedicated to healing, education, and social transformation. With more than 25 years of experience spanning school systems, clinical practice, and nonprofit leadership, Dr. Kosi has become one of the region’s most respected voices at the intersection of mental health, cultural identity, and community empowerment. As the founder of CHAI Counseling (Counselors Helping [South] Asians and Indians), Dr. Kosi has worked for over two decades to destigmatize mental health within South Asian communities and to expand access to culturally competent care. Launched in 2001 as a grassroots initiative, CHAI has since grown into a trusted program now housed under the Pro Bono Counseling Project, connecting uninsured and underinsured Marylanders with qualified volunteer clinicians. CHAI continues to serve hundreds of individuals and families each year—offering counseling, advocacy, and education in a culturally responsive framework that affirms the lived experiences of immigrant and minority communities. Kosi’s therapeutic approach draws on a wide array of

Global Achievement Award

healing modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy, somatic processing, and cultural humility, allowing her to support clients navigating anxiety, depression, racial trauma, and intergenerational conflict. Her clinical leadership has helped shift the mental health landscape in Maryland and beyond by making support not only accessible but affirming, relevant, and safe for those who have often been left out of traditional models of care. In parallel to her clinical work, Kosi serves as the Coordinator for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Howard County Public School System, one of the most diverse districts in the state of Maryland. In this role, she works across departments to embed inclusive practices into school policy, curriculum, and culture—providing trauma-informed training for educators, shaping district-wide equity initiatives, and leading community engagement efforts that foster a sense of belonging for all students and staff. Her work supports systemic change by addressing racial disparities in discipline, access, and student wellness. Kosi is also a permanent member of the Howard County Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Commission, where she advises local policymakers on equity priorities and helps lead community responses to incidents of hate, bias, and identity-based violence. Following the tragedies in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and Indianapolis, Indiana, which deeply affected Sikh and South Asian communities, Kosi played a leading role in the Sikh Healing Collective, providing direct support and trauma counseling for those impacted, and advocating for long-term infrastructure to support communal healing. Her academic contributions further reflect her commitment to culturally attuned mental health care. Kosi is a contributing author to the book Mental Illness Among South Asian Americans: Twenty Culturally Mindful Case Studies, a vital resource for clinicians seeking guidance on providing competent care to diverse populations. Her case studies explore nuanced intersections of culture, faith, family dynamics, and mental health stigma, offering practitioners both empathy and clinical strategy. Kosi holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, is licensed in both Maryland and Virginia, and is a member of the Asian American Psychological Association. She also holds a graduate certificate in School Administration & Supervision and an EdD in Entrepreneurial Leadership from Johns Hopkins University, where her capstone work explored equity-focused systems

change within educational institutions. Across all her roles—counselor, educator, advocate, and policy advisor—Razia Kosi has shown an unwavering commitment to building compassionate, inclusive communities. Her life’s work has been guided by the principle that mental wellness is a human right, and that culturally rooted care is essential for healing and empowerment.

Kathryn Koval, BSPH ’11

Kathryn Koval is an assistant professor in Emergency Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina. She serves as the director of Global Emergency Medicine Fellowship at MUSC. Following her emergency medicine training at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, she completed a fellowship in Global Emergency Medicine at Stanford University. Since then, she has assiduously pursued her passion for strengthening emergency medicine systems in low- and middle-income countries. She is a dedicated educator and compassionate clinician whose impact has been great. Dr. Koval’s endeavors in global medicine and capacity building have most recently taken her to Uganda, where she has rapidly improved emergency medicine skills and services in regional hospitals where emergency medicine protocols were previously lacking. With extreme cultural competence, a deep concern for her fellow human beings, and a strong belief in public health partnerships, she has made major contributions to the well-being of underserved patients with emergency needs around the world through clinician training, program development, and resource procurement. Even as a young faculty member, Dr. Koval has excelled in her global health work, creating change that has impacted patients rapidly, in settings where change is normally slow. She has expertly combined her medical and public health training to create real change in places that need it most. Her work and her example are subsequently impacting not only the patients who are the beneficiaries of improved care and health system function, but the next generation of learners, including the medical students, emergency medicine residents, and global medicine fellows whom Dr. Koval tirelessly mentors and supports.

Global Achievement Award

David Ugai, BSPH ’16

David Ugai, DDS, MPH ‘16, MBA, has spent the past seven years in Guinea, where he is training dental students and collaboratively building medical education infrastructure, including state-of-the-art medical and dental training facilities. In 2012, Dr. Ugai first began working as a dentist with the global nonprofit Mercy Ships, an organization that uses hospital ships and volunteer professionals to deliver free specialized surgical care and medical training to build the local healthcare systems with partner nations, focusing on Africa. During his first year with Mercy Ships he recognized the significant need for dentists in Guinea, where it is estimated there are only 3.3 dentists per 100,000 people, a figure one tenth of the global ratio. Dr. Ugai recognized the most pressing issue is addressing this health workforce gap. He returned to Mercy Ships, in 2016, where he served as the lead dentist and in 2018 became the Mercy Ships Country Director Guinea and Dental Specialty Consultant. In 2018, Mercy Ships and Dr. Ugai began a formal partnership with Guinea’s only public dental school, Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry (UGANC), where all dentists in the country are trained. The goal of this partnership is to strengthen medical education through investments in the development of health professions education programs. Prior to the partnership, dental training at the university was often theoretical, with students not receiving practical training until after graduation. In September 2024, Dr. Ugai and his team celebrated the grand opening of a state-of-theart dental training facility at UGANC, which more than doubles the capacity for dental students to learn, practice, and treat patients while addressing the critical gap in access to dental care. Dr. Ugai played a major role in the growth and development of this dental school, with the implementation of simulation and clinical training. This partnership has expanded to support the development of surgical, obstetric and anesthesia (SOA) specialty education programs. This increased capacity in medical education infrastructure is the result of a strong collaboration between Mercy Ships and multiple stakeholders in Guinea. This training facility not only serves dental students from Guinea but also other African nations such as Benin, Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and Sierra Leone, further displaying the impact Dr. Ugai and his team have had across the Africa continent. Over

the past 7 years, Dr. Ugai and his team have strengthened existing relationships and continued to build trust within the communities they support in Guinea, and they have helped train approximately 1,200 professionals and conducted or overseen 41,000 dental procedures. These partnerships, the necessary trust, and dedication have resulted in an incredible growth in the medical education infrastructure which will continue to serve students and communities for years in the future.

Public Service Award

Intended to honor alumni of Johns Hopkins who have brought credit to the University by their current or recently concluded distinguished service to the public as elected or appointed officials.

Philip Gordon, SAIS Eur ’86, ’87, ’91

Philip H. Gordon is the Sydney Stein, Jr. Scholar at the Brookings Institution. He has served in numerous senior positions in the U.S. government, including as Assistant to the President and National Security Adviser to the Vice President (2022-25); Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf Region at the National Security Council (2013-15); Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs (2009-13) and Director for Europe at the National Security Council (1998-99). Dr. Gordon has also been a Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, an Executive Partner at Xn, a global investment firm, and a Senior Counselor at the Albright Stonebridge Group. Gordon received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies in 1991; he also has an MA from SAIS (1987) and a BA from Ohio University (1984). He has lectured widely at universities and other institutions around the world and taught at SAIS and INSEAD, in Fontainebleau, France. Gordon is the author of numerous books on international relations and foreign policy including, most recently, Losing the Long Game: The False Promise of Regime Change in the Middle East, named as a “book of the century” by Foreign Affairs and “book of the year” by the Financial Times and CNN. He has published numerous articles in journals including Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and International Security, as well as newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Financial Times, The Atlantic, and Politico.

Sana Shaikh, Ed ’13

Sana Shaikh, PhD, is a nationally recognized leader in educational equity, organizational transformation, and culturally responsive innovation. With over 14 years of experience spanning K–12 education, academic research, nonprofit leadership, and public policy, she brings a dynamic, interdisciplinary approach to the complex challenges facing today’s schools and communities. A proud alumna of the Johns Hopkins School of Education, Shaikh began her journey in education as a Teach For America corps member teaching Secondary English in Baltimore. Early in her career, she mentored new teachers as a

Manager of Teacher Leadership Development, gaining firsthand insight into the supports educators need to create inclusive and high-impact learning environments. Shaikh earned her PhD in Education from Brandeis University, where her mixed-methods research examined how racial identity and relational dynamics shape culturally responsive teaching. She presented her findings at numerous academic forums, including the Relational Coordination Roundtables, and developed practical, evidence-based frameworks that have since informed professional development and classroom practice nationwide. In 2020, Shaikh founded TimeED (Taking Initiative, Making Equity in Education), a consulting firm that partners with schools, nonprofits, and government agencies to advance equity, inclusion, and systems-level change. Through TimeED, she has led professional learning programs on anti-racist pedagogy, organizational DEI audits, trauma-informed practices, and cross-sector collaboration—earning praise for her ability to translate research into action with authenticity and care. Shaikh’s leadership has been recognized through prestigious fellowships and appointments, including as a 50CAN National Voices Fellow, a Governor’s Fellow for the Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology, and a participant in leadership programs through the Aspen Institute, the Harvard Kennedy School’s Rappaport Institute, and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Her policy contributions have focused on closing opportunity gaps, strengthening educator pipelines, and creating inclusive digital learning environments. Currently, Shaikh serves as a Business Development Specialist at the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, where she supports regional investment strategies focused on equity, education, and economic opportunity. In this role, she brings together community stakeholders, funders, and policymakers to build capacity and drive measurable impact across sectors. Her global perspective and cross-cultural fluency are further reflected in her work with organizations such as Mursion, which uses virtual reality simulations for professional training, and the Ghana Health and Education Initiative, where she has contributed to cross-border collaborations focused on community health and education. As a firstgeneration Pakistani-American immigrant and a former English learner herself, Shaikh brings lived experience to every space she enters. Her work is grounded in a deep

Public Service Award

understanding of identity, belonging, and the urgent need for systemic transformation that centers marginalized voices. She has built her career around asking difficult questions, forging human-centered solutions, and creating pathways for others to thrive.

Laura Herrera Scott, BSPH ’05

Laura Herrera Scott is a national leader in healthcare delivery and financing reform, integrating value-based care philosophy with clinical and population health strategies. She has a a diverse background of public and private sector experiences from direct care, to public health, to payer and health care delivery transformation. Her work has focused on the creation of progressive programs that optimize patient outcomes, improve the quality of care, and advance health equity. Most recently she served Maryland under Governor Moore and Lieutenant Governor Miller as the Secretary of Health. In that role, she worked to ensure that the state built an equitable, world class health care delivery system that improved the health of all Marylanders. Prior to her appointment as Secretary of Health, Dr. Herrera Scott drove population health outcomes through improved data analytics and reporting in clinical care as the Executive Vice President of Population Health at Summit Health. As Vice President of Clinical Strategy and Population Health at Elevance (formerly Anthem), she helped shape enterprise-wide strategies and largescale Medicaid initiatives that improved health outcomes, fostered operational excellence, and advanced sustainable health care solutions. She also previously served as the Deputy Secretary for Public Health and the Chief Medical Officer for the Department under the O’Malley/Brown Administration. Dr. Herrera Scott is a Veteran of the United States Army Reserves having served in 2004 and 2005 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and in 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She received her Master’s Degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University where she also practiced, caring for individuals living with HIV. She received her Doctor of Medicine from SUNY Health Science Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Carlos Dawayne Williams, BSPH ’09

Carlos Williams, MD, MPH/MBA ’09, is an exceptional leader and change agent with a demonstrated history of consensus building, innovation, organizational transformation, and both global and domestic development. He has worked across the global health care industry in emergency management and disaster response, intelligence, and policy and international relations. Dr. Williams has had an impressive career in the United States military, serving the US Navy in various capacities, the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), and most recently the United States Army War College. Throughout his career, Dr. Williams has worked on several high priority clinical and public health initiatives including pandemic response work, vaccine trials, and responding to noncommunicable disease threats. From 2012-2015, Dr. Williams served as the U.S. Health Affairs Attaché to the Pacific Islands where he coordinated the Regional U.S. Health Team serving the U.S. Missions in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Suva, Fiji, and Oceania at-large. As the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) point of contact for PNG, he led his team to a significant resource and personnel increase and was pivotal in gaining increased funding from the Global Fund to combat the drug-resistant tuberculosis, deemed a national emergency. In 2015 he was part of the inaugural Presidential Leadership Scholars, which brings together bold and principled leaders who are committed to facing critical challenges, both at home and around the world. From 2018 to 2020 he was a Health Policy Fellow with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and National Academy of Medicine. In this role he served as a fellow advisor to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee through the office of Senator Edward J. Markey (MA), directly supporting legislation to reform US Global Health Assistance and coordination. Beginning in October 2020 and continuing through November 2024, Dr. Williams served as the Director of National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), a Department of Defense organization, and was the senior member of Defense Intrepid Network for Traumatic Brain Injury and Brain Health. In this role, Dr. Williams led the programs to diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate service members with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental

Public Service Award

health conditions. He regularly reviewed the programs and conducted stakeholder analysis to review strengths and weaknesses of the programs and resources available, ensuring this Center was working across sectors to treat some of the most vulnerable service members. Regular program reviews resulted in his successful efforts to establish the Defense Intrepid Network for TBI and Brain Health, which includes 13 centers across the Military Health System, and was instrumental in getting key legislation passed to support military brain health in the Nation Defense Authorization Act of 2025. Dr. Williams has also worked extensively in global health, including as the principal agent for the hallmark U.S. Agency for International Development and U.S. Africa Command-funded Pandemic Response Program (PRP), which focused on crisis response to public health emergencies. Here, Dr. Williams designed and implemented his Unified Strategic Implementation and Planning Process, which mobilized stakeholders across the community to ensure inclusiveness while working in coordination with U.S. government departments, United Nations agencies, and international and national non-governmental organizations to improve partner nations’ disaster-response capability. As a result, more than 14 nations developed their own pandemic-response plans.

Heritage Award

Intended to honor alumni or friends of Johns Hopkins who have contributed outstanding service over an extended period to the progress of the University or the activities of the Association.

David Bernstein, A&S ’57, Trustee Emeritus

David Bernstein has shown a lifelong dedication to the University, its students, and its mission through leadership, philanthropy, and sustained involvement. His commitment to Hopkins has profoundly impacted the institution. Bernstein’s bond with Johns Hopkins was first forged through his membership in the Phi Sigma Delta fraternity and deepened into a lasting partnership that shaped both his personal and professional life. Bernstein, an entrepreneurial leader, built Duty Free International into a global powerhouse, and through his success, has supported the University with scholarships, building projects, and contributions to the lacrosse team. As Trustee Emeritus of both Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine, Bernstein, through his philanthropy, has had a lasting impact, including the creation of endowed professorships and an annual lecture series. Bernstein’s leadership has helped shape the University’s future, through the creation of the Bernstein-Offit Beach at the Bloomberg Center and the establishment of distinguished professorships in finance and political science. His continued involvement in Johns Hopkins Medicine underscores his commitment to advancing the institution’s global impact.

Benjamin Cirka, Bus ’06

Ben Cirka has been an engaged alumnus of the Carey Business School since graduating in 2006. He joined the Dean’s Advisory Council in 2019 and the and the Real Estate and Infrastructure Board in 2021. He has been a valuable member to both boards helping speak to classes about his work, offering to share real world data for courses, and connecting staff with his network whenever he can. Ben has been very involved in healthcare real estate, working to secure financing and investing in over one billion of total project financing that has provided neighborhood redevelopment, historic building preservation, affordable housing, and healthcare services throughout the United States. He has been especially passionate about bringing healthcare services to impoverished communities. He is looking forward to connecting this passion with the goal of CBS to become a top 5 school for the Business of Health. Ben is a wonderful example of an alumnus getting

involved and giving back, even with a busy work and home life. He genuinely wants to see Carey and JHU succeed and continue to grow.

Mary Ann Dickson, A&S ’97

Mary Ann Dickson has always embraced the power of her voice, shaped by her upbringing in a family of lawyers. Her journey began at Johns Hopkins, where she excelled as a two-sport athlete, ultimately earning the title of National Division III Defensive Player of the Year in women’s lacrosse. In 2010, she was inducted into the Johns Hopkins Athletics Hall of Fame as a two-sport athlete. After graduating with a degree in political science, Dickson launched a successful legal career, beginning in private practice and rising through the ranks at prominent financial institutions. Currently a managing director at Bank of America, she leads a global team focused on enhancing client experiences in banking. As the outgoing president of the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association and a current trustee, Dickson aims to connect alumni across various disciplines to foster collaboration and innovation. Her dedication to the university is evident, and she is committed to inspiring pride and engagement among fellow Blue Jays.

Lynn Laverty Elsenhans, Engr Advisory Board

Lynn Laverty Elsenhans has enjoyed a successful career in the oil and energy sector. She spent nearly 30 years at Royal Dutch Shell Company, serving as President from 2003 to 2008. Additionally, she held the position of Chairman and CEO of Sunoco from 2008 to 2012. In 2009, Lynn was recognized as one of Forbes’ “100 Most Powerful Women.” She brings her influence and expertise to the Whiting School, serving as a trusted advisor to Dean Schlesinger and as a member of the Whiting School Advisory Board. Given that energy and the environment are key priorities for Dean Schlesinger and the Whiting School, Lynn’s ability to provide guidance in these areas is particularly significant. Lynn and Dean Schlesinger discussed the new Ralph O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute, and Lynn kindly reviewed the vision document, offering valuable perspectives. Lynn also cares deeply about our students. She has come to campus to give lectures to students and

Heritage Award

community members, including the prestigious Sydney and Mitzi Blumenthal lecture. Additionally, she supports students through mentorship and her generous donations to undergraduate financial aid. She contributes to two scholarships: The Martha A. Laverty Scholarship in honor of her mother, and the Albert G. Laverty Scholarship in honor of her father. Furthermore, she delivered the keynote address at the Whiting School Master’s Recognition Ceremony in 2010. Lynn is currently assisting Dean Schlesinger with the search for the new Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Relations. Understanding the power of philanthropy, she aims to ensure that the next WSE DAR leader will contribute to the school’s success in the upcoming campaign and beyond.

John Kocjan, SAIS ’78

John Kocjan is a retired senior partner in Deloitte’s Global Financial Services Consulting Practice, having held various positions at Deloitte, including the head of both the US and Global practices. Kocjan brings over forty years of experience in consulting and bankmanagement, beginning his career in Citibank’s international group in Asia, and later serving as President and CEO of St. Louis Bank. Before joining Deloitte, he was a partner at McKinsey & Company. Kocjan has advised clients on developing and executing sustainable strategies through organizational effectiveness, improved performance, and operational transformation. He has been involved in numerous merger integrations for major financial institutions and has led critical programs for top organizations in the US, Japan, and Europe. Additionally, he serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC, where he teaches a graduate course in Business Strategies for Global Financial Institutions. Kocjan has written and spoken about key issues impacting the financial services industry. He holds an MBA (with distinction) from the Wharton School, an MAIS (with distinction) from the School of Advanced International Studies, and a BA (cum laude) from Fordham University.

Helaine Lerner, Friend and Sydney Lerner (posthumous), Honorary Doctoral Degree

Sidney (Sid) and Helaine Lerner have provided transformational support of public health across the globe and at the Bloomberg School of Public Health for more than three decades. Sparked by their professional expertise and success in communications and advertising, they made their first gift in the mid-1990’s to launch the Center for A Livable Future, the world’s first academic center to investigate the interconnections among animal welfare, factory farming, and climate change, and their combined impact on population health and the environment. The Lerners subsequently partnered with the Center to create the Meatless Monday campaign, which encourages the public to one day a week, cut out meat for the health of people and the planet. The campaign quickly grew into a global movement promoted in schools, restaurants, hospitals, and communities in over 40 countries. In the past 20 years, the adoption of plant-based diets has surged, especially among younger generations, with 27 percent of Generation Z and Millennials now eating all or mostly plant-based food. Through their continued support of the Center for a Livable Future, along with investment in the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, Helaine and Sid have dedicated themselves to finding innovative solutions for humane, highly accurate alternatives to animal testing of medical and consumer products, as well as protecting human and planetary health from the devastating impact of climate change and the industrial food system. They have also championed public health advocacy, establishing the Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy at the School in 2016, and the Deans Sommer and Klug Professorship of the Practice in Public Health Advocacy in 2018. This Centers work harnesses the Lerners’ passion for public health advocacy through partnerships, teaching, and practice that inspire action on some of our greatest public health challenges. They provide information hubs, action guides and professional development videos and programming, designed to educate, empower, and expand the impact of public health professionals at the School and beyond. Sid received an honorary doctoral degree from the University in 2019. “Sid pushed people to move from words to action,” said former Dean Al Sommer, MD. Sid likes new ideas, but unlike most of us, he will do something about his ideas. Helaine remains a close friend and supporter of the School.

Heritage Award

Ellen MacKenzie, BSPH ’75, ’79, Dean Emeritus, Faculty

Ellen J. MacKenzie’s steady rise from student to Dean of the Bloomberg School is marked by extraordinary accomplishments as a researcher, teacher, and true pioneer and commanding leader in policy and practice of the treatment of trauma. From conducting studies that made far-reaching improvements to trauma care to inspiring leadership of the Bloomberg School through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, she has made enduring contributions to the Johns Hopkins University and to the field of public health. Dean MacKenzie discovered her true passion when she began working with the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, which employs evidence-based methods to keep people safer, and translates that evidence into policy and practice. Throughout her career, she pursued research focuses on the impact of health services and policies on the short-and long-term consequences of traumatic injury, making major contributions to the evaluation of trauma systems and rehabilitation services. Her research has advanced the knowledge of the economic and social impact of injuries and our understanding of how personal and environmental factors influence recovery and return to work. In 2009, she became the founding director of the Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium (METRC), which aims to develop guidelines for providing optimal care for both service members and civilians who experienced major extremity trauma. As of January 2025, METRC, which his anchored at the Bloomberg School, has now collaborated with over 80 trauma centers and engaged nearly 25,000 patients in close to three dozen studies. Dean MacKenzie served as the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from 1996-2000, then Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management from 2005 to 2016. In 2017, she was named a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor and became the first woman Dean of the Bloomberg School of Public Health. As dean, she spearheaded the development and implementation of a five-year strategic plan, focusing the School’s attention and directing its work on the power of education, science, partnerships, people, and advocacy. When COVID-19 took hold, the Bloomberg School moved quickly to share insights of our experts and launch innovative responses to reduce its risks to the public while also making an immediate and unprecedented pivot to online

learning. She also established and expanded centers and initiatives that focus on neglected areas critical to improving public health, including lyme and tickborne diseases, hearing, indigenous health, gun violence, global mental health, planetary health, child sexual abuse prevention, and gender equity, among others. During her leadership 2017-2024, the School experienced a 50% growth in applications, a 20% increase in enrollment, and a 54% growth in non-tenure track faculty. In fact, one-third of Bloomberg School alumni today graduated under Dean MacKenzie. Dean MacKenzie has devoted her career to public health and has proven herself time and again to be a responsive and innovative leader in research, education, and public health policy and practice. She has led the #1 School of Public Health with enthusiasm and deep commitment its people.

Michael Pryzby, Engr ’09

Mike Pryzby is one of the first people who comes to mind when thinking about engaged volunteers at Johns Hopkins. Mike graduated from the Whiting School’s Engineering for Professionals Program in 2009 with a Master’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering. Actively engaged with both the Whiting School and central Alumni Relations Office for many years, Mike increased his engagement when he advocated for and successfully formed the Aerospace Affinity group over 10 years ago. Since then, his engagement with the school continued to increase, joining the Alumni Council in 2017. Mike regularly participated in meetings, led discussions, and eventually chaired the student grants committee. In 2024, he joined the Hopkins Engineering Alumni Leadership Committee and continues to advise the Whiting School alumni relations program. He also recently joined the Alumni Council Champions group following his Alumni Council term end. Mike is also a strong advocate for the school through his professional network. He is well respected in the space engineering community and has over 30+ years’ experience building satellites. He actively looks for opportunities for partnerships with NASA Goddard, including bringing alumni working for NASA Goddard to campus, to attend aerospace networking events, to mentor students, etc.; and helping to make connections for students to find internships and jobs at NASA.

Heritage Award

Mike also uses his corporate connections as well as his individual expertise to support Mechanical Engineering Design Projects. His current company, AKA Aerospace, has sponsored projects in the past and Mike continues to donate his time as an advisor to many of the projects. He has a very strong commitment to connecting current students with alumni. He has arranged informational panel discussions expressly for current students to excite them about the range of possibilities open to them with their JHU engineering degree. These events have been well-attended and well-received. Mike also mentors several students each year, meeting with them regularly while on campus and continuing to guide them as theytransition into the professional work. Mike has mentored nearly 100 current Engineering students, if not more. Mike attends nearly every networking event hosted by the Whiting School and rarely misses a Career Night, Speed Networking Night or Mock Interview Night. He also is great advocate for students in our Engineering for Professionals (EP) Part-time program, speaking as a panelist at the annual EP Connect to Campus event.

Alison Page Smith, Nurs ’93

Alison Smith served as a member of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Advisory Board from 2014 to 2024. During that time, she was a trusted advisor to Dean Davidson and Dean Szanton. Alison has provided invaluable guidance on key initiatives at the School of Nursing, including the development of Neighborhood Nursing, the Institute for Policy Solutions, and launching the first cohort to complete all clinicals in community settings. Her thoughtful advisement has been instrumental in shaping the future of nursing and connecting resources to sustain the Neighborhood Nursing program. Alison has served as a trusted advisor to Dean Sarah Szanton and Executive Vice Dean Robert Atkins, helping to refine the transition to competency-based education. Alison has also contributed to the strategic communications efforts by being part of the team that named the new INside OUTside track. Following her tenure on the board, Alison joined the Education to Practice Dean’s Working Group where she contributes critical feedback and advice on School initiatives like competency-based education and innovation in

nursing education. Not only does Alison provide strategic guidance to JHSON leadership, she actively encourages her peers to engage and support the school. Alison serves in a jointly held position with the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association as Program Director for the AHA-AMA Initiative to Control Blood Pressure. She has 25 years of experience in the health care industry, ranging from the bedside to the boardroom. For the last decade, she has worked as a vice president of Strategic Initiatives and a consultant to C-Change, a national non-for-profit, focused on research, practice, and policy issues in cancer. Prior to C-Change, she worked for 15 years in hospitals in clinical, leadership, and consulting roles.

Distinguished Alumni Award

Katrina Armstrong, Med ’91, HS ’94

Katrina Armstrong, MD, leads Columbia University’s medical campus, serving since 2022 as the Chief Executive Officer of Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), which includes the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S), the School of Nursing, the College of Dental Medicine, and the Mailman School of Public Health. She is Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences for Columbia University, Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Harold and Margaret Hatch Professor in the Faculty of Medicine. She previously served as Interim President of Columbia University in the City of New York. A Yale graduate, she spent a year at NIH studying diabetes and eye disease before earning her medical degree at Johns Hopkins University. After residency, Dr. Armstrong joined the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a master’s in clinical epidemiology and launched a research program on medical decision-making, cancer prevention, and healthcare disparities. For over 17 years, she taught courses on clinical decision-making, led the creation of a master’s in health policy research, and held roles including as chief of general internal medicine, director of research at the Leonard Davis Institute, and associate director of the Abramson Cancer Center. In 2013, Dr. Armstrong was recruited to Harvard to chair the Department of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, becoming its first woman physician-in-chief. She oversaw 2,000 faculty, residents, and fellows across 10 clinical divisions and 11 research units, led education programs, and founded the Center for Educational Innovation and Scholarship.

Cybele Bjorklund, BSPH ’95

Cybele Bjorklund, MHA ’95, is a veteran of Capital Hill and the healthcare industry and has been navigating complex and politically challenging health issues for over two decades. She has been instrumental in creating federal healthcare policy and ensuring the research of Johns Hopkins University experts is considered in policy decisions on the national stage. Ms. Bjorklund spent 20 years in senior professional policy roles for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. During this time, Cybele helped shape and

write numerous laws affecting private health insurance and key federal health programs, working with numerous stakeholders and across the political divide to accomplish her work. She contributed significantly to Medicare changes, writing the Affordable Care Act, and many other programs that have provided United States residents with increased access to more affordable, preventive and potentially lifesaving healthcare. As Vice President of Federal Strategy for Johns Hopkins University & Medicine from 2019-2021, Ms. Bjorklund was instrumental in developing the comprehensive strategy to maximize opportunities with the newly acquired landmark property at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, now the Hopkins Bloomberg Center. She developed and deployed proactive and reactive federal advocacy and engagement agenda across the Johns Hopkins enterprise, ensuring the groundbreaking work accomplished at Johns Hopkins had an impact in shaping policies being made in Washington, DC. From 2021-2023, Ms. Bjorklund led Vitra Health as Senior Vice President, Policy and Government Strategy and served on the executive team while building out an inaugural policy and multi-stakeholder engagement strategy. In this work, she focused on raising awareness of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes reversal and increasing access to Vitra’s transformative approach in public programs, including among Veterans and other key populations. In her current role as Executive Director of the Hopkins Bloomberg Center and Vice President of Federal Strategy, Ms. Bjorklund utilizes her experience and brings Hopkins’ expertise and research to the forefront of policymaking. She oversees the development and implementation of programming that draws upon and complements the work of the university’s divisions through high-profile partnerships, programming, and engagement opportunities that augment the presence of JHU’s divisions and programs in the nation’s capital. Ms. Bjorklund’s professional career has been spent working across divides to positively impact federal healthcare policy and strengthen the foundations of healthcare infrastructure. Her leadership on the Affordable Care Act, Medicare changes, and with the Johns Hopkins enterprise has positively and permanently shifted the ways research and policy impact the lives of individuals and communities across nation. She is also an Aspen Health Innovators Fellow and a scholar with the O’Neill Institute at Georgetown Law.

Distinguished Alumni Award

Alyssa Eve Bowlby, Peab ’04

Alyssa Bowlby is a nationally recognized leader in educational equity whose decade-long stewardship of the Yleana Leadership Foundation (YLF) has left an indelible mark on college access for historically underserved students. A former professional opera singer and Peabody Conservatory graduate, Bowlby brought artistic discipline, entrepreneurial vision, and deep social empathy to the education space, co-founding YLF in 2013 with the mission of empowering low-income youth through transformative college readiness programming. Under Bowlby’s leadership, YLF became a national model for data-driven, culturally responsive, and emotionally supportive SAT preparation. At the core of its offerings was the Socratic Summer Academy, an intensive residential program that combined rigorous SAT prep with mentorship, identity exploration, and strength-based community-building. Over the course of YLF’s 12-year lifespan, the foundation served more than 1,000 students, many of whom saw average SAT score gains of 710 points— a rare outcome in the test-prep field that directly translated into scholarship opportunities and expanded college access. Bowlby’s impact extended far beyond score improvements. She worked tirelessly to remove barriers to participation, providing scholarships, transportation, and year-round support services to students from New York, Baltimore, and Boston. Her innovative programming incorporated academic coaching, mental wellness practices, and leadership development to ensure students were equipped not only for college admission, but for success and self-advocacy once enrolled. Alyssa also cultivated meaningful institutional partnerships to amplify YLF’s mission. In 2024, she partnered with the Johns Hopkins School of Education to host a free SAT Bootcamp on the Homewood Campus for Baltimore-area high school students, bringing YLF’s evidence-based strategies to a new population of aspiring college students. Bowlby was also exploring the integration of AI-enhanced test preparation—particularly generative models—to improve efficiency, accessibility, and customization in future iterations of the program. While the Yleana Leadership Foundation formally sunset in May 2025, Bowlby’s legacy lives on in the lives of the students she served and the educators she inspired. Her work challenged

conventional wisdom around standardized testing and proved that rigorous academic preparation can—and must—be delivered with joy, cultural awareness, and emotional support. Today, Alyssa continues to explore opportunities in the education space, committed to expanding access for students traditionally excluded from elite academic pathways. Her career reflects not only the tenacity of an artist and the intellect of an educator, but also the compassion of a servant-leader deeply attuned to the lived experiences of her students.

Ian Lee Brown, Bus ’99, ’04

Ian Lee Brown is Vice President and Chief Employee Experience Officer at the Duke University Health System. Mr. Brown leads the organizations diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives and has spent the majority of his career working to enhance the workplaces in which he has been a part. Prior to his role at Duke, Mr. Brown had two professional stints at Baltimore-based Erickson Senior Living, rising to the role of Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in 2017. Through his work at Erickson, Mr. Brown was named to the national board of directors of SAGE, the world’s largest organization charged with improving the lives of LGBTQ elders. And in 2022, he was named to that year’s Class of Influential Leaders by AACSB International, the world’s largest business education network. Mr. Brown received a Master of Science degree in Organizational Development from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School in 1999 and earned a Graduate Certificate in Senior Housing and Elder Care from Carey in 2004. He served on Carey’s Dean’s Alumni Advisory Board from 2018-2022 and has been an outstanding volunteer and advocate for the school. He has served as an alumni mentor for students in Carey’s full-time MBA program and has participated in numerous speaking engagements for Carey, including as a panelist for the Women’s Alumni Network Speaker Series: Creating a Bespoke Workplace Experience. Mr. Brown has also had a meaningful role in Carey’s Leadership Development Program, a nine-month Certificate-level program for up and coming underrepresented business leaders. He was the Spring Residency Director for the 2023 and 2024 cohorts.

Distinguished Alumni Award

Sarah David, A&S ’07

As a Deputy State Prosecutor in the Maryland Office of the State Prosecutor, Sarah David plays a key role in overseeing cases related to corruption and police misconduct, managing legislative agendas and budgets, and focusing on counterterrorism and intelligence. Her work, including collaboration with the NYPD Counterterrorism Division and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, significantly impacts public safety and accountability. Beyond her professional achievements, Sarah is deeply involved in the Baltimore community, particularly within the Jewish community, where she serves as Vice-Chair of the Macks Center for Jewish Connections and has earned awards like the 2023 Harry Greenstein Award. Her leadership has also led to recognition as a Maryland Bar Fellow and acknowledgment by the Maryland Daily Record’s Leading Women. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate, Sarah has remained connected to Johns Hopkins, serving on the Krieger School’s Second Decade Society advisory board and being a Truman Scholar and George J. Mitchell Scholar.

Park Dietz, BSPH ’75, Med ’75, ’84

Park Dietz is one of the country’s most prominent and accomplished forensic psychiatrists who has testified and consulted in all 50 states. He has consulted or testified in notable criminal cases including the assassination attempts on President Reagan and on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, the cases of Jeffrey Dahmer and more than 25 other serial killers, and more than a dozen other mass murderers, such as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (Boston Marathon Bombing), the Menendez brothers (retrial), the Unabomber, the school shootings at Columbine and more. He is also widely sought after as a consultant in civil litigation arising from criminal behavior and is a forensic psychiatrist for both the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and the New York State Police Forensic Sciences Unit. Educated at Cornell and Johns Hopkins, Dr. Dietz simultaneously earned an M.D., a master’s degree in public health, and a Ph.D. in sociology. He was a psychiatry resident at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and chief fellow in forensic psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. He has served as an assistant professor of

psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School and professor of law and professor of behavioral medicine and psychiatry at the University of Virginia. He is now a clinical professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. Dr. Dietz is a past president of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Patrick Dumont, Engr ’96

Patrick Dumont is the Governor of the Dallas Mavericks and serves as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Sands Corp, a role he assumed in January 2021. He is also a member of the Sands Board of Directors. Sands Corp is among the largest and most successful casino developers, operating some of the world’s largest and most complex integrated resorts. With over 20 years of experience in finance, corporate strategy, and management, Mr. Dumont has a proven track record of designing and executing financial and business strategies that enhance capital returns and maximize company performance. Before assuming the role of president and chief operating officer, Mr. Dumont was appointed chief financial officer (CFO) in March 2016, after holding various senior positions in strategy, operations, and finance since joining the company in June 2010. As CFO, he was tasked with maintaining the industry’s strongest balance sheet, preserving the company’s financial flexibility to pursue development opportunities, advancing Sands Corp’s strong commitment to returning excess capital to shareholders, and upholding the company’s leadership in financial controls. During his time at Sands, Mr. Dumont has played a pivotal role in successfully implementing key financial and business initiatives, including advising on capital return strategies, managing a share repurchase program, enhancing the investor relations function, and negotiating strategic financial deals to optimize capital returns. He exemplifies how a Hopkins degree lays the groundwork for effective business strategies. Additionally, Mr. Dumont fulfills the role of governor of the Dallas Mavericks and serves as the team’s representative on the NBA Board, a position once held by Mark Cuban. In 2023, Patrick, along with his wife Sivan and mother-in-law

Distinguished Alumni Award

Miriam Adelson, acquired a controlling interest in the Mavericks, now holding 69% of the team. Mr. Dumont has expressed a commitment to improving the Dallas community and further investing in its success.

Caylah Green, Ed ’21

Caylah Green is a visionary mathematics educator, curriculum designer, and policy advocate whose work is reshaping what equitable, liberatory STEM education can look like in the 21st century. Currently a high school math teacher at Jackson-Reed High School in Washington, D.C., Green nurtures students to build positive math identities, develop critical thinking skills, and see mathematics not just as a subject—but as a vehicle for social change, civic engagement, and self-actualization. Green’s work is rooted in the belief that joy, relevance, and cultural responsiveness are essential ingredients in transformative teaching. Her classroom is a dynamic space where students learn to interrogate and interpret real-world systems through data analysis, financial modeling, and algebraic thinking. While teaching at Hart Middle School, she designed a groundbreaking interdisciplinary unit where students analyzed minority-owned companies on the stock market, exploring financial literacy and intergenerational economic mobility. Her students also engaged with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) engineers to examine local housing trends and systemic inequities, bridging theoretical math concepts with applied social justice inquiry. These innovations have earned her both local and national recognition. In 2023, Green received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation’s highest honor for K–12 STEM educators. She was also honored with the Edith Tatel Award for her culturally responsive teaching practices, which center students’ lived experiences and identities as assets in the learning process. But Green’s leadership extends far beyond her classroom. She is a founding member of the D.C. Math Teacher Advisory Council, where she advises education leaders and advocates for systemic improvements to math instruction across the district. She contributes regularly to professional development programs, mentors early-career teachers, and has presented at national conferences on equity-focused curriculum development and STEM inclusion. Through her work with the D.C. Math Hub, she has helped shape instructional tools and

Distinguished Alumnus/a Award

Intended to honor alumni, who have typified the Johns Hopkins tradition of excellence and brought credit to the University by their personal accomplishments, professional achievement, or humanitarian service.

policy recommendations that support historically marginalized learners in STEM fields. Green’s interdisciplinary lens is shaped by her own academic path. She earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Georgetown University, where she developed a strong foundation in social systems analysis and ethnographic research. She went on to complete her Master of Science in Education at Johns Hopkins University, where she sharpened her focus on urban education, social justice, and instructional leadership. A proud alumna of Teach for America, Green continues to be an active member of the Johns Hopkins alumni community. She serves as a mentor to aspiring educators, participates in School of Education recruitment campaigns, and contributes her expertise to conversations around teacher retention, racial equity, and STEM access in under resourced communities.

Ben Hwang, A&S ’95, ’01

Ben Hwang, PhD, is a digital health entrepreneur whose work marks an exciting step forward in the development of game changing preventative care and personalized medicine. From his early exposure as an undergraduate research fellow at the lab of Leroy Hood at Caltech, where the automated DNA sequencer was developed, to bringing cutting edge life sciences tools to the market at Life Technologies Corp. (acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.), Ben has seen first-hand the transformative impact that science and technology have to change our world. Ben served in a variety of leadership roles at Life Technologies Corp., including President of the Asia Pacific Region and Head of the qPCR Division. Currently, he is Chairman and CEO at Profusa. Profusa’s mission is to make our body’s chemistry easily accessible to improve health and wellness. The goal, using micro sensors, is to gather information about internal biochemical changes, in real time. The 3 to 5 mm long sensors are designed to be compatible with the body’s tissues for long-term monitoring. They collect data, transmitted to external devices, providing a stream of information for long-term health and wellness. Ben is a leader in the Biotech Industry and in 2024 was a panelist on Building Bridges: Connecting Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship in Health at the Hopkins in the Bay Area Presidential event.

Distinguished Alumni Award

Ajit Isaac, BSPH ’96

Ajit Isaac retired from State service in 2015 after over 12 years of dedicated to the State of Maryland as the Deputy Director of the Office of Preparedness and Response. (OP&R). During his tenure with the State of Maryland, Dr. Ajit led the efforts to dramatically improve the Strategic National Stockpile program, perform statewide pandemic influenza exercises, and enhance disease surveillance across the state. Dr. Ajit was a committed public health servant who exemplified leadership, service and commitment to improving the lives of Marylanders. The groundwork that Dr. Ajit laid at OP&R was the foundation of the agency’s response efforts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Ajit directed and supervised the novel process of procuring a statewide medical and public health volunteer database registration system with a Health Alert Network (HAN) system. This innovative approach allowed all 24 counties in Maryland to connect to a single state system, like a fire hydrant model of connection saving the state over $20 million. By only paying for one statewide system license (instead of $1 million per county license), the state enabled all counties to access the system without incurring additional costs. When implemented in 2013, Maryland was the only state in the country to adopt such a process, ensuring compliance for all federal preparedness grant recipients, including county-level Local Health Departments (LHDs), to continue receiving federal public health emergency preparedness funds.

Luke Kelly-Clyne, A&S ’10

Luke Kelly-Clyne is a strong advocate of the arts at Johns Hopkins. A political science major with a post-graduation job on Wall Street in NYC, he initially realized his dream of working in entertainment through the Upright Citizens Brigade. He is leader of the Hopkins in Hollywood affinity group and is focused on growing philanthropic support and alumni mentorship for students interested in the entertainment industry. He serves as a guest lecturer in the Film and Media Studies program, runs its annual Writers Room, and hosts the January Intersession. He is as a member of the Second Decade Society advisory board at the Krieger School. When he isn’t helping Hopkins, Luke is Head of HartBeat’s independent TV & Film Studio, HartBeat Independent. Prior to HartBeat, Luke served

as President at Propagate Content’s comedy studio, Big Breakfast and ran Native Content at CollegeHumor. He was a Freelance Contributing Writer to Weekend Update on “Saturday Night Live.” He authors the long-running Vulture column, “Funny Videos of the Month,” and hosts the HeadGum podcast, “I’m Still Right”. Luke is a member of the Writers Guild of America, Producers Guild of America, and National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He was named on NextTV’s 2024 40 Under 40 LA list.

Nai-Wen Kuo, BSPH ’98

Nai-Wen Kuo received his PhD in 1998 from the Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health. After returning to Taiwan, he joined Taipei Medical University (TMU), where he held numerous leadership positions. Currently, he serves as the Dean of the College of Management. Earlier, Dr. Kuo served as Vice Superintendent of the TMU Hospital (2000-2002) and as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Taipei City Hospital (2004-2005), a 4,200-bed, nine-hospital system, where he managed daily operations, quality improvement projects, and financial analyses. In 2016, he was appointed Dean of the TMU College of Public Health. Under his leadership, the College became a critical “think tank” for the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) and partnered with many international universities, including the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Since 2018, with grant support from the Taiwan MOHW, he has been dedicated to improving healthcare accessibility for Taiwan’s disabled population. To address the needs of physically disabled patients, he invited architects and representatives from nonprofit organizations to collaborate on enhancing the barrier-free environments of clinics, especially those in old buildings, through the concept of “reasonable accommodation.” For patients with hearing impairments and other disabilities, Dr. Kuo and his team have worked with experts to establish guidelines and standard operating procedures for hospitals and clinics. Through Dr. Kuo’s leadership and Joint Commission Taiwan (JCT)’s efforts, 1,670 clinics have been certified by the JCT as “disability friendly.” His efforts in promoting human rights and improving healthcare accessibility for disabled patients have earned him praise from physician associations and many nonprofit organizations. Dr. Kuo has also significantly contributed to the Taiwan

Distinguished Alumni Award

Center for Disease Control (CDC) by expanding its international cooperation network, including collaborations with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. He has also supported the Taiwan CDC in the TB Control and Prevention Project in Quang-Ninh Province, Vietnam. By forming a multidisciplinary team from the TMU Healthcare System, he helped the province combat and control multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Dr. Kuo’s research interests include healthcare quality, clinical pathways, patient safety, and healthcare facility design. He has authored over 100 publications, including journal articles, conference papers, and technical reports. He also serves on the board of directors of several important societies, including the Taiwan College of Healthcare Executives and the Taiwan Johns Hopkins Alumni Association.

Anuj Kumar Mittal, A&S ’02, Trustee

Anuj Mittal is the current Head of Europe Real Estate at TPG Angelo Gordon. He has overseen more than $6 billion in real estate assets throughout his distinguished career. After earning his BA in International Studies from the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, he worked at prominent firms like Cerberus Capital Management and Morgan Stanley Real Estate Funds, and became a successful self-employed real estate developer in Germany and the Netherlands. Anuj’s leadership spans multiple markets, focusing on opportunistic investments across Europe and the U.S. Beyond his professional success, Anuj has demonstrated a deep commitment to Johns Hopkins, serving as chair of the Krieger School’s Dean’s Advisory Board and as a member of the Board of Trustees. His involvement with the University dates back to his time as student body president, and he continues to support initiatives that foster education and innovation. Additionally, Anuj contributes to the University of Baltimore’s Real Estate and Economic Development Program as an honorary board member.

Pravin Patel, Engr ’80

Pravin Patel continues to change the lives of children every day. His specialty is pediatric plastic surgery with a focus on craniofacial and maxillofacial conditions. With over

twenty-five years of experience, Dr. Patel has treated over 500 patients with complicated cleft, craniofacial and jaw problems. These patients visit Dr. Patel from across the country and globe. Dr. Patel’s research parallels his clinical practice with a focus in improving outcomes, neurodevelopment of children with craniosynostosis, biomechanics of maxillofacial surgery and development of 3D imaging and computer guided surgery. His focus is children with abnormal development of the skull as a result of craniosynostosis (fused skull joints or sutures), abnormal position of the orbits of the eye (hypertelorisms), malpositioned jaws (overgrowth and undergrowth of the upper and lower jaw bones), conditions such as hemifacial microsomia, treacher collins and other syndromes, children born with facial clefts (cleft lip and palate). Currently, he holds the position of Chief of the Division of Plastic, Reconstructive & Cosmetic Surgery at the University of Illinois. There, he is the Director of the Craniofacial Center and the Chief of Pediatric Plastic & Craniofacial Surgery at University of Illinois Health & Medical Science Center. He is also a tenured Professor of Surgery at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Hugh Y. Rienhoff, Jr., Med’81, HS’84, Med’86 (PGF),’93 (PGF)

Hugh Rienhoff, Jr. is a San Francisco Bay area physician and entrepreneur, the managing director of the Institute for Further Study, and the CEO of Aluco BioSciences, a biotech startup that is developing treatments for neuropsychiatric and neuro-oncology diseases. He is also founder and former CEO of Imago Biosciences, founder and CEO of FerroKin BioSciences, director of MyDaughtersDNA.org, director of Abingworth Management, and a partner at New Enterprise Associates. Throughout his career, Dr. Rienhoff has held numerous board positions in life science companies, many of which have led to successful exits. He obtained his B.A. from Williams College and earned an M.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He trained in internal medicine as a member of the Osler Medical House staff at the Johns Hopkins Hospital where he was later a fellow in hematology and clinical genetics. Dr. Rienhoff continued his training at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington as a Howard Hughes Investigator.

Distinguished Alumni Award

Marni Sommer, Nurs ’99, ’01, BSPH ’01

Marni Sommer exemplifies the highest standards of excellence and humanitarian service, demonstrating an extraordinary commitment to global health, education, and gender equity. Her impactful work has brought significant recognition to Johns Hopkins University and advanced the well-being of countless adolescents worldwide. Dr. Sommer earned a Master’s in Public Health and Nursing from Johns Hopkins University in 2001, followed by a Doctorate in Public Health from Columbia University in 2008. These accomplishments reflect her commitment to addressing global disparities in health and education. Her career spans groundbreaking participatory research, innovative program development, and tireless advocacy for adolescents’ healthy transitions to adulthood. Dr. Sommer’s formative experiences in the Peace Corps, where she taught English in rural Eritrea, revealed how a lack of menstrual hygiene and puberty education forces many girls out of school. Witnessing this systemic challenge inspired her to focus on addressing the intersection of public health, education, and gender equity. Her doctoral research in Tanzania explored how menstruation and puberty disrupt girls’ academic performance and transition into adulthood, laying the foundation for her lifelong mission: to ensure all adolescents have the information and resources they need to thrive. This work led to the creation of the Girls’ Puberty Book Project, a culturally tailored, illustrated guide that has since expanded into the Grow and Know program, which she founded in 2010. Through Grow and Know, Dr. Sommer has designed and distributed over two million copies of puberty books tailored to diverse cultural contexts across seven countries in Africa, Asia, and the United States. Each book incorporates insights from local girls, parents, teachers, and healthcare workers, ensuring the content is culturally relevant and empowering. Her work has received global recognition, supported by partnerships with organizations like UNICEF, the Nike Foundation, and the United Nations Population Fund. Dr. Sommer’s impact is not limited to girls; she has expanded her initiatives to include puberty education for boys, recognizing the importance of fostering healthy transitions for all adolescents. Her efforts now reach schools in the U.S. as well as underserved communities globally. Her contributions extend beyond publication. Dr. Sommer leads the Gender, Adolescent Transitions, and Environment (GATE) Program at Columbia University,

where she develops adolescent-focused interventions, integrates menstrual hygiene management into humanitarian response, and mentor’s future leaders in public health. Dr. Sommer’s innovative research and practical solutions address critical needs in emergency contexts, including developing a menstrual hygiene management toolkit for disaster and conflict settings. This toolkit has informed humanitarian teams worldwide, ensuring that the most vulnerable populations have access to basic hygiene and dignity.

Tiffany Tate, BSPH ’96

Tiffany Tate, MHS ’96, has built a distinguished career marked by a decades-long dedication to public health, particularly in the realm of innovation and technology. Recognized across the industry for her groundbreaking contributions, Ms. Tate founded VAULT Technology, a company committed to delivering public health software solutions worldwide. Her work has been widely celebrated, earning recognition from The New York Times, Success Magazine, USA Today, and The Baltimore Sun, where she was named one of the “25 Black Marylanders to Watch” in 2024. She also was listed as #6 on TechRound’s international 2025 award for Black and Minority Entrepreneurs (BAME). Ms. Tate was the visionary behind PrepMod, a revolutionary vaccine management software that played a critical role in the U.S. COVID-19 response, with over 25 states using the platform to schedule vaccine appointments. Additionally, she donated PrepMod to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to enable them to participate in the pandemic response. Still the market leader, PrepMod--and other programs that came behind it--contributed to nearly 70% of eligible U.S. residents receiving the COVID-19 vaccine within the first six months of 2021, significantly altering the pandemic’s trajectory. Since PrepMod, VAULT has expanded its products to include systems that automate routine public health services and infrastructure, including interoperability, billing, reporting, and forecasting. Ms. Tate leads production of systems and processes that can connect public health and emergency preparedness worldwide. Ms. Tate is committed to advocating for groups that are underrepresented in the technology space. She is building a global network of Public Health Technologists, a term she coined to describe the growing community of professionals working at the intersection of technology and public health.

Distinguished Alumni Award

She accomplishes this through paid internship programs that target women, people of color, and individuals from the LGBTQ+ community, providing them with real-world experience in technology. In 2023, VAULT launched a free software developer training program in Ghana, providing young men with instruction, a stipend, and a computer. This year, the program was expanded to young women in Jamaica. Next year, it will be brought to the state of Maryland through a partnership. In an era of waning trust in public health systems, VAULT Technologies, under Ms. Tate’s leadership, stands as a beacon of hope, bringing automation and innovation to help bridge the gap between public health organizations and the communities they serve.

Shelton Williams, SAIS ’68, ’71

Shelton Williams is a leader in the field of experiential education and an expert on the issue of nuclear nonproliferation policy. In his over 35 years as a professor at Austin College in Sherman, Texas, he created and supervised the college’s Model United Nations team, winning numerous awards at national competitions and transforming a generation of young people into caring, capable, and globally conscious professionals. He has contributed greatly to the field of experiential education through numerous articles and years of faculty and student training seminars. In addition, he has garnered several major teaching awards for his classes in International Relations, American Foreign Policy, and Comparative Politics. Dr. Williams has also worked in government, including a tour of duty in the Department of State under Secretary of State Madeline Albright in which he worked extensively on the permanent extension of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. He also served the Office of International Programs, Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Additionally, Dr. Williams is an accomplished writer. His first non-fiction book, Washed in the Blood, has received wide critical acclaim. He has a collection of fictional stories in Love and Murder Deep in the Heart of Texas. Dr. Williams has dedicated his life and career to inspiring students to pursue careers in international relations. Shelly also founded the Osgood Center for International Studies in honor of Robert Osgood, the third dean of SAIS, and his mentor. The Osgood Center’s vision is a generation of young people who strive to understand public policy issues and who work to find creative solutions to global problems.

Karl Wingate, Peab ’14

Karl Wingate has become a creative force in the world of music engineering. His work as the engineer/mixer on Steve Lacy’s ‘Bad Habit’, which was nominated for Grammy Award Record of the Year at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, showcases his immense talent. Although ‘Bad Habit’ was not awarded Record of the Year, it played a key role in Lacy’s album Gemini Rights, winning Best Progressive R&B Album, marking Wingate’s first Grammy win. This recognition represents the pinnacle of musical achievement, highlighting Karl’s profound impact on the industry. What sets Karl apart is his remarkable journey. Although engineering began as a backup plan to appease his mother, his passion for the technical side of music flourished in his undergraduate studies. This led him to pursue a master’s degree in Recording Arts and Sciences at the Peabody Institute, where he developed the skills and confidence that would propel him to success. Under the mentorship of Peabody faculty, he honed his expertise in studio equipment and techniques, learning to master the intricacies of sound engineering in Peabody’s state-of-the-art studios. After graduation, Karl took a bold leap by moving to California to work at The Village, a legendary recording studio in Los Angeles. His persistence paid off, and he worked his way up from a runner to an engineer, collaborating with high-profile artists such as Gwen Stefani and Sara Bareilles. His work on Gemini Rights and ‘Bad Habit’ further cemented his reputation in the industry. Karl’s career continues to flourish. In addition to his work at The Village, he has become a sought-after freelance engineer, mixer, and producer, contributing to a variety of projects. One notable example is his role as lead vocal editor on Showtime’s George & Tammy, where his meticulous attention to detail helped bring to life the performances of Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. Throughout his career, Karl Wingate has embodied the Peabody Institute’s mission to elevate the human experience through art. With each recording artist, he fosters a culture of learning and respect and through his ingenuity blends technical expertise with creativity to shape the sound that shapes our culture. His resilience, adaptability, and entrepreneurial spirit continue to inspire his peers and the next generation of musicians and engineers.

Acknowledgements

The Johns Hopkins Alumni Association would like to thank the 2024-2025 members of the Johns Hopkins Alumni Council’s Awards and Grants Committee. This committee determined the slate of 2025 award recipients for presentation to the Alumni Council’s Executive Committee.

Awards and Grants

Project Leads

Hiroshi Baensch, Engr ’89

Lou Bartolo, Nurs ’18

Robert Hitz, Peab ’82

Brian Razzaque, Engr ’00

Committee Members

Lola Adeyemi, BSPH ’08

Jane Ball, Nurs ’74, BSPH ’78, ’80

Gregory Fortsch, A&S ’91

Robert Garnet, A&S ’72, ’75, ’84

Heidi Gordon, A&S ’87

Sita Sonty, SAIS ’02

Cindy Wang, A&S ’06

Joseph Yoon, A&S ’00

Champions

Leo Bell Jr., A&S ’71

John DeMaggio, Engr ’94

Bryan McMillan, Bus ’00, ’02

Johns Hopkins University Office of Alumni Relations 6225 Smith Avenue, Suite 100-B, Baltimore, MD 21209 alumni@jhu.edu / 800-JHU-JHU1

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