EDUCATION

Dr. David Gordon

Director of Faculty Programs for the Office for Health, Equity and Inclusion and Active Emeritus Professor of Pathology ; University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI

David Gordon, MD, is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Pinnacle Lifetime Achiever for his outstanding contributions as a Cardiovascular Pathologist, Medical Researcher, and Educator and in acknowledgment of his work with the University of Michigan.

A board-certified Cardiovascular Pathologist with more than 20 years of experience in his field, Dr. Gordon serves as the Director of Faculty Programs for the Office for Health, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Michigan and as an Active Emeritus Professor of Pathology. He is additionally Dean Emeritus for the School of Health Professions and Studies at the University of Michigan-Flint.

In pursuit of his higher education, Dr. Gordon obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry at Amherst College and earned his Medical Degree from Harvard Medical School. While at Harvard, he completed a Vascular Biology Research Fellowship under Dr. Morris J. Karnovsky. He continued his extensive medical training with an Internal Medicine Internship at the University of Massachusetts, in Worcester, MA, followed by an Anatomic Pathology Residency at the University of Washington, in Seattle. At UW, Dr. Gordon also participated in post-doctoral medical research. Dr. Gordon is board certified by the American Board of Pathology and is a member of the Society for Cardiovascular Pathologists, among his professional affiliations.

Dr. Gordon began his teaching career on the faculty at the University of Washington as a human diagnostic and experimental cardiovascular pathologist. In 1991, he was recruited to the University of Michigan, where his focus has been on human atherosclerosis biology and gene therapy for vascular diseases. He previously served as an Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs for the University of Michigan Medical School. From 1997 to 2001, he was affiliated with Pfizer’s Cardiovascular Therapeutics, where his team of researchers conducted work on gene therapy for therapeutic angiogenesis. He returned to the University of Michigan full time in 2001 and became Dean of the School of Health Professions and Studies at the University of Michigan-Flint. In his current capacity as Director of Faculty Programs for the Office of Health Equity and Inclusion at the university, Dr. Gordon remains active in pathology instruction.

During his free time, he enjoys video game strategy, playing guitar, and singing.

Dr. Gordon would like to thank his dear wife, Zoe Koosis, for her love and support. He also wishes to lovingly acknowledge and remember his parents, the late William and Elizabeth Gordon.

He dedicates this honorable recognition to his mentors, Dr. Morris J. Karnovsky, Dr. Steven Schwartz, Dr. Dennis Richenbach, and Dr. Stephen Betz.

Dr. Denice C. Price

CEO New Hope Academy of Change Carson, CA

Denice C. Price, Ed.D., is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Pinnacle Professional for her outstanding achievements in Education and in acknowledgment of her work with New Hope Academy of Change.

With more than 30 years of professional experience in Education, Dr. Price has served for 14 years as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of New Hope Academy of Change, a school specially designed to meet the educational needs of at-risk children and youth. Located in Carson, CA, the school serves more than 400 students in grades K-12 annually. The facility originated from a charter school formed in 2007 for at-risk students who were not accepted into traditional school programs. In addition to providing educational services, the Academy also offers counseling services for students and their families and vocational training.

Dr. Price’s primary goal is to serve children and youth who feel they have no futures. She wants them to know that no matter what has happened in their lives, they can come to New Hope Academy for education and guidance to put them on a positive path forward.

In pursuit of her higher education, Dr. Price first earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology from the University of California-Los Angeles. She then obtained a Master of Science in Counseling and Education Administration, and later, a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership.

During her career, Dr. Price has served as a teacher in grades K-12, a High School Counselor and Therapist, and an Elementary School Principal in an urban school district. She has also served for 15 years as an Adjunct Professor with California State University and as a Consultant and External Evaluator for the Los Angeles County Office of Education.

Dr. Price says she feels her greatest accomplishment is touching so many lives, with many becoming prominent educators themselves. She hopes to one day pass the torch to her son and nephews.

For more information, please visit www.newhopeacademyofchange.org.

Ruth Vassar Burgess

Retired Professor Emeritus Missouri State University Strafford, MO

Ruth Vassar Burgess is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Distinguished Educator for her outstanding contributions in education and her professional excellence as a Professor Emeritus at Missouri State University.

Now retired, Ruth Vassar Burgess has devoted her career to the field of education for more than five decades. She has worked as a Professor at Missouri State University for 28 years and as Professor Emeritus for the past 17 years. Currently, Dr. Burgess is an Instrumental Enrichment Trainer for the Feuerstein Institute in Jerusalem. She also served on the board of the North American Feuerstein Institute.

Among her academic achievements, Dr. Burgess earned her Bachelor of Science in Education in 1960 from Texas Tech University, her Master of Arts in 1968, and her Doctor of Philosophy in Speech-Language Pathology in 1979 from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She also holds a teaching certificate in Texas, Michigan, and Missouri. In addition, she has been clinically certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Throughout her extensive career, Dr. Burgess served as a member of the Science Advisory Board for the International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential, beginning in 1993. From 1993 to 1996, she served as a field reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education and a member of the Title I evaluation team for the Springfield Public School District.

A renowned author, Dr. Burgess is widely published in her expertise in speech-language disorders and cognitive psychology. She is a regular contributor to professional journals and books and has authored several works over the years, including “The Status of Education Resource Teacher,” in 1981, “Shantistan: Enabling a Land of Peace,” in 2005 and 2020, “Challenging Brain Structure through Cross-Cultural Learning: The Life of Reuven Feuerstein,” in 2008, “Spirited Sisters,” in 2014, and “Longing for Home,” in 2015. More recently, she published alongside her husband, Dr. Stanley M. Burgess, “Two Millennia of Memorable Christian Women: Showing Strength without Power,” in 2020, as well as “Untold Legacies: The Men Speak Out,” in 2021.

Having been born in India, Dr. Burgess continues to be actively engaged in intercultural educational and peace-related activities. Dr. Burgess has been affiliated with the American Association of University Women and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. She has received grants from the U.S. Department of Education, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Mellon Foundation.

Dr. William McBride

Arthur G. Hansen Distinguished Professor Purdue University Lafayette, IN

William McBride, Ph.D., is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Lifetime Achiever for his remarkable contributions to Academia and in recognition of his role as an Arthur G. Hansen Distinguished Professor at Purdue University.

Garnering over fifty years of experience in education, Dr. William McBride has led an impressive career. Throughout his acclaimed career, Dr. McBride has gained extensive expertise in Social and Political Philosophy, Legal Philosophy, and Continental European Philosophy. In his previous years, Dr. McBride taught at Yale University for nearly a decade and has lectured at Northwestern University, Sofia University in Bulgaria, and the Korcula Summer School.

Encountering people with a different professional orientation that they have thought superior to all others, Dr. McBride distinguishes this crucial factor as one of the prime challenges he has faced throughout his career. When asked his advice to newcomers in the industry, Dr. McBride notes the importance of retaining a commitment to the truth as he or she sees it, and not being daunted by initial setbacks, if such there are, in seeking employment.

An academic scholar, Dr. McBride earned an AB from Georgetown University. Thereafter, Dr. McBride attended the University of Lille from 1959 to 1960, where he was a Fulbright Fellow. Later, Dr. McBride attended Yale University, where he obtained his Master of Arts degree as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow in 1962. He then received his Ph.D. at Yale in 1964 and was awarded a Social Science Research Council Fellowship.

Remaining abreast of the latest industry developments, Dr. McBride is an active member of several international and national scholarly organizations, including the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP), of which he was President from 2008-2013; the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences; and the North American Society for Social Philosophy, of which he is past President.

In light of his professional achievements, Dr. McBride has been recognized by several elite organizations for his exemplary work in the field, including Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in America Education, Who’s Who in the Midwest, and Who’s Who in the World. He served as the first American Secretary-General and then President of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP) and gained many international connections that led to these positions. Dr. McBride has established himself as a prominent figure in professional philosophy.

A respected voice in his field, Dr. McBride is well-known for sharing his breadth of expertise. He is the author of several written works, including “From Yugoslav Praxis to Global Pathos,” “Social and Political Philosophy,” and “Social Theory at a Crossroads.”

In his spare time, Dr. McBride enjoys traveling and considers himself a news buff. In looking to the future, he hopes to publish at least one more book, preferably more, while continuing professional involvement globally.

Dr. McBride dedicates this recognition to Gerard F. Yates.

For further information, please visit https://www.purdue.edu/.