UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS President
ACADEMIC DEANS Natalie D. Eddington, PhD, FAAPS, FCP School of Pharmacy
Mark A. Reynolds, DDS, PhD, MA School of Dentistry
Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN School of Nursing
Donald B. Tobin, JD Francis King Carey School of Law
Judy L. Postmus, PhD, ACSW School of Social Work
Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA Graduate School
E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA School of Medicine
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA Provost and Executive Vice President E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA Executive Vice President, Medical Affairs James L. Hughes, MBA Senior Vice President, Chief Enterprise and Economic Development Officer, and Interim Chief Philanthropy Officer Jennifer B. Litchman, MA Senior Vice President, External Relations, and Special Assistant to the President Peter J. Murray, PhD, CAS, MS Senior Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer Dawn M. Rhodes, DBA, MBA Senior Vice President and Chief Business and Finance Officer Diane Forbes Berthoud, PhD, MA Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer and Vice President
Flavius R.W. Lilly, PhD, MA, MPH Vice Provost, Academic and Student Affairs, and Vice Dean, Graduate School Stephen N. Davis, MBBS, FRCP, FACE, MACP Vice President, Clinical Translational Science Susan Gillette, JD Vice President and General Counsel Amitabh Varshney, PhD, MS Interim Vice President for Research Kevin P. Kelly, JD Chief Government Affairs Officer and Vice President Susan C. Buskirk, DM, MS Chief Accountability Officer and Vice President
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Welcome to the 2021 Founders Week Gala, Dreams in the Making. As the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) president, it is my honor to be your host. While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused us to celebrate virtually, I hope that you will all feel a sense of community and celebration tonight. This evening, we will celebrate the University’s storied past and exciting future. We honor the extraordinary community of people who live UMB’s mission. We recognize our enormous contributions to the public good, locally and globally, and pledge to work even harder to expand our reach and amplify our impact. As we continue to combat the pandemic, we especially feel that connection to finding solutions to improve the public good. Tonight, we will honor faculty who represent the best of us — in teaching, research, public service, and entrepreneurship. We also will highlight six Catalysts for Excellence: faculty, alumni, and philanthropists who believe in our work, and whose support enables and enlarges it. In addition, we will feature our Distinguished Service Award recipients and offer a special Founders Week award to three leaders fighting the pandemic. Tonight’s program gives us an opportunity to not only recognize some of UMB’s extraordinary dreamers, but also to celebrate and have fun. The UMB community needs you: We cannot cure disease, or strengthen communities, or drive discovery, or safeguard health, well-being, and justice for millions of people every day without your support. Thank you for spending this time with us. I hope you enjoy the program.
Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS President
TONIGHT’S EVENTS 7 P.M. – 8 P.M. Welcome from UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell and Emcee Denise Koch of WJZ-TV Special Message from Dylan Elliott, JD ’20, Francis King Carey School of Law Performance by “The Voice” Star Toneisha Harris, Accompanied by Brandon Tolbert Jones: “You’ve Got a Friend” 2021 UMB Founders Week Award Winners Special COVID-19 Pandemic Award Winners Special Message from Lori James-Townes, MSW ’91, School of Social Work Performance by Toneisha Harris, Accompanied by Brandon Tolbert Jones: “I Know Where I’ve Been” UMB Catalyst for Excellence Award Winners UMB Foundation Distinguished Service Award Winners Special Message from Nicole Hays, MD ’21, School of Medicine Performance by Toneisha Harris, Accompanied by Brandon Tolbert Jones: “My Superhero” Closing Remarks from President Jarrell and Denise Koch Help Make Dreams Come True! All funds raised at tonight’s Gala will support scholarships at UMB’s seven schools!
BE A CATALYST FOR UMB! Funds raised at tonight’s Gala will support student scholarship endowments at UMB’s six professional schools and interdisciplinary Graduate School. These funds help to alleviate financial burdens so UMB students can focus on their education and professional future.
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About Toneisha Harris
Toneisha Harris, a Maryland native, was the Season 18 runner-up on NBC’s “The Voice,” making history as the highest-placing African American woman to compete on the show and garnering praise from music legend James Taylor, who compared her to Barbra Streisand and Aretha Franklin. During her finale on the show, Harris sang an original song, “My Superhero,” which was written for her youngest son during his successful battle against leukemia. She has released two other original songs, “Forgive Me” and “Let’s Change the World.” Harris is currently appearing as Motormouth Maybelle in the touring production of “Hairspray” and has appeared in several other plays and musicals including “Avenue X,” which received multiple Philadelphia Barrymore Award nominations. Born in Salisbury, Md., Harris now lives in Atlanta with her husband and two sons.
FOUNDERS WEEK VIRTUAL GALA 2021
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FOUNDERS WEEK 2021
AWARD WINNERS In keeping with more than 20 years of tradition, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) community again recognizes outstanding accomplishments among its talented faculty and staff with awards for Public Servant of the Year, Researcher of the Year, Educator of the Year, and David J. Ramsay Entrepreneur of the Year. In addition this year, UMB is recognizing academic achievement with its inaugural Student of the Year Award. This year’s honorees were chosen in a formal committee process and forwarded to UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, for final approval. Highly competitive and compelling nominations detailing nominees’ contributions and achievements were collected. Glowing endorsements from current and former students, peers, associates, and collaborators were arduously reviewed, and the most deserving candidates for each category rise to this coveted circle of excellence. Congratulations to our Public Servant, Researcher, Educators, David J. Ramsay Entrepreneur, and Students of the Year. Read more about the Founders Week award winners at umaryland.edu/founders.
Photographs by Matthew D’Agostino
RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR
Ronna P. Hertzano, MD, PhD School of Medicine
Ronna P. Hertzano, MD, PhD, once wanted to become an orthopedic surgeon, but “Mom and chance,” as she puts it, led her down a different path. “My mom is an audiologist and taught in the school of speech and languages in Israel, where I grew up,” says Hertzano, professor, Department of OtorhinolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). “Her office was in the school for the deaf, across from my high school. I grew up among audiologists, deaf children, and consults to families with hearing loss.” In her second year at Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, Hertzano happened to attend a lecture by American-Israeli professor Karen Avraham, PhD, about the genetics of hearing loss and how mouse models contribute to the understanding of the disorder. A few months later, they crossed paths again, and Avraham offered Hertzano a summer genetics research position in her lab. “By the end of the summer, I was hooked,” Hertzano said. “The research in the laboratory was fascinating. The ability to visualize the sensory cells and see how every genetic mutation changes structure and function was mind-blowing. And the thought of being able to develop treatments by using these very tools was inspiring.” She switched to an MD-PhD track and reveled in meeting surgeon-scientists who could combine their passion for research on hearing loss with the treatment of patients who have hearing and balance disorders. “From that point on, I knew I wanted to be an otolaryngologist and surgeon-scientist. It’s a dream I was so fortunate to realize,” Hertzano said. Today, Hertzano is a highly respected otolaryngologist, researcher, and educator who holds a secondary appointment in UMSOM’s Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and is an affiliate faculty member of UMSOM’s Institute for Genome Sciences. With significant grants from the National Institutes of Health and other sources, Hertzano’s research is focused on developing therapeutics to prevent and treat genetic and acquired hearing loss. As a clinician, she focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ear, with an emphasis on hearing restoration. Hertzano also has a strong interest in mentorship, and her research team includes undergraduates, graduate students, medical students, residents, audiologists, and postdocs. “Our lab forms a unit with a shared identity, values, and knowledge base,” she said. “We are all driven by the hope of making meaningful contributions that will alleviate or prevent the suffering from hearing loss.”
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PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR
Joshua M. Abzug, MD School of Medicine
Some of the children are shy or have never been away from their parents. And some travel from as far away as the Midwest to find support, friendship, and fun at Camp Open Arms, founded for children with limb differences by Joshua M. Abzug, MD, associate professor, Departments of Orthopaedics and Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine. Abzug started Camp Open Arms six years ago to focus on the emotional well-being of children with limb differences such as brachial plexus birth palsy and congenital/ traumatic deformities. The first year, six children took part in a day and a half of activities. This year, the camp hosted 32 children and their families in Monkton for a weeklong camp. “There is an emotional component to having a limb difference. The goal behind the camp is to try and fulfill that emotional component,” Abzug said. “These children are often bullied or made fun of, are often introverts and shy because of the way their hand or arm may look, act, or work. I wanted to provide the opportunity for them to be around other children like themselves to do activities, be involved in a support group where they can see they’re not alone in this world.” As camp director, Abzug holds a variety of roles: overseeing and interacting with the philanthropic donors whose support helps to make the day camp free; developing the activities to ensure the campers have fun safely, even during the COVID-19 pandemic; and coordinating the volunteers. “Dr. Abzug has raised over $500,000 toward support of the camp and associated research and has attracted the attention of national talent and numerous media coverage,” said Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA, provost, executive vice president, and dean of the University of Maryland Graduate School. “Dr. Abzug employed his usual ingenuity to keep the camp doors open during the pandemic. Because of his efforts, participants had a safe, enjoyable, and memorable summer camp experience.” The children, who can range in age from 3½ to 18, take part in the usual camp activities: arts and crafts, music, a ropes course, and sports and games. But Camp Open Arms also focuses on team building and support. “We’ve built in an education component, which is a support group for kids, and counseling: how to respond when they’re asked questions, how to feel personally about dealing with the fact that they’re different,” Abzug said.
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DAVID J. RAMSAY ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Vincent Njar, PhD School of Medicine The discoveries by Vincent Njar, PhD, professor, Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), have already had a significant impact in the fight against cancer. Could finding a cure lie in his future? Njar, an internationally respected medicinal chemist and oncopharmacologist who is head of the medicinal chemistry section in the Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics (CBT) at the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, UMSOM, focuses his research and inventions on the discovery and development of small molecules as anti-cancer agents. His work has led to the development of novel therapeutics for breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers — some of the most prevalent and deadly cancers. He has taken those discoveries a step further by founding two companies over the years that have helped him to direct the early development of his inventions and technologies. “Being an entrepreneur means to undertake a high-risk, high-reward venture and be fearless in the process. Over the years, I have realized that entrepreneurship means doing, doing, doing until something useful or impactful gets made,” Njar said. “I believe in what I am doing, and I am not afraid to ask for help. Being a successful entrepreneur requires thorough planning, creativity, and hard work.” Njar’s most significant discoveries include retinoic acid metabolism blocking agents (RAMBAs), or novel retinamides (NRs), that inhibit the growth of breast and prostate cancer cells and tumors. The NRs he discovered cause degradation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase-interacting kinases (Mnk1 and 2), which can promote tumor progression. After closing his first startup, Terpene Pharmaceuticals, LLC, in 2018, he partnered with UMB’s New Ventures Initiative to found Isoprene Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IPI), an early-stage small molecule oncology company developing oral therapeutics for triple negative breast cancer and other cancers. Njar, who is IPI’s chief executive officer, said the company is focused on oncology applications of the NRs developed in his laboratory. David J. Weber, PhD, professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UMSOM, and director, CBT, said Njar’s accomplishments are rare. “Very few investigators see their discoveries translated from basic science discovery into a clinical study in their lifetime, let alone multiple times within their career, as is the case with Dr. Njar,” Weber said. “Dr. Njar is a highly creative scientist who turns his ideas into tangible scientific, therapeutic, and medically impactful accomplishments. He truly has a knack for pursuing the synthesis and development of molecules with extraordinary anti-cancer activities.” 7
EDUCATORS OF THE YEAR
Renaissance Curriculum Team School of Medicine It was already a daunting task: Revamp the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM) curriculum for the first time in 25 years. Then months before the curriculum would launch, a global pandemic and the country’s reckoning with systemic racism added more challenges. But this did not stop a team of educators from meeting the goal of providing UMSOM students with a modern curriculum. When the school embarked on the revisions three years ago, the curriculum team consulted with 100 UMSOM educators, residents, and students to develop its mission, which is to train the Renaissance Physician: lifelong learners who are clinically excellent and possess humanism, professionalism, scholarship, leadership, critical thinking, and attention to social justice and diversity. The Renaissance Curriculum Team spoke with colleagues at 20 institutions and studied curricula and best practices across the country. It recognized the importance of identifying the environment and values that contribute to making UMSOM excellent in biomedical education, basic and clinical research, and quality patient care and service. “The curriculum revision was not just some ‘tinkering around the edges,’ but a complete revision starting from the ground up. The faculty team took this on as an additional project above and beyond their baseline work,” James B. Kaper, PhD, vice dean for academic affairs, UMSOM, said in praising the group, which consists of Philip Dittmar, MD; Olga Ioffe, MD; Constance Lacap, DO; Joseph Martinez, MD; Donna Parker, MD, FACP; Devang Patel, MD; Sandra Quezada, MD, MS; Norman Retener, MD; Nirav Shah, MD; and Kerri Thom, MD, MS. The team spent countless hours brainstorming, implementing new methodologies, and learning how to implement team-based learning, which improves communication and problem-solving skills within teams of students. The curriculum was nearing implementation when COVID-19 disrupted clinical care and medical education. The team quickly made changes to meet the needs of students, balancing education with the responsibility to protect health and safety, and the curriculum was launched for the Class of 2024 in August 2020. The team members directed faculty as they devised more than 30 remote electives for the clinical phase. And they did this as many of them worked on the front lines. “We are internists, emergency medicine physicians, infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists, intensive care physicians — all the people whose clinical talents were in high demand,” said Parker, senior associate dean for undergraduate medical education. “Our team was simply extraordinary in their willingness and ability to step forward for both their students and their patients.” 8
STUDENT OF THE YEAR
Jazmin Jones School of Dentistry Jazmin Jones is passionate about dentistry and service, two pursuits that will coalesce in 2022 when she’s scheduled to begin a four-year military commitment as a U.S. Army dentist. “I love so many aspects of dentistry: the biology, engineering, and art that make it all happen,” says Jones, a fourth-year Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) student at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD). “Dentistry is incredibly fulfilling and allows me to really make an impact on individual lives. How many people can say that they literally give people’s smiles back? I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.” Jones, who is the DDS Class of 2022 president, attends UMSOD on a full U.S. Army Health Professions Scholarship. After graduation, she will start four years of obligated service beginning with the rank of captain. After her residency, she plans to apply for an Army pediatrics specialty. “I look forward to providing dental care to military dependents,” she says. “I’m really passionate about providing this specific population with a welcoming dental home wherever they are, nationally or internationally.” In addition to her class presidency, Jones co-founded the UMSOD Global Health Student Association and served as vice president of the chapter. She also holds leadership roles in the UMSOD chapters of the Hispanic Dental Association, American Student Dental Association, and Maryland Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. “My main motivation in pursuing these opportunities stems from my future military career,” Jones said. “I know that in those settings I will be called for leadership and service, and I want to prepare myself the best I can.” Jones is a star in the classroom, too. Because of her strong academic record, she was recognized as a member of the Gorgas Odontological Honorary Society and the Gamma Pi Delta Prosthodontics Honor Society and selected to participate in a pediatric dentistry clerkship during her senior year at UMSOD. She also is conducting research on treatment outcomes of silver diamine fluoride application on primary and mixed dentition for the Department of Pediatric Dentistry. Ramsay Koury, DMD, clinical assistant professor, UMSOD, has been impressed with Jones’ work in clinical situations, describing her as “a wonderfully caring and empathetic person.” “Jazmin has developed good relationships with her patients and works very hard to continually improve her clinical skills,” Koury said. “It’s been a pleasure getting to know Jazmin. She is always positive and caring, always wanting to help others.”
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STUDENT OF THE YEAR
Emily M. Smith Graduate School Emily M. Smith says she was interested in science from a young age, recalling a middle school science fair project designed to determine how much bacteria could grow in makeup over time. Her interest increased in high school after she read “The Hot Zone,” a book about the origins of the Ebola and Marburg viruses. Eager to learn about infectious diseases, she majored in biology at James Madison University (JMU) and considered a medical school postgraduate path. But she got the chance to conduct biomedical research at JMU, and then she was hooked. “I had the opportunity to work in Dr. Louise Temple’s lab studying the role of bacteriophages in the spread of antibiotic resistance,” Smith said. “My interest grew as I engaged in research internships at different universities over the summers. These experiences helped me realize that research could bring together my passions for science and caring for people. “Instead of treating patients directly, I realized I wanted to be a scientist who contributes to infectious disease research and helps to create lifesaving therapeutics or vaccines.” Smith’s educational journey took her to UMB’s Graduate School, where she found her home in the Graduate Program in Life Sciences in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology (MMI). She is a PhD candidate scheduled to graduate in 2022 with a concentration in bacterial pathogenesis. Since arriving in 2017, Smith has compiled a 3.72 GPA and works in the lab of Eileen Barry, PhD, at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health. Smith has presented her work at international, national, local, and institutional conferences and had manuscripts published in top-tier journals. She also has led research collaborations and served in laboratory mentoring and teaching roles for undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. Smith also has been active in the Graduate Student Association, first as a program representative, then vice president, and president from May 2020 to June 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. She advocated for graduate students coping with pandemicrelated issues involving health and safety, tele-education, transportation, and financial and academic support. “Through her diverse leadership and service roles, Emily is a highly visible and accessible ambassador for graduate students in all UMB programs,” Barry said. “She is particularly well-known to MMI students as the go-to person for help, advice, and support. Her leadership in response to the challenges of COVID-19 was instrumental in sustaining student well-being and productivity.” 10
Special Founders Week Award for Exemplary Service During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Kathleen Neuzil, MD, MPH, FIDSA School of Medicine
Wilbur Chen, MD, MS School of Medicine
David Marcozzi, MD, MHS-CL, MHS-CL, FACEP School of Medicine
Three top COVID-19 experts at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) are being honored with a University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Founders Week Special COVID-19 Pandemic Award in recognition of their research and emergency responses to the crisis, guiding vaccine development across the country and serving as key advisors to Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and U.S. policymakers. The award winners are Kathleen Neuzil, MD, MPH, FIDSA, Myron M. Levine, MD, DTPH Professor in Vaccinology and director of UMSOM’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD); Wilbur Chen, MD, MS, professor of medicine and chief of the Adult Clinical Studies section within CVD; and David Marcozzi, MD, MHS-CL, MHS-CL, FACEP, professor of emergency medicine and chief clinical officer and senior vice president for the University of Maryland Medical Center. Neuzil — as head of CVD and in concert with the National Institutes of Health and the President’s COVID-19 Response Team — has helped shape and lead COVID-19 vaccine research across the United States. Neuzil’s CVD team has led several COVID-19 vaccine trials, coordinating with multiple research sites across the country. CVD’s research in this area ultimately helped lead to Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines. This unprecedented research at CVD began early in 2020, with, among other things, the center serving as one of the first research sites in the country to administer the now-fully approved Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. CVD continues to research booster and pediatric vaccines. Marcozzi and Chen continue to serve in high-level advisory roles at the UMB, state, and national levels. In March 2020, Hogan appointed Marcozzi and Chen as members of his Coronavirus Response Team. In this capacity, Chen, an adult infectious disease specialist, and Marcozzi, the University of Maryland Medical System’s COVID-19 incident commander, have advised top state officials on COVID-19 safety, treatments, and vaccinations. Their roles have been critical in helping to control the pandemic and respond to hospital and emergency response capacity issues, helping to place Maryland as a national leader in responding to the pandemic. “It is no surprise that our COVID-19 experts have helped to advance vaccines and treatments and are serving as top advisors to state and federal policymakers,” said UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS. “Their role in this pandemic has ultimately helped to save many lives, and UMB congratulates them for these outstanding accomplishments.” 11
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE FOUNDATION, INC.
2021 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Award Recipients
This annual award recognizes the outstanding achievements of volunteers — or a team of volunteers — who have substantially contributed to enhancing and sustaining the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).
LOUIS F. FRIEDMAN, JD ’65, and PHYLLIS C. FRIEDMAN, JD ’77 Louis and Phyllis Friedman have been generous supporters of UMB for more than 20 years through their Louis and Phyllis Friedman Foundation, as well as other foundations they manage. They have provided impactful philanthropic support to the Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). They have established the Emmert Hobbs Fellowship in Stem Cell Research Endowment, the Herman and Walter Samuelson Foundation Award and Lecture, and the Philip A. Zaffere Endowed Professorship in Regenerative Medicine for the director of the center, Curt Civin, MD. These momentous gifts complete an entire umbrella of philanthropy that will continue to catalyze translational research and economic development at the center in perpetuity. The Friedmans also have established the Robert A. Fuld, MD ’81, Prize and Lectureship Endowment in Nephrology at UMSOM, named in honor of one of their sons, Fuld, who is a nephrologist and a 1981 UMSOM graduate. As alumni of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, they have provided funding to the Erin Levitas Initiative for Sexual Assault Prevention Endowment and supported the Capital Campaign Building Fund. They also have supported the University of Maryland School of Nursing by establishing the Herman and Walter Samuelson Foundation Scholarship Endowment. Louis and Phyllis Friedman have truly made an impact at UMB by making foundational contributions to medicine and science. We salute their dedication as community philanthropists for decades, and we are grateful they have chosen to partner with us across our mission areas. The UMB Foundation recognizes Louis and Phyllis Friedman for their dedication to higher education and scientific advancement with the 2021 Distinguished Service Award.
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THE POWER OF PHILANTHROPY History is replete with treasured philanthropic acts: financial investment that drives change, creates greater access for all, helps the less fortunate, and lifts our shared world. When it comes to philanthropy, there is no threshold for an amount given or time committed. Rather, it is the total sum of these acts that brings out the best of humankind and makes for a better day and better civilization. At the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), we bear witness daily to the profound impact philanthropy is having at our six professional schools and interdisciplinary Graduate School. Each school is doing remarkable work worthy of these acts of time, treasure, and talent — from top-tier scholarship, research, clinical care, and entrepreneurship, to forward-thinking social justice, service, and other significant provisions. Supplementing the state of Maryland’s generous but limited assistance, philanthropic investment from private and corporate sources provides an enormous measure of substance and elasticity — especially in these troubled times. Philanthropy is highly accessible and costeffective, with a return on investment that traditionally is higher than 80 percent. To all of the individuals, businesses, foundations, and organizations that gave their time, treasure, and talent this past year, UMB extends its heartfelt gratitude.
Recent examples of significant charitable investment at UMB: } $13.8 million, the largest gift to date to the School of Nursing, was donated by Bill and Joanne Conway through their Bedford Falls Fund to create 345 Conway Scholarships and support renovation of the nursing building at the Universities at Shady Grove. } $5 million was donated by Marco and Debbie Chacón to establish the Chacón Center for Immigrant Justice at the Francis King Carey School of Law. } A planned gift of $1 million from David C. Carroll to the School of Medicine in support of the Advanced Heart Failure, Heart Transplant and Ventricular Assist Devices Program. } $500,000 was pledged by Eddie and Sylvia Brown for their CURE Scholars Challenge. } A matching grant of $375,000 was pledged by the Edward St. John Foundation to provide support for the College Readiness Curriculum and Career Navigator Program for our UMB CURE Scholars.
} A $500,000 gift from Drs. Abass Alavi and Jane Bradley Alavi to the School of Medicine to establish the Alavi-Bradley Molecular Imaging and Theranostics Symposium. } The Wagner Family of Scholarships, a collection of annual endowed scholarships at the School of Pharmacy, was established to provide support of at least $10,000 to a minimum of nine students in their final year of study enrolled in the School of Pharmacy’s Pharmapreneurship Pathway Program. } A $100,000 gift from an anonymous donor to support an endowed professorship at the Graduate School. } Karen J. Ivers, DDS ’88, as executrix of a family trust, established a new endowed professorship at the School of Dentistry. } As a capstone to his career and tenure on the Alumni Association Board, David E. Brainerd, MSW ’79, and his wife, Alice R. Brainerd, established a scholarship at the School of Social Work for child welfare through a combined cash and planned gift.
Gifts in support of UMB at any level are valued, celebrated, and deeply appreciated.
FOUNDERS WEEK VIRTUAL GALA 2021
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UMB CATALYST for EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Catalyst for Excellence honorees exemplify powerful advocacy for success, achievement, and philanthropy for their respective schools while serving as visionaries for future progress. Exemplars of excellence and inspiration, they have accomplished meaningful progress in their lives and careers, in addition to devoting meaningful time, talent, and resources to numerous worthy causes. UMB, the city of Baltimore, and the state of Maryland are made much better through the impactful efforts of these extraordinary individuals.
SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY Melvin F. Kushner, DDS ’66, has worked for more than five decades building engagement and support for the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) and UMB. As chair of UMSOD’s Board of Visitors, member of the Dean’s Faculty in the Department of Dental Public Health, and past president of UMSOD’s Alumni Association Board of Directors, he has championed the collaborations that are critical to the advancement of oral health care. Kushner’s steadfast and generous philanthropic and personal support has been a positive and profound influence for good for students, faculty, and community members.
FRANCIS KING CAREY SCHOOL OF LAW The Salsbury family — Stuart M. Salsbury, JD ’71; Suzanne B. Salsbury, JD ’73; Benjamin S. Salsbury, JD ’07; and Rebecca C. Salsbury, JD ’08 — is creating a lasting legacy at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and in the legal profession. Stuart and Suzanne met at the law school in the early 1970s, and their son, Ben, met his future wife, Becca, 35 years later while participating on the law school’s highly regarded National Trial Team. For decades they’ve been dedicated philanthropists to the School of Law, generous supporters of students and alumni, and proud community advocates in the legal profession.
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SCHOOL OF MEDICINE Richard L. Taylor, MD ’75, has been a generous supporter of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and UMB for over 30 years. He and his wife, Kathryn, have established the Dr. Richard and Kathryn Taylor Professorship in Neurology. Taylor is a member of the UMSOM Board of Visitors and the UMB Foundation Board of Trustees and is a former president of the Medical Alumni Association. Taylor volunteers as a clinical professor and gives monthly lectures to students and trainees in the Department of Neurology.
SCHOOL OF NURSING John Bing, CRNA, has been a steadfast advocate for the University of Maryland School of Nursing for nearly two decades. Before his five-year tenure as chairman of the school’s Board of Visitors, Bing had already begun his tireless efforts to promote diversity in the Nurse Anesthesia Program. An avid philanthropist, he is responsible for the creation of two endowed scholarships and the success of several other critical funding initiatives. Bing is an inspirational and impactful leader who is passionate about mentorship of the next generation of underrepresented nurse anesthetists.
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY Victoria Hale, BSP ’83, PhD, is a powerful advocate for the success and future progress of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) through her support of its exclusive Pharmapreneurism initiative and participation in the school’s Center for Women in Pharmapreneurism and Board of Visitors. Hale’s passion is the development of important new medicines for all, with the specific goal of reducing health inequities. She is the founder of Medicines360 and the founder and chair emeritus of OneWorld Health. Her generosity, time, knowledge, advocacy, and networking have been transformative for UMSOP.
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK The Alumni Association Board of Directors is a dedicated group of 16 members who reflect the University of Maryland School of Social Work’s commitment to innovation, education, advocacy, and philanthropy. While welcoming Dean Judy Postmus, PhD, ACSW, the board led the school’s 60th anniversary alumni oral history initiative under the theme “Facing our Past, Transforming our Future.” During the 2021-22 academic year, the board has awarded and funded four student scholarships, and three members created new scholarships for the future. The board president, Lori James-Townes, MSW ’91, delivered the school’s 2021 Convocation address. 15
CATALYST CAMPAIGN DONORS $10 MILLION AND ABOVE Anonymous UMB Associated Black Charities SOD, SOM, UMB Bedford Falls Foundation Charitable Trust SON W.P. Carey Foundation SOL Catholic Relief Services SOM Robert E. Fischell, ScD, and Susan Fischell SOM Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation SOM PCORI SOM, SOP Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Fund Authority SOM, SOD University of Maryland Medical System SOM, SON, UMB University of Maryland Faculty Physicians, Inc. SOM Whiting-Turner Contracting Company SOM, SSW, GS $5,000,000 — $9,999,999 American Heart Association SOM, SON Anonymous (2) SOM, SOL Marco and Debbie Chacón SOL, SOM, UMB Anonymous SOL Orokawa Foundation SOM Robert Wood Johnson Foundation SOL, SOM, SON, SSW University of Maryland Faculty Physicians, Inc. SOM $3,000,000 — $4,999,999 Peter G. Angelos SOM Peter and Georgia Angelos Foundation SOM Law Offices of Peter Angelos SOM American Cancer Society SOM, SON Anonymous (2) Center for Adoption Support and Education SSW Carolyn B. Frenkil HSHSL, SOL, SOM, MAA, SON James and Carolyn Frenkil Charitable Foundation HSHSL, SOL, SOM, MAA, SON Greenebaum Family Foundation SOM, UMB Institute of Human Virology-Nigeria SOM Erin Michele Levitas Education Foundation SOL The Medical Alumni Association of the University of Maryland, Inc. HSHSL, SOM
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Maryland Emergency Medicine Network Nobel BioCare USA, Inc. State of Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development United Therapeutics Corporation University of Maryland OB/GYN Associates, P.A. University of Maryland Pediatric Associates, P.A.
SOM SOD UMB SOM SOM SOM
$1,000,000 — $2,999,999 The Alicia and Yaya Foundation GS, SOM, SON, UMB Dorothy Ann Altwarg SOL American Diabetes Association SOM American Society of Hematology SOM Anonymous (9) Laura and John Arnold Foundation SOP Jerome Beser SOM Bien-Air USA SOD Boston Medical Center SOM Brain & Behavior Research Foundation SOM Michael Brin and Eugenia Brin SOM Howard S. Brown SOM Dorothy Lane Campbell* SOL The Annie E. Casey Foundation GS, SOM, SSW, UMB Catholic Medical Mission Board SOM Joseph Davidson, DDS, and Elly Davidson SOD Family League of Baltimore City SOM, SSW Gilead Sciences, Inc. SOM George E. Groleau, MD, and Deborah F. Groleau SOM, SOP Mary Therese Gyi, BSP, PharmD, and Rebecca T. Gyi-Hovis, MD SOP John W. Heisse Jr., MD* SOM J. Laurance Hill, MD, and Charlotte P. Hill SOM Grace Hofsteter, MD* SOM Independent Dialysis Foundation, Inc. SOM The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine SOM Institute of Human Virology-Nigeria SOM Alice “Jeannie” Jacobs SOM Johns Hopkins University SOD, SOM, SON The Kahlert Foundation SOM The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society SOM *Deceased
CATALYST CAMPAIGN DONORS, CONT. Mallinckrodt, Inc. UMB Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene SOM Maryland Emergency Medicine Research Foundation, Inc. SOM Medtronic, Inc. SOM Open Society Institute/Open Society Foundations SOL, SSW, SOM Alison Richman, MSW, and Arnold Richman SSW, UMB, SOM Richman Family Foundation, Inc. SSW UMB, SOM Scott Rifkin, MD, and Frances Maizels Rifkin, RN SOM Elizabeth Shamburger* SOM Richard H. Sherman, MD*, and Jane Sherman, PhD UMB, SOM Frederick Smith, DDS, and Venice Paterakis, DDS SOD, UMB Charles G. Smith* SOM Taylor Foundation, Inc. SOM
Bruce T. Taylor, MD, and Ellen L. Taylor, MD SOM Irving J. Taylor, MD* SOM Third Sector New England SOL Richard L. Taylor, MD, and Kathryn A. Taylor SOM Harvey Topper SOM Leonard L. Topper SOM Elizabeth L. Tso, MD* SOM University of Maryland Anesthesiology Associates, P.A. SOM University of Maryland Medical System Foundation SOM University of Maryland Radiation Oncology Associates, P.A. SOM UMB Health Sciences Research Park Corporation UMB, SSW Daniel E. Wagner SOP Margaret and Samuel Woodside SSW Hansjörg Wyss SOM Ellen Yankellow, PharmD SOP, UMB Philip A. Zaffere Foundation SOM *Deceased
THE CATALYST CAMPAIGN ON OUR WAY TO $750 MILLION
U
niversity alumni and friends can provide vital gift support to bolster institutional priorities such as student scholarships, faculty excellence, interdisciplinary research, clinical learning, entrepreneurship, and community engagement.
M
ilestone: Generous support has pushed UMB’s groundbreaking fundraising initiative past $666 million, which is 89 percent of the $750 million goal.
B
enefit: At UMB’s Founders Week Virtual Gala, Dreams in the Making, we invite you to enjoy a unique show and learn more about how you can play a meaningful role in providing scholarship aid to attract the best and brightest students to UMB!
www.catalyst.umaryland.edu 17
Jay A. Perman, MD Chancellor
BOARD OF REGENTS Linda R. Gooden, Chair Gary L. Attman, Treasurer William T. “Bill” Wood, Assistant Treasurer Michelle A. Gourdine, Secretary Robert D. Rauch, Assistant Secretary Joseph Bartenfelder Hugh J. Breslin III Ellen R. Fish Gary T. Gill Geoff J. Gonella Robert K. Hur D’Ana Johnson Isiah “Ike” Leggett Robert R. Neall Douglas J.J. Peters Louis M. Pope Signe Pringle Andy Smarick Robert L. Wallace Ada Beams, Student Regent, Term expires June 2023 Ayotola Oludayo, Student Regent, Term expires June 2023
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES Harry C. Knipp, MD, FACR, Chair Ellen H. Yankellow, PharmD, Vice Chair John C. Weiss III, Secretary
Mouna Aissaoui, MBA Anthony P. Ashton, Esq. Megan Bailey Pete Buzy Scott Canuel, CFA, CFP Harold E. Chappelear Charles Chen, DDS Charles W. Cole Jr. Luke Cooper Steve Dubin, JD Mareco Edwards Tisha S. Edwards, MSW, JD Jennifer O. Estabrook, JD, MBA Patricia S. Florestano, PhD Carolyn B. Frenkil Barry L. Garber, MBA Brian J. Gibbons, JD Mary C. Gregory Emerson “Randy” Hall Jr., PhD Joseph R. Hardiman Alvin D. Katz, CPA Ray Lewis Aris Melissaratos Samantha Mellerson Michael E. Muldowney Damien Myers, MD Bill Niland Todd L. Parchman Nikos Pavlidis Malinda Peeples
Nneka Rimmer Alan J. Silverstone Frederick G. Smith, DDS C. William Struever Richard L. Taylor, MD, FAAN Mei Xu TRUSTEES EMERITI Edward J. Brody Marco A. Chacón, PhD James A. Earl, PhD Morton P. Fisher Jr., Esq. Richard J. Himelfarb Wallace J. Hoff Kempton M. Ingersol Kyle P. Legg Thomas P. O’Neill Hon. Janet S. Owens Theo C. Rodgers, MBA William T. Wood, Esq.
EX-OFFICIO Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS President, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA Provost, Executive Vice President, and Dean of UMB Graduate School James L. Hughes, MBA Senior Vice President and Chief Enterprise and Economic Development Officer; Interim Chief Philanthropy Officer and Interim President, UMB Foundation, Inc. (UMBF) Pam Heckler Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer, UMBF LEGAL COUNSEL Jordan I. Bailowitz, Esq. Partner, DLA Piper
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SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2021 FOUNDERS WEEK SPONSORS
PRESENTING SPONSOR
HEADLINER SPONSORS
DAVID J. RAMSAY ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR
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EDUCATORS OF THE YEAR
PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR
STUDENTS OF THE YEAR
BENEFACTORS
HONOR ROLL MJO SERVICES THE DAILY RECORD
is proud to support
FOUNDERS WEEK and thanks the
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE for many years of service in our community
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