2023 Award Winners

Heather Cogdell received an SB in electrical engineering from MIT’s School of Engineering in 1989 and both an MBA and MS from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993. Heather is an alumni nominee to the MIT Corporation and serves on visiting committees for the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Nuclear Science and Engineering, and Linguistics and Philosophy. She is an educational counselor (EC), a member of the Affinity Group Council, a board member for the Black Alumni of MIT (BAMIT), and a co-chair of the Katharine Dexter McCormick Society. Heather has served on the Association Board of Directors, the Annual Giving Board, the Club Council, and the Association Finance Committee. She has served on multiple class reunion gift committees, as an educational council representative for the Club of Washington DC, and as an EC regional chair and vice chair for the DC area. Heather was named to the Volunteer Honor Roll of Service in 2004 and honored with the George B. Morgan ’20 Award in 2013. Heather is principal business process engineer at MITRE.

Leslye Miller Fraser received an SB and SM in chemical engineering in 1978 and 1980, respectively from MIT, and a juris doctorate, Order of the Coif, from UCLA. She is a life member of the MIT Corporation; chairperson of the Visiting Committee (VC) for Undergraduate and Graduate Education; and is a member of the Civil and Environmental Engineering VC, the MIT Libraries VC, and the MIT School of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council  She is a prior member of the Annual Giving Board, the Corporation Governance and Nominations Committee, the Alumni Association Selection Committee, regional and vice chairs of the DC Metropolitan Area Educational Council and was the EC representative for the Club of DC. She was honored with the George B. Morgan ’20 Award in 2006. Professionally, Leslye served in the Senior Executive Service of the federal government for 15 years prior to retiring as an Environmental Appeals Judge at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She is a past national president of the African American Federal Executive Association. She also currently serves on the U.S. Comptroller General’s Audit Advisory Committee and is the National Director, Programs for The Links, Incorporated, one of the nation’s oldest volunteer service organizations committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other people of African ancestry.

Sharon Israel received an SB in electrical engineering from MIT’s School of Engineering in 1986, as well as an MBA and juris doctor degree from Emory University in 1991. Sharon is currently the president of the Class of 1986 and class stewardship agent. She serves on the Alumni Association Selection Committee (AASC), as the social media chair for the Club of South Texas, and on the Corporation Visiting Committee for the MIT Libraries. Previously she has held multiple positions in the Club of South Texas, including president, and her class, including chairing multiple reunion gift committees and chairing/co-chairing multiple class reunion committees. Sharon also has previously served as a Better World Service Ambassador. Sharon has served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Annual Giving Board, and the Corporation Nominating Committee and had a previous term on the AASC. Sharon was honored with the Henry B. Kane ’24 Award in 2006, Great Dome awards in 2012, 2020, and 2022, and the Harold E. Lobdell ’17 Distinguished Service Award in 2019. Sharon is a partner at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP. 

Joe Levitch received an SB in civil and environmental engineering from the MIT School of Engineering in 1969 and an MBA from the University of Michigan in 1971.  He is currently a Regional Chair on the Corporation Development Committee (CDC), a member of the Corporation Visiting Committee for Student Life, a Founding Member of the Friends of the PKG Public Service Center, an educational counselor, a Better World Service ambassador, a mentor for the Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program (UPOP) and an officer of the MIT Club of Chicago. He also serves on Advisory Boards for DAPER, UPOP, the Office of Gift Planning and the Sloan Health Systems Initiative (HSI). Joe previously served as Co-Chair of the Reunion Gift Committee for the 45th and 50th reunions of the Class of 1969 and as a member of the Annual Giving Board, the Corporation Visiting Committee for Athletics and the Alumni Association Program Committee. Joe was honored with a Great Dome Award in 2015, the Margaret MacVicar ’65, ScD ’67 Award in 2016, the Harold E. Lobdell ’17 Distinguished Service Award in 2019 and the Super Fan Award from the Student Athlete Advisory Committee in 2018. He recently retired from his position as a partner of a health care management consulting firm. 
 

Monica Reynolds received an SB in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT’s School of Engineering in 1982 and an MD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1986. Monica is a class agent and was a special director on the MITAA Crew Board of Directors. Previously, she co-chaired her fund reunion gift committee, was a Crew solicitor for the DAPER fund, and was a 24-Hour Challenge ambassador. Monica served on the Annual Giving Board and in various former roles on the MITAA Crew Board of Directors, including vice president of Fundraising. She has made significant contributions to the success of the MIT Crew Alumni Association, the Alumni Association Annual Giving Board, and MIT. Monica is a cardiologist at the Colombia Doctors Medical Group.  

Arun Saigal received an SB and master’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT’s School of Engineering in 2013. Arun is a member of his fund reunion gift committee, a board member of the Club of Northern California, a member of the Corporation Development Committee, and a regional representative on the MIT10 Committee. Previously Arun was part of the Student Alumni Externship Program, volunteered as a 24-Hour Challenge ambassador, a member of the MISTI fundraising committee, and the MIT10 Class Gift Committee. Arun was honored with a Great Dome Award in 2014 and another in 2021. Arun is the cofounder and CEO of Thunkable.

Holly Simpson received an SB in biology and life science from MIT’s School of Science in 1992 and an MD from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 1996. Holly is the treasurer of the Class of 1992, a class stewardship agent, and an educational counselor. She has served as a 24-Hour Challenge ambassador, a member of her class reunion committee, chaired her fund reunion gift committee, served as a crew solicitor for the DAPER Fund, and as a member of the MIT Crew Alumni Association Board of Directors. Holly was honored with a Presidential Citation (now known as a Great Dome) in 2009 and named to the Volunteer Honor Roll of Service in 2023.She spent her career as a family physician at Community Health Network.    

Arno Bommer received an SB in architecture from MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning in 1982. Arno volunteers for the Club of South Texas as secretary and historian in addition to serving as member-at-large for the Class of 1982. Previously Arno has held multiple positions in the Club of South Texas, including president. He was a solicitor for several fund telethons, a member of his class’s fund reunion gift committee, and an educational counselor. He organizes the MIT awards for the Houston Science Engineering Fair and leads an alumni jazz band for his class reunions. Arno is principal consultant at CSTI Acoustics. 
 

John Cooley received an SB in electrical engineering and physics, a master’s degree, an engineer’s degree, and PhD, all from MIT’s School of Engineering in 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2011, respectively. John is currently ex-officio on the MIT Alumni Association Crew Board of Directors and has held multiple roles there, including president. He served in previous roles on the Affinity Group Council, as a 24-Hour Challenge ambassador, and as a Fund DAPER solicitor. He was honored as a Martin Family Fellow in 2009 and the Morris Joseph Levin Award for Masterworks Thesis Presentation. John is currently chief of products at Nanoramic Laboratories. 

Darryl Fraser received an SB in chemical engineering from MIT’s School of Engineering in 1980 and an MBA from the University of California Los Angeles in 1984. Darryl recently served on the Alumni Association Selection Committee and has previously served on the Annual Giving Board, where he co-chaired the Annual Giving Leadership Circle. He has held previous roles as leadership chair for his fund reunion gift committee, an educational counselor and vice chair, as well as the Educational Council representative for the Club of Washington DC, a parent connector, and a 24-Hour Challenge ambassador. Darryl was honored with the George B. Morgan ’20 Award in 2006 and a Great Dome Award as part of the BAMIT Community Advancement Program (BCAP) team in 2021. Before retiring, Darryl was corporate vice president and chief communications officer for Northrop Grumman Corporation. 

Ed Hunter received an SB in computer science and engineering from MIT’s School of Engineering in 1979 and a master’s in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley in 1984. Ed is secretary for the Class of 1979 and is a term director on the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. Previously, Ed served on the Annual Giving Board as Loyalty Giving Circle chair, co-chaired his reunion gift committee, and volunteered as a 24-Hour Challenge ambassador. Ed was named to the Volunteer Honor Roll of Service in 2019 and honored with the Henry B. Kane ’24 Award in 2020. Now retired from his position at Netflix, Ed is a freelance theatrical lighting designer.

Anya Kattef received an SB in materials science and engineering from the MIT School of Engineering in 1998 and completed the MicroMasters program in Supply Chain Management in 2018. Anya volunteered as an educational counselor and was the Vice Chair of the Concord EC region for many years. She also served as the vice president of the alumni house corporation for Alpha Phi sorority for 10 years and continues to chair the renovation committee. Anya was also actively involved in the Association of Independent Living Groups (AILG), serving a 3-year term as the Treasurer of the AILG Board and participating in the Accreditation & FSILG Strategic Plan Committees. Anya is the supply chain planning manager at Vital Farms. 
 

Robert Lentz received an SB and master’s degree, both in mechanical engineering, from MIT’s School of Engineering in 1998 and 1999, respectively. Robert is currently a special director and secretary of the  MIT Alumni Association Crew Board of Directors, having been a board member or special director for 15 years and serving as secretary for the past 10 years. Previously, he volunteered as part of the Fund DAPER solicitation efforts, his class reunion committee as Reunion Row captain, and his reunion gift committee as crew solicitor. Robert was honored with a Great Dome award in 2012. He is chief ssecurity officer and vice president, technical operations, at DevonWay, Inc.

Paul Marcus received an SB in civil and environmental engineering from MIT’s School of Engineering in 1981. Paul is currently a life member of the MIT Corporation and serves as chair of the MIT Investment Management Company (“MITIMCo”) board.  He also chairs the Political Science Visiting Committee and serves on the visiting committees for Brain and Cognitive Sciences and for Economics Paul has served in numerous other capacities at MIT, including as past chair of MIT’s Risk & Audit Committee and on the Corporation Nominating Committee, the Campaign Leadership Council, multiple roles for Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and multiple class reunion gift committees. Paul is the CEO of Marcus Partners, a real estate private equity firm based in Boston.

Lulu Tsao received an SB in management from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 1986. She is currently the president of the Club of Beijing and an educational counselor. Lulu has held previous roles with the Club of Beijing and has served as president for the clubs of Hong Kong, Shanghai, and San Diego. She was an area representative for the Club of South China (Guandong).. She has worked at Burson-Marsteller, IBM, ICG Asia, Intel, Lucent Technologies, Motorola Semiconductors, and Qualcomm, and is currently project director of the BeijingDance/LDTX modern dance company. 

Marissa Konstadt received an MBA in management from MIT’s Sloan School in 2021 and a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in 2011. Marissa has worked collaboratively across the Sloan School, building and maintaining strong and positive relationships with the MBA Program Office, the Dean’s Office, the Sloan Senate, and top Sloan faculty members. Marissa then took the lead on recruiting a group of 10 of her classmates to serve as Sloan’s first-ever Class Council, dedicating their time as alumni volunteers to keep the class connected. She is a clear leader and has kept her classmates focused and engaged continuously.  Marissa works in global pricing and market access at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. 

Teddy Lee earned an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management in 2017, where he served as a student body co-president. He also has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from Stanford University. Teddy is the president of the MIT Club of Northern California (MITCNC) and a member of the MIT Alumni Association (MITAA) Board. He has also served as chair of the MITCNC’s MIT AI Conference, chair of the MITCNC Tech Track, chair of the MIT Volunteer Leadership Summit, chair of the MIT Sloan Student Class Gift Committee, a Sloan 5 officer, and an MIT Sloan Reunion volunteer. In 2021, he was honored with the Great Dome Award as part of the MITCNC’s Covid Warriors team and was named to the Volunteer Honor Roll of Service in 2019. Teddy is a product manager at OpenAI and is passionate about innovation that makes people happier, healthier, and more thoughtful. 
 

Melissa Edmands Marsh received a master’s in architecture from MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning in 2004 and a bachelor of arts from Columbia University in 1997. Melissa is currently executive vice president of the Club of New York and VP of professional programs. Previously, she has volunteered as a 24-Hour Challenge ambassador and as a board member and VP for membership with the MIT Architecture Alumni. Melissa received a Great Dome Award in 2019. She is the founder and executive director of PLASTARC Inc.

Farrah Sabouni received an MCP in urban studies and city planning and an SM in architecture, both from MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning in 2014. Farrah is currently a member of the Club of South Texas Council. Previously, Farrah was the president and chair of Educational Outreach of the Club of South Texas, an advisor for the Graduate Alumni Council, resident advisor for Delta Psi, and chair of the Graduate Student Council and has been a member of the K–12 STEM Education Volunteer Network since she graduated. Farrah is a principal and the director of planning at AUTOARCH Architects. 

Bob Schaffel earned an SB in architecture from the MIT School of Architecture and Planning in 1971. He is currently an educational counselor, president of the Club of Montreal, a member of the Club Council, a member of the Alumni Association Program Committee, a Better World service ambassador, and vice president of the Class of 1971. Previously, he was a member of his class reunion committee and editor of the class yearbook, the MIT Insights Forum, and formerly an Educational Council regional coordinator in Montreal. Bob was named to the Volunteer Honor Roll of Service in 2022 and again in 2023.  He has worked at Adobe Systems, Inc. as a senior product manager, R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company as emerging technology manager, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as director of publishing; and he devotes himself currently to his volunteering efforts. 


 

Jaclyn Selby received an MBA in management from MIT’s Sloan School in 2021, as well as a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University. Upon her graduation in 2021, she approached the Alumni Experience team at MIT Sloan with a pitch to launch a speaker series. As a new alum, Jackie wanted to expand and continue conversations that began in her student experience, so she collaborated with the Alumni Experience office to incorporate them into the existing MIT Sloan brand and pivoted to a volunteer-led program. Since November 2021 and the relaunch of the MIT Sloan Alumni Online speaker series, Jackie has hosted twelve speaking engagements, with a focus on broad topics through a leadership lens.  By the time of the ALC award ceremony, 13 speakers will have been featured, as the next speaker is scheduled for September 6, 2023. Shehas offered timely and relevant programming that is open to the full Institute community, including alumni and students, demonstrating her continued growth as a volunteer leader in the community. She is the founder of Sous Chef. 

Stacy Yu received an SB in management from MIT Sloan School in 1998. Stacy is currently the director and vice president of Programs for the Club of Washington DC. She is a member of her class reunion committee and the Club Council. She regularly provides a detailed and incisive overview of membership issues to both the club board and executive committee. Stacy has previous service as a 24-Hour Challenge ambassador and served as vice president of Membership and Communications Chair with the Club of DC. Currently, she is also on the MIT AI Conference organizing committee sponsored by MITAS. Stacy is the associate director of Corporate Partnerships at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology and an independent marketing consultant. 
 

Sean Zee Kwok received an SB in architecture in 1997 and a master’s in architecture in 2001, both from MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning. Sean joined the MIT Club of Hong Kong in 2016 as the liaison for MIT Architecture Alumni (MITArchA) and has progressed to become a club director. Previously, Sean has served as treasurer and co-treasurer for the MITArchA. Sean was honored with a Great Dome award in 2019. Sean is the senior architect and director of design at Arthur C. S. Kwok Architects & Associates, Limited.

Michael Bates received an SB in humanities engineering from MIT’s School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences in 1986. Michael joined the Educational Council in 1987, and since then has significantly improved the EC assignment processing. He has been the regional chairperson for the state of Oklahoma since 2020. Prior to that, he was EC Regional Chairman for Northeastern Oklahoma, beginning in 2011. Michael is a software and systems engineer in the flight simulation industry.

Luca Bencini-Tibó received an SB in chemical engineering and economics from MIT’s schools of Engineering and Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences in 1974, a master’s degree in 1975, and an MBA from Harvard in 1978. Luca is currently the co-chair for his fund reunion gift committee and an educational counselor (EC). He has been an EC since the mid-80s. He joined the Educational Council in 2014 and has served since as the regional chair of the Fort Lauderdale region, a growing area for applicants, and volunteers to help recruit new ECs. Luca was named to the Volunteer Honor Roll of Service in 2022. Now retired, he is a part-time flight instructor. 

Scott Berkenblit received an SB in mathematics from MIT’s School of Science and in electrical engineering from the School of Engineering in 1986. He received a master of science degree in 1990 and a PhD in health science and tech, in addition to an MD from Harvard Medical School in 1996. Scott is currently a member-at-large for the Class of 1986 and an educational counselor. Scott has served as an Educational Counselor for the past 25 years and is currently the Regional Chair for Maryland.  Previously, he served as class president for the Class of 1986, on multiple reunion and reunion gift committees, including chairing or co-chairing some of them, and as co-VP for membership for the Club of Baltimore. Scott was honored with Great Dome Awards in 2012, 2020, and 2022; with the Harold E. Lobdell ’17 Distinguished Service Award in 2022; and was named to the Volunteer Honor Roll of Service that same year. Scott is an orthopedic surgeon for Precision Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. 

Robert Crane received an SB in mechanical engineering from MIT’s School of Engineering in 1981 and holds an MBA from Stanford University. Robert joined the Educational Council in 1996 and is currently a vice chair for the Metrowest, MA region. Bob is also an overflow EC who helps interview students outside of MA. He was named to the Volunteer Honor Roll of Service in 2021 and 2022. Bob has been involved in starting and building over thirty biotechnology companies developing therapeutics, medical devices and diagnostics.

Phillip Davis received an SB in mechanical engineering from MIT’s School of Engineering in 1968. Phillip joined the Educational Council in 2009 and is currently the regional chair for the entire state of Maine. Since then, he has done an admirable job managing the territory, including recruiting new educational counselors. Since Phil took over, Maine has consistently had 100 percent interview completion. Phillip is the founder of Urovalve Inc.

Dennis Fisher received an SB and MCP in architecture and urban studies and planning, respectively, from MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning in 1972. He also holds an MD from Yale University. Dennis joined the Educational Council in 2008 and is currently the vice chair for the San Francisco North Bay region. He has managed his region very well despite frequent turnover of volunteers on the council. Dennis is president of the “P Less Than” Company.

The 2017, 2018, and 2019 MIT Mega Pi Committee, composed of alumni from the Classes of 2017, 2018, and 2019, successfully organized the largest Pi Reunion in the event’s history, bringing together over 2,000 MIT alumni from around the world for a weekend of reconnection. The committee’s efforts to navigate the Covid pandemic were truly impressive, and dedication to the event was truly admirable. All committee members donated significant hours of their time to coordinate and plan the event, working across various time zones and class organizations. They managed an event that cost $350,000, created multiclass marketing campaigns, vetted and managed large commercial vendor agreements, and reached out to dozens of corporate entities for sponsorship―all while balancing demanding full-time roles as researchers, PhD students, consultants, engineers, entrepreneurs, and more.

Awardees:

• Andres Alvarez ’17
• Kelsey Becker ’19
• Sina Booeshaghi ’17
• Jasmin Joseph-Chazan ’18
• Radha Mastandrea ’19
• John Peurifoy ’18
• Rachel Adenekan ’17
• Neil Aggarwal ’18
• Burhan Azeem ’19
• Jeremy Bogle ’18
• Simi Bright ’19
• Billy Caruso ’18
• Sophia E ’18
• Tahina Felisca ’19
• Joseph Figura ’17
• Rebecca Gallivan ’17
• Selam Gano ’18
• Gabriel Ginorio ’18
• Stephanie Guo ’17
• Ryuga Hatano ’18
• Christie Hong ’19, MEng ’20
• Libby Koolik ’17, MNG ’18
• Elisa Kurzban ’17
• Piper Lim ’17
• Wei Low ’17
• Nina Lutz ’19, SM ’21
• Billy Moses ’18, MNG ’17
• Matt Nicolai ’18
• Marianne Olsen ’19
• Nick Schwartz ’18
• Allison Tam ’19, MEng ’20
• Citlali B Trigos-Raczkowski ’19
• Sravya Vishnubhatla ’17
• Andrew Xia ’17, MNG ’19
• Brandon Zabala ’18

The Class of 1972 Reunion Programming and Reunion Gift committees truly rallied around their milestone 50th reunion, setting a new class dollar and KDMS record. The 50th RPC/RGC have set the bar high for future 50th classes by inspiring their peers to celebrate their lifelong connection to MIT through philanthropy and engagement. The Class of 1972’s Reunion Gift and Reunion Programming committees consistently strived for excellence and set an exceptional new standard for the 50th reunion milestone, both philanthropically and through Tech Reunions events and attendance. These groups are a fantastic choice for the Great Dome Award, as they exemplify true MIT alumni volunteer collaboration and spirit.

Awardees:

• James Alder ’72
• Douglas Bailey ’72, SM ’74, ME ’75
• Bonny Kellerman ’72
• Bonnie Miller ’72
• Duncan Allen ’72
• Wilfrid Amisial ’72
• Janice Bertozzi ’72
• Douglas Breeden ’72
• Cyril Draffin ’72, SM ’73
• Carol Epstein ’72
• Wendy Erb ’72
• Margaret Frerking ’72, PhD ’77
• Steven Henry ’72, SM ’73
• Samer Khanachet ’72
• Allan Kirkpatrick ’72, PhD ’81
• Kathy Kram ’72, SM ’73
• John Krzywicki ’72
• Phyllis Lantos ’72, SM ’74
• Nicholas Lazaris ’72
• Alan Lukas ’72, SM ’73
• Mark Mitchell ’72
• Bill Reenstra ’72
• Kenneth Rietz ’72
• Bill Roberts
• Bob ScottEE ’72, SM ’72
• Leonard Sigal ’72
• Sarah Simon ’72
• Gail Thurmond ’72
• Victor Tom ’72, SM ’73, SCD ’81
• Doug Zingale ’72
• Janice Bertozzi ’72
• Bradley (Brad) Billetdeaux ’72
• Douglas (Doug) Breeden ’72
• Wendy Elaine Erb ’72
• Steven (Steve) Henry ’72, SM ’73
• Samer Khanachet ’72
• Allan Kirkpatrick ’72, PhD ’81
• Kathy Kram ’72, SM ’73
• Phyllis Lantos ’72, SM ’74
• Richard (Rich) Levin ’72
• Sarah Simon ’72
• Alice (Charlie) Sprouse ’72, SM ’77
• Cynthia (Cindy) Tobias ’72
• Victor Tom ’72, SM ’73, SCD ’81
• Masaharu (Steve or Ush) Ushiyama ’72, SM ’73, SM ’75
• Robert (Bob) Mohr ’72

The Conner 3 Alumni ’68–’82 is a self-created affinity group of alumni who have chosen to get together to renew and/or strengthen connections with each other, a new generation of MIT students, and MIT. They formed a group, set up a continuing program of Zoom calls, collected over $150,000 in donations for the new Burton Conner TV lounge, and finally got together in person again in Burton Conner in October 2022. The Conner 3 Alumni ’68–’82 affinity group is a perfect example of a group of alumni who have gotten together to “further the well-being of the Institute and its graduates by increasing the interest of members in the school and each other,” the mission of the MITAA.

Awardees:

• David Bernstein  ’74, SM ’75
• Marilyn Taggi Cisar ’76
• Meghan French
• Roger Goldstein ’74, MArch ’76
• John Hauser '71, SM ’73, ScD ’75
• Janelle K. Knox
• Carol Martin ’77
• Mary McCarthy ’74
• Karley Porter
• Richard Sternberg ’74

The MIT Alumni Angels of Northern California was founded in 2013 and was the first of seven chapters of MIT Alumni Angels to form around the globe, including Boston; New York; Washington, DC; the United Kingdom; and Brazil; and the MIT Alumni Life Science Angels of Boston. Today, the Alumni Angels of NorCal has 600 members who are accredited investors and meet to evaluate companies. The thesis for the MIT Alumni Angels of Northern California is that deep tech and deep science companies with significant R&D and IP are where the MIT alumni investors can have the greatest impact. The group has invested $10M in startups, with an average investment of $200K, and hosted over 30 pitch events, attended on average by 80 people, where several companies present and alumni then discuss, evaluate, and determine subsequent follow-up and diligence.

Awardees:

• Swati Chaturvedi SM ’04, MBA ’11
• Hon W. Chin ’75 
• Akshay Dipakkumar Harlalka MEng ’18
• Nitin Kasturi ’96, MENg ’97
• Ronald B. Koo ’89, SM ’90
• Robert P. Lensch SM ’83
• Jenny Y. Liu ’99 
• Patricia J. Liu ’95, MEng ’96
• John Evans Muhlner MBA ’02
• Dr. Ronjon Nag SM ’91
• Dr. Albert D. Richards SM ’83, ScD ’86, SM ’86
• Robert A. Rintel ’86
• Edward Tau ’95, MEng ’96
• Lisheng Wang ’04
• Dr. Andy Wijaya PhD ’09

The Multicultural Fest was an effort by a group of alumni who remembered the role of cultural groups in providing them with a supportive environment to thrive at MIT. By offering something new and exciting to complement the 2022 Tech Reunions, this committee inspired those alumni who may not have had a close connection to their classes to return to campus to connect and relive the experiences they cherished. This event provided an opportunity for MIT to celebrate the rich cultural experiences that are part of the fabric of the MIT student experience. Too often, these experiences are lost in programming for Tech Reunions. This committee was dedicated to making sure experiences outside of class connections were also celebrated, so that as alumni reminisced about old memories, they were able to refresh those memories with new ones.

Awardees:

• Tabitha Bonilla ’07
• Joseph Brown ’07
• Louis Fouche ’07
• Elaine Harris ’78
• Renee Harton ’07
• Sara Harton SM ’83
• Stewart Isaacs SM ’19
• Nelly Rosario ’94
• Julian Villarreal ’07

The MIT South Asian Alumni Association (MITSAAA), in collaboration with the MIT History Department and MIT India, created South Asia and the Institute: Transformative Connections, an exhibit that tells the remarkable history of the close relationship between South Asia and MIT that started in the 1880s. Housed at the Hayden Library Maihaugen Gallery, the exhibit is the result of two years of incredibly hard work and persistence. This project started with a few alumni who generously supported the idea, and with the help of MIT India and the History Department it slowly gained recognition across campus. The project includes stories of the contributions of South Asia to the Institute and the influence of MIT on policy changes in South Asia. Gender, identity, the IIT-MIT network, experiential learning, and policy-oriented programming are all part of this story. For this incredible work, South Asia and the Institute: Transformative Connections is very deserving of the Great Dome award. 

Awardees:

• Professor Sana Aiyar
• Archan Basu MBA ’99
• Bigyan Bista PhD ’16
• Ranu Boppana ’87
• Nureen Das
• Anwer Hussain ’76
• GK Kalyanaram PhD ’89
• Salik Sulaymaniyah Malik ’89
• Haripriya Mehta ’20, MEng ’20
• Reshma Patel ’93
• Aditya Pittie SM ’18
• Hari Reddy SM ’01
• Sudipta Sarkar PhD ’08
• Sarita Shah ’91
• Monica Sircar ’04
• Anu Vedantham ’89, SM ’90
• Salik Sulaymaniyah Malik ’89 

The SP20th Planning Committee was a diverse group of current and former Sidney-Pacific residents, including a few who had been alumni for more than a decade, who spontaneously came together to plan for and execute a weekend-long series of events to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of SP. Despite the uncertainties created by Covid, this group was undeterred and succeeded in putting on a meaningful and well-attended celebration, bringing together old friends and introducing the current residents to the rich history and community of SP, which stretches far beyond the walls of 70 Pacific. The team pulled it off despite the odds, and created many memories and connections that weekend, further strengthening the bonds of community at SP and creating new, lasting connections. The tireless work that the committee put in to make this event happen, as a part of the larger, ongoing legacy of the SP community, is truly worthy of the Great Dome Award.

Awardees:

• Zhibo Chen SM ’22
• Arkopal Dutt SM ’18
• Mohamed Elsheikh SM ’22
• Fabian Kozynski SM ’13, ENG ’18
• Sriram Krishnan SM ’01, PhD ’07
• Jane Hsin‐Yu Lai SM ’16, PhD ’21
• Xinming Liu
• Lucio Maria Milanese PhD ’23
• Jatin Jayesh Patil 
• Antonio Salazar-Martin 
• Jit Hin Tan SM ’04, MBA ’13, PhD ’13
• Dousabel Tay SM ’23
• Jenny Wang SM ’15, PhD ’22

Christine Reif, working alongside President Emeritus L. Rafael Reif throughout his time in office, has been an exemplary figure in the MIT community. A member of the Council for the Arts at MIT since 2013, Mrs. Reif has provided leadership that remains integral to this alumni-and-friends group, which provides enthusiastic advocacy for all arts at MIT. In 2012, she was named honorary chair of the MIT Women’s League, which further recognized her guidance and impact by partnering with MIT Spouses & Partners Connect to establish the Christine Reif Professional Development Award. From welcoming alumni at beloved events like Tech Night at Pops to hosting the 50th and 25th reunion classes at Gray House and more, Mrs. Reif has long been an active participant in meaningful MIT alumni traditions.  

In her many years of service to MIT in the Department of Institutional Research, Lydia has helped gather the data needed to make informed decisions at MIT. A lesser-known service was Lydia’s role in the founding of the MIT Panhellenic Association, currently the largest women’s organization on MIT’s campus. As advisor, Lydia represented Alpha Phi on the selection, purchase and renovation of MIT’s first sorority house at 479 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. After the renovation was completed, she also continued to advise the women for several years as they took over the operations of the house. MIT’s first Panhellenic sorority, the Zeta Phi Chapter of Alpha Phi, was founded in 1984. She was a member of the ETA chapter of Alpha Phi at Boston University Soon afterward, local Alpha Phi alumnae from other schools stepped in as advisors and board members to assist the fledgling sorority. Lydia served in the important role of treasurer of the nonprofit alumnae house corporation for more than 10 years. Her support allowed the young organization to thrive and young MIT alumnae to assume leadership roles in the organization. Lydia’s support and expertise were instrumental in the successful launching of MIT’s Panhellenic community, which now comprises seven sororities with a membership representing 25 percent of women undergraduates. Lydia retired from MIT in January 2023 after 51 years. Lydia’s husband graduated from MIT in the class of 1971. 

During Julie Soriero’s 13 years as athletic director and head of the Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER), MIT athletics has ascended to become among the most accomplished programs in NCAA Division III. Julie improved the competitiveness of MIT teams by cooperating closely with the Admissions Office to attract top scholars who also wanted to participate in college sports at a high level. As a result, MIT has become a national gold standard for developing the ideal student-athlete. Julie worked tirelessly to fundraise for facilities and coaching endowments. When Julie retired from MIT, she left it in better shape than she found it. The students and the MIT community as a whole have greatly benefited from her dedication and commitment to making DAPER such a positive experience for so many people.

Christine Tempesta joined the Alumni Association more than 20 years ago and has served in nearly every strategic role of the MITAA, including interim CEO. She has aided and collaborated with countless volunteer leaders, including MITAA presidents, committee chairs, and Corporation members, with her knowledge of alumni, MIT, its processes, information systems, and history, all of which are truly indispensable. Her tenure and relationships have ignited a deep respect and gratitude among volunteers as they recognize she cares as deeply for MIT, STEM, and education as they do. Christine served as a trustee for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), as a judge for CASE’s Circle of Excellence Awards, and received the CASE Carol and Stephen Hebert Award in 2017.