2021 Heritage Award

Jane Ball, Nurs '69, '74, BSPH '78, '80

Jane Ball has been a leader within the Johns Hopkins Nurses’ Alumni Association (JHNAA) and the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.  Jane graduated from the Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing in 1969 and received her BSN in 1974. She also received her MPH and PhD from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 1978 and 1980. Jane initially worked as a pediatric nurse and pediatric nurse practitioner in the Johns Hopkins Hospital. After completing her public health degrees, she directed the federally funded Emergency Medical Services for Children National Resource Center, guiding state program managers in strategies to improve the emergency care of children on ambulances and in emergency departments. She also contributed to nursing education through the books she authored, including Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination, Principles of Pediatric Nursing, and Child Health Nursing. Jane is a consultant to the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, and Vice President for Nursing and Content Development for Triaj, a mobile app to guide the care of injured children for physicians and nurses. In October 2020, Jane was elected to her second term as the president of the JHNAA. She has served on the board of directors since 2014, and has been a consistent supporter of the School of Nursing since 1990.

Donald Kerr, A&S '73

Don Kerr has been an active volunteer for the university for many years. His most recent involvement includes membership on the Humanities Advisory Council, the Krieger School Dean’s Advisory Board, the Center for Financial Economics Advisory Council, and his reunion committee. Don is a Baltimore native, and his father was a member of the faculty in the Physics and Astronomy Department at the Krieger School. He cares deeply about the undergraduate experience and communicates often with faculty to ensure that students are having as valuable an experience as he did as an undergrad. Don has contributed generously in support of undergraduate financial aid. In addition, he has volunteered more than once as a challenge match donor for Giving Tuesday to inspire other alumni to give back to their alma mater. Don attends all board and council meetings and always provides thoughtful and valuable feedback. He has been the lead fundraiser for the Class of 1973 Scholarship, and aspires for this to be the largest class scholarship ever raised. He is in regular communication with the development office and his classmates to garner additional support for the fund, and he works hard to find, cultivate, and solicit new prospects. He raises awareness for the need for financial aid philanthropy and signs a twice-annual solicitation letter to members of the class.

"Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; choice, not chance, determines your destiny.” –  Aristotle

Carl Liggio, Jr., Engr '96, '00, '01

Carl Liggio is the co-founder and managing partner for Pharos Enterprise Intelligence, a company focused on the commercial management of power plants. Carl has been an active volunteer at Hopkins at every level. His dedication to the school started when he began serving on the Civil Engineering Advisory Committee, a position he still holds. His commitment to the Whiting School deepened when Carl joined the Society of Engineering Alumni Advisory Council (SEA) in 2001. Carl served on the council for over 14 years and served for two years as its president. Carl was instrumental with the transition from SEA to the Hopkins Engineering Alumni Leadership Committee. He served on the Leadership Committee for two-years before completing his term. Carl also helped develop the Hopkins Engineering Alumni Ambassadors program and encouraged the building of a stronger Whiting School community in New York. Carl has participated in the school’s mentoring program and continues to be available to students interested in pursuing careers in energy. Carl served on the Alumni Council for six years and on its Executive Committee. A longstanding supporter of athletics, he has served on the Blue Jays Unlimited Board since 1999. He also participated in the Leadership Fellows program while serving on the Whiting School Campaign Committee, developing strategies to help the school reach its ambitious campaign goal of $275 million. Carl is a generous donor to the Student Initiatives Fund, Fencing Team, and WSE Dean’s Leadership Fund.

Bryan McMillan, Bus '00, '02

Bryan McMillan needs little introduction among the Hopkins Alumni Community. Brian graduated from Carey Business School, then the School of Professional Studies in 2002 with a Masters of Business Management. Bryan has been an avid supporter of Hopkins since 2001, when he made his first gift, and has been a consecutive donor for nearly 20 years. In addition to his philanthropic support, he has been an active volunteer at Hopkins. His various roles have included member and chair of several sub-committees of the Alumni Council, the Dean’s Alumni Advisory Board at Carey Business School, and Alumni Association. During his time on the Dean’s Alumni Advisory Board, he was part of the group that made philanthropic support a requirement to serve on the board. Bryan has advised the Executive Committee of the Alumni Council and is exploring more ways to stay engaged as a volunteer at Hopkins. He was one of the first alumni to join the new Business Leadership Society at Carey Business School, and joined Carey's inaugural NEXT Mentorship Program as a mentor for a full-time MBA student. Bryan is often one of the first volunteers the Carey Development Office contacts about initiatives, advice, or support.

“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” — Thurgood Marshall, first African American U.S. Supreme Court member

 “Create change. Be the rising tide that lifts all boats.” — Adapted by Nina Amir, Author

Gail Ochs, Nurs '65

Gail Ochs received her Nursing Diploma from the Johns Hopkins Hospital Training Program in 1965. She has been a steadfast and fierce supporter of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing since 1985. Gail travels frequently and supports direct service opportunities internationally. Given this interest, in 2012 Gail and her husband Peter established the Gail Geiger Ochs and Peter Ochs PhD Global Scholarship Fund to benefit doctoral students studying global nursing. Mrs. Ochs is also a steady supporter of the Class of 1965 Endowed Scholarship, global nursing research programs, and the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing building renovation.

Thomas Pearson, A&S '73, Med '76, BSPH '76, '83

Thomas Pearson is an international leader in public health research and cardiovascular disease prevention, whose long relationship with the University has encompassed four degrees, two residencies, and investments of time and resources. He is a founding member of the World Heart Forum for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and has been a major contributor to the American Heart Association’s prevention guidelines. He has a special interest in observing heart disease trends and the extent to which guidelines are carried out, and he has lectured and published extensively on these topics. His scholarly contributions were recognized in 2009 when he was inducted into the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars. Mentoring, both received and given, has been a cornerstone of his career. In honor of more than three decades of excellence in mentoring, he received the American Heart Association Prevention Mentoring Award in 2019. Dr. Pearson continues to show his passion for investing in students through consistent financial support for students and fellows across the Schools of Medicine and the Public Health. He is currently exploring options to recognize the importance of preventive medicine at the Bloomberg School. He has been primary mentor to more than 70 students and junior faculty members, a number of whom have gone on to leadership positions in academia, government, and industry.   

“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman

Linda Yau, Med '94

Linda Yau graduated summa cum laude with distinction in all subjects as a College Scholar from Cornell University and loved her years of study at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She completed Internal Medicine residency on the Janeway “Firm of Giants” on the Osler Medical Service at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. She joined the part time faculty of the Internal Medicine Department of Johns Hopkins Hospital and worked at the East Baltimore Medical Center. She spent time teaching medical students and residents on both the inpatient and outpatient services, in addition to her primary duties seeing patients in the clinic. In 1999, she joined Foxhall Internists, an internal medicine group located in Northwest Washington DC, where she currently practices. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and has been named to Washingtonian and Checkbook Magazine‘s Best Doctors lists. She is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, a member of the Washington Clinicopathological Society, and one of the cofounders of the Lady Docs group which runs a website: Lady Docs Corner Café.com. She has been honored to serve as the Class Representative of the JHUSOM Class of 1994 and enjoyed coordinating the 25th reunion events including the class dinner and the 25th reunion talks as well as making the slideshows for the 20th and 25th reunions. She chaired the effort to establish the Hopkins Class of 1994 scholarship, which will become endowed this year, and she and her classmates are looking forward to meeting the scholarship students!
 
“The practice of medicine is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business; a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head. Often the best part of your work will have nothing to do with potions and powders, but with the exercise of an influence of the strong upon the weak, of the righteous upon the wicked, of the wise upon the foolish.” — Sir William Osler

Mary Zappone, Engr '86

Mary Zappone is the CEO and Board Director for BRACE Industrial, a Sterling Partners Company, and leading provider of industrial construction services. Through her impressive and busy professional roles, she continues to make Hopkins a priority. Today, Mrs. Zappone sits on the Advisory Board for the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChemBE) where she plays an integral part in advising the department head, Dr. Paulette Clancy. Mrs. Zappone was also an active member of her class’s 25th and 30th reunion committee and is currently serving as gift chair for her 35th reunion committee. Mrs. Zappone makes herself readily available to support current students. Most recently, she sat on a student-facing panel that featured alumni in Chemical Engineering professions, and was an invaluable resource to the students in attendance. She has also taught in the Financial Literacy intersession course for the last three years. Mrs. Zappone has been active as a volunteer in her local area as well as on the larger stage. Before her role on the ChemBE board, she was an active member of the Society of Engineering Alumni, WSE volunteer leadership group, and a local volunteer for the Houston Alumni Chapter. Mrs. Zappone has been a strong supporter of the University through her time, leadership, and philanthropy. Since graduation, she has consistently supported the Whiting School, the Young Alumni Fund, Blue Jays Unlimited, and more recently, the Whiting School Hopkins Fund.