Distinguished Alumnus Award 2016
Abhay and Rani Bang, BSPH '84
Dr. Rani Bang, MPH ’84, through her outstanding leadership, applied research, and advocacy, has significantly changed the field of women’s reproductive health and child health globally. Her work has helped to improve the reproductive health of millions of women in resource-constrained settings and to save millions of lives of newborns and children. Since 1985, she has been the Co-Director of SEARCH (Society for Education, Action and Research on Community Health), an organization she founded with her husband, Dr. Abhay Bang, MPH ’84, to improve the health of the population of a remote district of Maharashtra State, India. In addition, Dr. Rani Bang and her colleagues carried out the world’s first study documenting the large burden of gynecological diseases among poor, rural women. This study was a major force in the expansion of women’s reproductive health programs in developing countries. Her research has also focused on adolescent sexual health, sexually transmitted disease and HIV/AIDS control, reduction of child mortality, and alcohol-related problems. Together with her husband Dr. Abhay Bang, they have utilized the results of their research to advocate for more effective maternal and child health programs. Their work is helping to initiate a paradigm shift in health programs to give emphasis to community-based primary health care and community participation for improving the health of marginalized populations in low-income countries. Furthermore, the Bangs’ work in galvanizing community empowerment for broader social development has led to the receipt of the Times of India Social Impact Award.
James Cricchi, Engr '60
Mr. Cricchi graduated from JHU receiving his Bachelors in Electrical Engineering in 1960; while earning his degree, he worked 32 hours a week at Westinghouse in a work study/scholarship program. After his graduation, he was a successful and extraordinarily prolific micro-electronics engineer and innovator, earning a patent in 1965. Over a 41-year career with Westinghouse, Mr. Cricchi invented 42 patented electronic devices or processes, published 35 scholarly articles and co-authored a book. His work in semi-conductors, computer memory devices, and charged-couple devices (CCDs) made important contributions to the computer hardware revolution of the late 20th century, figuring into innovations in personal computers, imaging technologies, digital cameras, and classified defense-related technologies. He was also an expert in radiation effects on electronics and worked on devices designed to operate for long periods in space. His engineering group made significant contributions to the cameras on the Apollo moon missions. Mr. Cricchi was awarded the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Life Fellow award in 1992 for his achievements in non-volatile memory devices, and a Certificate of Appreciation from The Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association for a “Non-Volatile Memory Technology Review” in 1991. He was a dedicated mentor of young engineers at Westinghouse, taught graduate engineering at University of Maryland College Park and volunteered at the local elementary school for many years after his retirement.
David Frey, SAIS '95
David Frey SAIS ’95 is a member of the Hopkins-Nanjing Council even though he is not an HNC alumnus, and he proudly represents all of JHU. As a senior executive in the consulting industry with deep experience in Asia, he has been instrumental in organizing meetings and events for senior JHU leadership in the region, including JHU President Ron Daniels. David is a Partner for Marketing Strategy with KPMG in China. In this capacity, he advises multinational companies, Chinese companies and various branches of the China governments on a wide spectrum of strategic projects. In addition, he leads KPMG’s US-China Strategic Corridor and has responsibility for the development of cross-border advisory services among companies and governments in the world’s two largest economies. He has spent nearly twenty years in the industry and consulting roles, leading strategy, regulatory and business transformation projects for clients in China, across Asia Pacific and in the Americas. In Asia Pacific, he has worked extensively with governments and private sector clients in China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
Jessica Gill, Nurs '07
From an early experience working with women in a domestic violence shelter, Dr. Jessica Gill has devoted her career to studying and improving psychological therapy for people who have endured a traumatic experience. Dr. Gill graduated from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing PhD program in 2007 and is currently a Lasker Clinical Research Scholar and Tenure Track Investigator at the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Nursing Research. She is the first nurse to receive the Lasker Award, considered to be the most prestigious research grant awarded by the NIH. Through this grant, she is developing a nationwide research program examining the biological and neurological factors linked to the risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) onset, and the influence of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) on this risk. Her line of inquiry employs a cutting-edge type of biomarker harvesting technology, and will follow patients, both civilian and military personnel, during their immediate recoveries and for years afterwards to better understand the risk and resiliency factors related to these outcomes. Among many publications, she has co-authored a widely cited society to cells framework for guiding nursing research on resilience.
Arthur Grollman, Med '59
Dr. Arthur P. Grollman is currently the Distinguished Professor of Pharmacological Sciences, Evelyn G. Glick Professor of Experimental Medicine, and Director of the Zickler Laboratory of Chemical Biology at the SUNY at Stony Brook School of Medicine. In 1974, he was appointed (founding) Chairman of the Department of Pharmacological Sciences at SUNYSB. Under his leadership, Pharmacological Sciences ranked consistently among the top Departments of Pharmacology in the US. He has published more than 200 papers in the fields of molecular biology and cancer research. His current research interests focus on the biological consequences of DNA damage as they relate to molecular mechanisms of DNA replication, mutagenesis, and DNA repair. Research in the Grollman laboratory was instrumental in establishing the mechanism of action of the antitumor agent bleomycin and in defining the biochemical pathway that protects cells against mutations produced by oxidative DNA damage. Recently, he and his colleagues established the three-dimensional structures of DNA glycosylases and DNA polymerases bound to site-specifically modified DNA, thereby correlating molecular structure of damaged DNA with biologic function. Currently, he directs a research program focusing on the environmental and genetic causes of endemic nephropathy and its associated urothelial cancer. He has served on numerous scientific advisory committees and editorial boards and currently a member of the Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. He has received an American Cancer Society Scholarship Award, a MERIT award from the National Cancer Institute and was recently elected to the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars.
Robert E. Hall, Engr '55
Bob graduated from Johns Hopkins with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1955, before going onto Harvard Business School. His career in finance spans 50 years and has been marked by success characterized by sound research principles and a continuing need to better understand the human condition, a lifelong learning process he began at Hopkins. Bob’s career included 18 years at T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. where he helped build the firm as a Portfolio Manager. He also worked for 22 years at Brown Capital Management, where he rose to Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager, working to expand the firm’s expertise through the creation of the Small Company Fund. The Fund provides smaller investor access to the expertise previously only available to large institutional investors; it began with accounts totaling under $100 million and grew to more than $5 billion in assets. Independent rating agencies, including Morningstar and Fidelity, have ranked the Brown Capital Management Small Company fund number 1 out of 788 funds for 10 years and running. Bob is also an active participant in the Baltimore community, serving on the Krieger School’s Advisory Board and Peabody Conservatory’s Board of Trustees and active with the Walters Art Gallery where his wife, Nancy, served as Trustee for many years.
Norden Huang, Engr '67
Dr. Norden Huang is the K.T. Lee Chair Professor and the Director of the Research Center for Adaptive Data Analysis at the National Central University (NCU) in Taiwan. He holds a doctoral degree (1967) in Fluid Mechanics and Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Huang is a renowned scientist and prior to NCU, worked for NASA for over 30 years. His past work focused on nonlinear random ocean waves. Recently, he has devoted his time to the invention of a new data analysis method known as the Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT). Over the last few years, he has applied this method to analyze data in the following areas: nonlinear ocean wave evolution data; earthquake signals and structure responses; bridge and structural health monitoring; biomedical signals such as blood pressure fluctuations; long term environmental data such as global temperature variations, Antarctic ice extents records, and solar irradiance variance; hydro- machinery design and machine vibration data. Dr. Huang has received numerous prestigious accolades and awards. He was awarded the 1998, 2003, and 2004 NASA Special Space Act Award for his work on designing and implementing the Hilbert-Huang Transform. He was also the winner of the 1999 Federal Government Technical Leadership Award; the 2001 Federal Laboratory Development Award, 2006 Service to America Medal for Science and Environment, and, for his contribution in the field of nonstationary and nonlinear data analysis, elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2000. Dr. Huang serves as an Associate Editor for Journal of Physical Oceanography, and Journal of Geophysical Research. He has published extensively on subjects covering data analysis method and its applications to natural science, engineering, biomedical, and financial problems.
Thomas Inui, BSPH '74, Med '69
Dr. Inui has an outstanding record of accomplishments, first in clinical research, followed by academic administrative leadership and, more recently, global health. He has a deep connection with Johns Hopkins; he was born at Johns Hopkins Hospital and returned for medical school and residency, followed by research training at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is one of the first academic general internists and helped to create the field. He went on to conduct seminal studies in health services research, effectiveness of primary care services, improving the health status of vulnerable populations, and chronic disease management at the University of Washington, followed by leading the division of Primary Care at Harvard Medical School. There, he helped pioneer use of electronic medical records to conduct clinical research. He left Harvard to head the Regenstrief Institute at Indiana University where he extended the reach of the Institute from Indiana to Africa. In addition, he advises universities in Japan, China and many other countries on strengthening clinical medicine and public health. Through his research, teaching and practice he has made the world a better place.
Stuart Kahl, Ed '74, A&S '70
Stuart is the CEO of Measured Progress, a not-for-profit organization that he founded and is a “pioneer” in authentic, standard-based assessments that connects the K-12 educational community with innovative and flexible assessment solutions. In 2010, Kahl was honored by the Association of Test Publishers with the ATP Award for Professional Contributions and Service to Testing. The award highlights those who made a positive impact on the testing industry through professional contributions and service. Kahl graduated from the School of Education with a Master’s in Education in 1974 and a Bachelor’s degree in Quantitative Studies from the Krieger School in 1970. As an undergraduate student, Kahl was a member of ROTC and played lacrosse. He is a member of Phi Gamma Delta. Kahl is a current member of the Alumni Council and is dedicated to the mission of the student grants committee. Additionally, Kahl serve on the 45th reunion committee for his class. He was a board member for Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a DC-based organization that helps to build relationships among education, business, community, and government institutions. Kahl received his Doctorate in Education from the University of Colorado in 1979, where he also taught classes. Kahl was a graduate-level statistics instructor at Clark University. He also returned to McDonough School, his alma mater, to teach elementary education. He has a long history of working on federally funded research projects and helped developed testing on state-wide levels.
Jason Kravitt, A&S '69
Jason is a partner in New York at the International law firm of Mayer Brown, LLP, which is one of the 10 largest law firms in the world. He served as the Co-Chairman of the firm’s Management Committee from June 1998 through June 2001. Mr. Kravitt is also the founder of the firm’s securitization practice and senior partner in that practice, and participates in a variety of finance and regulatory related practices. Mr. Kravitt has participated in or chaired numerous professional and law school seminars and conferences on securitization and written numerous articles for legal journals and professional publications, is Editor of, and a contributing author to, the two-volume Treatise Securitization of Financial Assets, Aspen Law & Business, generally accepted as the seminal treatise in the industry, is on the Advisory Boards of The Financier, The Securitization Conduit and American Securitization publications. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Northwestern University Law School and New York University. Mr. Kravitt often represents industry groups such as large issuers of Asset-Backed Securities, sponsors of ABCP Conduits, SIFMA, the American Securitization Forum and the European Securitization Forum with regard to securitization regulatory initiatives, including, for example, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision’s Risk-Based Capital Consultative Papers and often helps to lead in initiatives in the securitization industry during times of market or other stress. Mr. Kravitt is also one of the three founders and the Deputy Chair of the U.S. Securitization Industry’s premier trade association, the American Securitization Forum, and is the sole original member still serving on the Board of Directors of the European Securitization Forum.
Jackie Lavigne, BSPH '00
Dr. Lavigne’s career has taken a different path from those who have earned their PhDs conducting their thesis research in Dr. Yager’s laboratory. Right from the beginning, she was interested in not only the science she was pursuing, but also mentoring other students working in the laboratory, including Dr. Julie Goodman who received the Distinguished Alumnus Award last year. Jackie said she “was happier the day that Julie defended than the day that I defended”. This tremendous interest in mentoring students has defined Jackie’s career and led to her becoming the associate director of the NCI’s Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program and subsequent advancement to become the Chief of the Office of Education, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute. It is through these leadership roles that she has had a huge impact on the training and career paths of many young scientists, many of whom have gone on to assume important positions as epidemiologists, scientists and professorial faculty at academic institutions, U.S. Federal and foreign government institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and in the private sector throughout the country and internationally.
Mark Markham, Peab '84, '86, '91, and Faculty
Mark Markham (BM '84, MM '86, DMA '91, Piano) is a pianist who is equally at home as a soloist, a collaborator with some of the finest singers in the world, a jazz pianist, and a vocal coach. Since 1995 Mr. Markham has been the recital partner of illustrious Grammy-award winning American soprano Jessye Norman, giving nearly 300 performances in over 25 countries, including recitals in Carnegie Hall, La Palau de la Musica in Barcelona, London’s Royal Festival Hall, the Musikverein in Vienna, Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo, Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv, the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus in Greece, and at the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize presentation to President Jimmy Carter in Oslo. His recording with Jessye Norman of “Roots: My Life, My Song” was nominated for a Grammy Award. This season he is featured as the soloist in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra in Nebraska; in Munich, he is the vocal coach for Bellini’s La Sonnambula, starring soprano Jennifer O’Loughlin; and January includes a recital in Florence with mezzo-soprano Marianna Pizzolato, followed by recitals in Baltimore and Washington, DC with Metropolitan Opera soprano Leah Crocetto. In addition to these performance’s he maintains a vocal coaching studio in New York City and Baltimore.
William Nelson, Med '87, and Faculty
William Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., was named the Marion I. Knott Director and Professor of Oncology and Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins in December 2008. He was appointed following a yearlong national search. Dr. Nelson, who joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 1992, is a Professor of Oncology, Urology, Pharmacology, Medicine, Pathology and Radiation Oncology. He specializes in the treatment and research of prostate cancer. Dr. Nelson is a recognized leader in translational research for cancer. Along with fellow Johns Hopkins colleagues, he discovered the most common genome alteration in prostate cancer. The discovery led to new diagnostic tests for the disease and has fueled interest in new drug discovery and other treatment options, now ongoing at Johns Hopkins. He was one of three co-chairs of the National Cancer Institute’s Translational Research Working Group, which worked to reengineer translational cancer science across the nation, and has been a member of the scientific advisory boards of several companies focused on the development of new technologies and treatments for human cancer, a member of the American Association of Cancer Research’s Board of Directors, President of the National Coalition for Cancer Research, and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. At the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Nelson has served as the Associate Director for Translational Research and the Co-Director of the Prostate Cancer Program, and acts in a leadership role for the National Cancer Institute-funded Howard University Cancer Center-Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Partnership Program, dedicated to building cancer research capabilities at Howard and to enhancing minority subject recruitment to cancer-research programs at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Nelson received a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Yale University in 1980. In 1987, Dr. Nelson completed his medical degree and Ph.D. training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and completed an Internal Medicine residency training and Medical Oncology fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Initially, Dr. Nelson did not plan to become a physician. Instead, he enrolled at Yale with thoughts of a career in law. But following his graduation, he worked as a laboratory technician with Yale dermatologist and cell biologist Joseph McGuire, an experience that promoted a life-changing commitment to medical research. McGuire, who had begun early clinical trials of retinoid-based drugs for a rare skin disease in children, engaged Dr. Nelson to further decipher the molecular biomarkers of the disease—research based on the field now called proteomics. Dr. Nelson’s interactions with the children on the study and his work in the laboratory set him on course for a career in medicine and scientific discovery.
Moyses Szklo, BSPH '72, '74
Dr. Szklo completed both his Public Health degrees at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, and has been a remarkably productive member of our faculty for the past 40 years. He joined the faculty in 1975 and quickly rose through the academic ranks, achieving Professorship in 1980. He began the Johns Hopkins Graduate Summer Institute in Epidemiology and Biostatistics in 1983, and has served as its director for the past 32 years. This program typically attracts 400-500 students to Baltimore for a three-week period for graduate level courses in methods and the content of epidemiology for both domestic and international students. Dr. Szklo serves the profession in many ways, primarily as Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Epidemiology for the past 25 years, a remarkable achievement. He has served as President of the Society for Epidemiologic Research, Chair of the Epidemiology Section of the American Public Health Association, and elected member of the Brazilian National Academy of Medicine. He has been widely honored for his contributions to the discipline, being conferred with the Abraham Lilienfeld Award from the APHA, the Ernest Lyman Stebbins Award for excellence in educational activities from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Physician’s Merit Medal from Brazilian President Jose Lula da Silva, the Cutter Lecture Speaker at Harvard University and the Robert S. Gordon Lecturer at the National Institutes of Health. In the Department of Epidemiology, Dr. Szklo oversaw the curriculum and training of students in the Chronic Disease Epidemiology Program from 1980-2001. He has served as mentor and advisor to scores of MPH, MHS and DrPH/PhD candidates in the Department and School. He has been exceptionally well funded by the NIH, serving as Principal Investigator of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Study, Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC), among others. He is the author of several hundred peer-reviewed articles and countless chapters, and is the author, with Javier Nieto, of the critically acclaimed Epidemiology, Beyond the Basics (3rd Edition, 2013: Jones & Bartlett, Philadelphia).
Vincent Vilasi, Bus '04
Dr. Vilasi is the CEO of the Mid Atlantic division of North American Partners in Anesthesia (NAPA), the largest single specialty anesthesia and perioperative management company in the United States. Prior to this, he was the President of FOAA Anesthesia Services, where he led the company's growth strategy towards becoming the largest anesthesia group in Virginia. FOAA touted more than 210 healthcare providers who administered more than 150,000 anesthetics annually. Vilasi piloted the merger between NAPA and FOAA and now leads NAPA’s team responsible for the largest region. In addition to building an impressive professional career, Vilasi has also reconnected with the Carey Business School, lending his time, talent, and treasures to the school. In memory of his mother, he established the Joan P. Vilasi Endowed Scholarship in Healthcare Management at the Carey Business School and has generously volunteered his time to mentor Carey students interested in the intersection of healthcare and business.
Hugh Wolff, Peab '77
Hugh Wolff (MM ’77, Piano; MM ’78, Instrumental Conducting) is a conductor who has appeared with orchestras all over the world, including those of Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles; the London Symphony, the Orchestre National de France, Czech Philharmonic, Bavarian and Berlin Radio Orchestras, and Munich Philharmonic. He is a regular guest conductor with orchestras in Japan, Scandinavia, and Australia; and also a frequent conductor at summer music festivals including Aspen, Tanglewood, Ravinia and Wolf Trap. He has recorded extensively, including a complete set of Beethoven symphonies with the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra, the film music of Georges Delerue, and more than 20 discs with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. He has collaborated on CD with Mstislav Rostropovich, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, and Dawn Upshaw. He won the 2001 Cannes Classical Award and has been nominated four times for a Grammy Award. Hugh graduated from Harvard, and later came to Peabody where he studied for a conducting degree as well as a degree in piano with Leon Fleisher. Currently, he is on the faculty of New England Conservatory as the Director of Orchestras; and was recently named Chief Conductor of National Orchestra of Belgium.
Samuel Yeh, BSPH '60
Dr. Samuel Yeh received his D.Sc. degree in Biochemistry from the School of Public Health more than 50 years ago. He spent 50 years serving as a full time faculty member at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and was named the Emeritus Member of radiology, endocrinology and clinical chemistry. Academically, Dr. Yeh was elected President of the Chinese American Medical Society and Secretary of the U.S.-China Medical Exchange Committee of the China Institute. He assisted nearly 30 medicals schools in China in bringing more than 30 physicians to the U.S. for advanced training. Dr. Yeh's remarkable achievements also include community public health. He spent many extra hours working as a volunteer physician at the Chinatown Health Clinic, serving many underprivileged Chinese people in the greater New York City area. He was one of the three founding physicians of the clinic. Dr. Yeh is also a donor to Hopkins. He truly typifies the Hopkins tradition of excellence, has brought credit to the university through his personal and professional accomplishments, and his humanitarian service.