On March 22, we celebrated the stellar accomplishments of 14 Binghamton University graduates at the Alumni Association Special Recognition Awards Ceremony, held at the Edison Ballroom in Manhattan.
We presented the association's four signature awards (Bartle, Alumni Achievement, Weisband and DeFleur) and recognized 10 graduates with Medals of Distinguished Service.
SIGNATURE AWARD RECIPIENTS
Steven I. Klein '77
Glenn G. Bartle Distinguished Alumnus/a Award
The Bartle Award recognizes and honors graduates who have rendered outstanding voluntary
service to the Binghamton University community, while also serving their communities,
their careers and their country.
Steven Klein is a neuroradiologist at Hudson Valley Radiology Associates in New City, N.Y. He received his bachelor's degree in biological sciences from Binghamton in 1977 and graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine in 1981. Klein completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at the Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven, Conn., and his fellowship in neuroradiology and MRI at Yale New Haven Hospital.
Klein has been a Harpur College Physician Mentor to Harpur College students and has been a Liberal Arts to Careers Externship sponsor since 2013. His wife Joanne (Edell) Klein '80 was an Alumni Global Day of Service site leader in 2017. Although the Kleins are Binghamton University graduates, they didn't meet while they were students; they were introduced to each other at a friend's wedding after graduation. They are founding members of the Binghamton University Parents Council.
Elaine Weyuker '66
Alumni Achievement Award
This award honors a highly distinguished alumnus or alumna who, over the course of
a decade or more, has exemplified outstanding, significant professional achievement.
Elaine Weyuker is a University Distinguished Professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Central Florida. She is also a visiting professor at Mälardalen University in Västerås, Sweden, where she mentors PhD students and post-docs, collaborates with faculty and interacts with local Swedish industry. Previously, Weyuker was a fellow and distinguished member of the Technical Staff at AT&T Labs and Bell Labs, and a professor of computer science at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences of New York University.
Weyuker is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, and a fellow of each of the two computer science and engineering professional societies: the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). She has received IEEE's Harlan Mills Award for outstanding software engineering research, and the ACM/SIGSOFT Outstanding Research Award, as well as a number of awards for her active advocacy of women and underrepresented minorities in computing and extensive volunteer activities. Her research expertise includes techniques and tools to improve the quality of software systems through systematic validation activities, including the development of testing, assessment and software fault prediction models. Prior to that, Weyuker conducted research in theory of computation and is the co-author of the book Computability, Complexity, and Languages. She has authored more than 175 technical papers in these fields.
Adam D. Fox '92
Edward Weisband Distinguished Alumnus/a Award for Public Service or Contribution to
Public Affairs
The Weisband Award recognizes one alumnus or alumna each year whose life, work, career
and contributions exemplify the highest standards of service and deepest dedication
to the sustenance of the common good.
Adam Fox is an assistant professor of surgery and section chief of trauma in the surgery department at Rutgers University-New Jersey Medical School and faculty in the Division of Trauma Surgery and Critical Care. He also holds the titles of associate trauma medical director of the New Jersey Trauma Center at University Hospital, associate medical director of the NorthSTAR aero medical program and vice chair of the New Jersey Committee on Trauma. Fox joined the Rutgers faculty in 2011 after practicing in the divisions of trauma/critical care and emergency surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and Penn State University.
Fox is an instructor and course director for multiple trauma and critical care related courses. He's an active member of the International Medical Surgical Response Team and Mobile Acute Care Strike Team of the National Disaster Medical System. He has also provided surgical care on multiple medical missions around the world. Additionally, he provides medical care and education to the Newark, N.J., FBI SWAT Team. He was also featured in several episodes of the second season of NY Med, a docudrama on ABC.
Fox sits on the editorial board of several journals, is the author of multiple journal articles and has presented at conferences both nationally and internationally. His interests include leadership in trauma, education, global trauma and disaster response.
Fox is also committed to enriching the education of Harpur College students interested in pursuing a medical career. In 2012, he collaborated with the Harpur College Dean's Office and the Pre-Health Professions Advising Office to create the Harpur Physician Alumni Lecture Series, "A Day in the Life of a Doctor." Fox is also very active with Harpur's Ferry, helping support their programs. He was instrumental in bringing "Stop the Bleed" to Binghamton University. This nationwide campaign trains individuals on how to control bleeding in an injured patient, increasing the chance of survival until medical care arrives.
Natalie T. Elisha '09
Lois B. DeFleur Distinguished Young Alumnus/a Award
The DeFleur Award recognizes alumni who graduated within the last 10 years or are
35 years of age or under, and who are established or demonstrate potential to become
future leaders. Criteria includes demonstrated leadership capability, substantial
commitment to service of others, demonstration of potential for leadership in the
long term, and substantial commitment to the University and Alumni Association.
Natalie Taly Elisha, Esq. is founder and CEO of Family Gold, a company that makes basic estate planning affordable and accessible to all. She recently wrote The Millennial's Guide to the Universe: How to Live the New International Dream. Through the book, she recounts her life story of surviving a drag racing car accident (in which she was hit as a pedestrian) and went on to become an attorney at 23, with no student loan debt, and establish and own a seven-figure law firm by the time she turned 26. Elisha is also managing attorney of Elisha Law PLLC and was recently named as a "Rising Star-Super Lawyer" in New York in the areas of estate planning and probate.
Elisha is a graduate of St. John's University School of Law where she served as the coach for the award winning Negotiation Team. She finished her undergraduate degree at Binghamton with a double major in philosophy, politics and law and philosophy two years early. She's an advocate and mentor for college students encouraging them to attain their goals and reach unbelievable success. Elisha has been a speaker at Binghamton University about alumni and career success and teaches about negotiation techniques as a guest instructor at both Binghamton and St. John's. She recently married Sam Goldberg, a tech entrepreneur from Santa Monica, Calif., and together, they plan to start a family and make the world a better place through their philanthropy and vision.
MEDALS OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
In recognition of alumni contributions to specific areas on campus (e.g., schools, Admissions, Fleishman Center), we are pleased to present Medals of Distinguished Service to the following alumni, who have been tireless volunteers to the University while excelling in their respective career endeavors.
Charles N. Aswad '53 – Since 1949, when he was admitted to Triple Cities College, Charles Aswad has been
an ardent advocate, advisor, supporter and friend to every president from Glenn G.
Bartle to Harvey Stenger. Aswad has been appointed to the Binghamton University Council
by both Republican and Democrat governors, serving as member and chair for a decade
of tremendous University development. Aswad is a charter fellow of both the American
Academy of Family Physicians and the College of Emergency Physicians. He is executive
vice president and CEO emeritus of the Medical Society of the State of New York. He
served as president during the merger of the three Triple Cities chambers into the
Broome County Chamber of Commerce. The Aswad Family Scholarship was created to honor
outstanding students accepted to medical school. He serves on the advisory council
to the Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and chairs
the resource committee with Founding Dean Gloria Meredith. He retired as major after
nine years of service in the U.S. Army National Guard as battalion surgeon to the
27th Armored Infantry Division.
Marc S. Bekerman '89 – Marc Bekerman received his Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Binghamton
University and his law degrees from Fordham University and New York University. Marc
is a practicing attorney and adjunct professor of law who is also a frequent author
and lecturer on a variety of topics related to trusts and estates. Bekerman has served
in leadership positions in numerous organizations, including the Binghamton University
Alumni Association, and spends much of his current volunteer time assisting the University's
Office of Undergraduate Admissions. He is married to Lynn Schaefer Bekerman '91 and
has twin children who will be graduating from high school in June.
Andrew Bonzani '86 – Andrew Bonzani is senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of Interpublic
Group of Companies, Inc. (IPG), one of the world's largest advertising and marketing
services companies, with approximately 50,000 employees in over 100 countries. He
joined IPG in 2012, as general counsel and leader of the company's legal team around
the world. Prior to joining IPG, Bonzani served for 18 years in the IBM legal department,
most recently as vice president, assistant general counsel and secretary. He has taught
the Harpur College winter session course Current Issues in Legal Practice, and has
been a guest speaker for Harpur Edge.
Richard C. David, MPA '02 – The 50th mayor of the City of Binghamton, Richard C. David was born in Pittsford,
N.Y., in 1976. After graduating from St. John Fisher College, where he studied communications
and political science, David moved to Binghamton in 1998 to begin a career in journalism
as a general assignment reporter for WBNG-TV. He became interested in public service
while covering local politics and, in 2000, he left WBNG for a job as Binghamton City
Hall's director of community relations under then-Mayor Richard A. Bucci. David was
appointed deputy mayor by Bucci four years later. While serving in the Bucci administration,
David attended Binghamton University, receiving his master's degree in public administration.
At the end of the term-limited Bucci administration, David joined SUNY Broome Community
College as a public affairs officer and also grew his Binghamton-based development
firm, Confluence Enterprises. David was elected mayor of Binghamton in 2013 and re-elected
in 2017. He continues to hold the office today, focusing on bolstering the city's
infrastructure, revitalizing its neighborhoods, improving public safety and cutting
taxes.
Cathleen M. Ellsworth '86 – Cathleen M. Ellsworth is managing director at BlackRock Real Assets, global energy
and power infrastructure funds. A former student-athlete at Binghamton - she competed
on the basketball, cross country and track and field teams - she has remained closely
connected to the University's athletics program. She was the keynote speaker at the
2008 Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon, and has funded two scholarships at Binghamton:
the University Lady Colonials Women's Basketball Team Scholarship and the Gary Truce
Scholarship for Women's Cross Country. Ellsworth was a featured speaker at the inaugural
Binghamton Women's Weekend Conference held in New York last fall.
Sheldon D. Fields '91, MS '95 – A dual alumnus of the Decker School of Nursing, Sheldon Fields is dean and professor
of the School of Health Professions at New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury,
N.Y. With a nursing career spanning 26 years, Fields has led administrative, research
and academic units. He is a sought-after and respected HIV prevention research scientist
and consultant. He is a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners,
National Academies of Practice and the prestigious American Academy of Nursing. Fields
was the first-ever male Registered Nurse selected for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Health Policy Fellowship Program. He is a former national director of the Association
of Nurses in AIDS Care and is currently on the board of directors for the National
Black Nurses Association of which he is a lifetime member. He received his PhD in
nursing science from the University of Pennsylvania, and has held appointments at
Binghamton University, the University of Rochester, Florida International University
and Charles R. Drew University.
Tonya O. Parris '92 – Tonya Parris is president and founder of The Parris Foundation: S.T.E.M.ulating
Minds as well as CEO of the Parris Group, Inc., a technology, financial, professional
and personal development consulting and coaching firm supporting social and emotional
learning, intelligence and responsibility seminars, workshops and retreats. Prior
to her commitment to be in service to others, Parris followed her passion for technology
and pursued a career as a software engineer in the financial services industry where
she lived amidst the few women on Wall Street who had global responsibility in the
information technology application development space. She serves on the Watson School
of Engineering Advisory Committee, Educational Opportunity Program Council and committed
more than 12 years of service on the Alumni Association board. In 2004, she established
the Parris Student Support STEM Scholarship, awarded to a rising sophomore, junior or senior with financial need, federal work-study
eligibility and academic merit, with first preference for an African-American student
pursuing engineering or computer science.
Christopher W. Ullman '86 – Christopher Ullman is a communications professional with 30 years of experience
across the private, public and non-profit sectors. Since 2001, he has served as director
of global communications at The Carlyle Group, an investment firm based in Washington,
D.C. Prior to that, he served in senior communications positions at the U.S. Office
of Management and Budget, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S.
House Budget Committee. Ullman is a four-time national and international whistling
champion and the author of Find Your Whistle: Simple Gifts Touch Hearts and Change Lives. Ullman has spoken to students at the University's Fleishman Center for Career and
Professional Development about creating a personal brand and engaging in meaningful
networking.
Stephen J. Wolf '86 – Stephen Wolf is a managing director in the Corporate Finance Advisory group in
the Investment Banking Division of J.P. Morgan Securities in New York. Wolf focuses
on structured solutions meeting the balance sheet, interest rate risk management,
capital and accounting needs of the financial institutions clients of the firm. He
and his team are also involved in J.P. Morgan's Bank M&A practice and take the lead
on most deposit modeling and fixed income aspects of investment banking assignments.
He has held this position since 2007. Wolf has been responsible for significantly
enhancing the presence of Binghamton University alumni at J.P. Morgan. Over the years,
Wolf has visited Binghamton numerous times to engage our students in the classroom,
at sessions held by the Finance Society, and for recruiting and development. Binghamton
University is now ranked among the top ten schools for investment banking recruiting
at J.P. Morgan.
Nancy J. Wolf '90, MS '93 – Nancy Wolf retired from her work as a nurse practitioner at Binghamton University's
Decker Student Health Services. She received a full scholarship to the Decker School's
MS/FNP program and graduated magna cum laude. Hired immediately following graduation,
her work specialties included primary care, eating disorders and women's health. Wolf
precepted graduate students as a Decker School of Nursing clinical associate. She
is grateful and driven to support the University that has given her the opportunity
to pursue her education and career goals. She volunteers in various campus activities
such as University Women (treasurer), Friendship Family host, Arts Corp, Commencement,
Roadmap Committee, and the Alumni Association's Greater Binghamton Chapter.
