In Action
Transforming Media Behind the Cameras. Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard, MS ‘89, was recognized as the Entertainment Attorney of the Year by the National Bar Association, the oldest Black Bar Association in the nation. She received her award at the 99th Annual Convention for the National Bar Association held in Las Vegas, NV. Throughout her career, Khadijah has promoted diverse voices, uplifted influential leaders, and helped transform communities’ narratives through entertainment and law.
Providing Medical Aid in Gaza. Dr. Mohammad Subeh, MS ‘02, an emergency room physician in the California Bay Area, is using his medical skills and heart for service to help Palestinian communities in Gaza. He has now completed two medical missions where he volunteered at an emergency room in Gaza, and is currently preparing to depart on his third mission. A Palestinian refugee himself, Dr. Subeh was born in Kuwait and raised in the United States.
Leading the Nation Towards a Healthier Climate. Dr. Harleen Marwah, MS ‘11, was appointed to the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council to provide recommendations to the federal government on environmental justice. As a pediatrician and Editorial Fellow at the New England Journal of Medicine, Harleen is making an impact nationally and globally, having joined the UPenn delegation to COP28 the United Nations’ largest climate change conference hosted in Dubai, UAE.
Bringing Art to Life. In December 2023, Chiara Mannarino, MS ‘14, curated the inaugural exhibition of the Tristate Italian Art Prize, a new initiative of the Consulate General of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute in New York. The exhibit, which closed on February 28, showcased the creativity of the Italian and Italian American community in the Tristate area. Read more about how Chiara is making their mark in the art world!
Celebrating Big Moves. Harvard Business School’s 2023 Class Day Speaker, Adán Acevedo, MS ‘09, has returned to Los Angeles as a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. In his continued work helping younger generations access quality education, he is closing out his role as Board Chair for the Young Eisner Scholars, a program that provides financial, social, and academic support to students in underserved communities. Thank you for your service!
Creating space for the modern Asian-American individual. Alyssa Chiang, MS ‘15, co-founded Lotus Magazine in 2020, a bi-monthly e-magazine which has grown to more than 250 subscribers. The lifestyle magazine serves as a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community as it shares stories and perspectives aimed at empowering, inspiring, and promoting visibility. Read more about it here!
Role model for the next generation of Hispanic leaders. The State University of New York welcomes the new SUNY Hispanic Leadership Institute (HLI) director-in-residence, Doris Diaz-Kelly, MS ’90, to help build on SUNY’s successful professional development and networking program for Hispanic/Latinx leaders and allies. Simultaneously, Doris is Interim Associate Vice President of Student Affairs - Student Engagement at SUNY Oneonta. Learn more about SUNY’s HLI mission of developing the next generation of Hispanic/Latinx leaders, and it’s success.
Leaders in Public Service. Congratulations to Jupiter El-Asmar, MS ’13, for being selected as a 2023 Presidential Management Fellow Finalist, the Federal Government’s flagship leadership development program for advanced degree holders across all academic disciplines. Established 45 years ago by Executive Order, its purpose is to recruit and develop a cadre of future government leaders drawn from all segments of society. Read more about the PMF Program here.
On the Red Carpet. Congratulations to Francis Poon, MS ’09, for winning the 2023 Imagen Award for Best Documentary for his film, Frontline: After Uvalde: Guns, Grief and Texas Politics. The Imagen Foundation was created to support and encourage the inclusion of Latino talent, executives, and voices in all aspects of the creative process in entertainment media, celebrating individuals and entities who elevate the image and status of Latino talent in front of and behind the camera. See the full list of awardees here.
Going Back to Cali: Congratulations to Evelyn Wong, MS ’17, for being admitted to Stanford University’s joint MD/PhD program as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. Upon completing her Marshall Scholarship in the UK, Evelyn will join a cohort of 100 scholars from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools who will benefit from three years of full funding along with leadership programming to prepare them to be visionary, courageous and collaborative leaders who address complex global challenges.