UB honored 20 alumni and friends at the 2026 UB Alumni Achievement Awards ceremony, held Thursday, Sept. 24, in the Center for the Arts on UB’s North Campus. This annual event honors individuals who have brought distinction to the university.

Caroline Attardo Genco, UB’s 16th president, and the UB Alumni Association, presented these universitywide awards:

• The inaugural Volunteer of the Year award was presented to Durval Morgan, MS ’08, BS ’08, who founded UB SOUL (Shades of Unity & Love), an alumni community that creates opportunities for connection, mentorship and engagement among Black and multicultural UB alumni. Morgan also serves on the UB Alumni Association Board of Directors.
• ·Andrew Werner, BA ’09, received the George W. Thorn Award. He is a New York City–based photographer whose imagery has appeared in leading national and international publications, including Forbes, The New York Times and Vogue.com.
• Gregg Fisher, BS ’92, received the Philip B. Wels Outstanding Service Award. He is the founder, analyst and portfolio manager of Quent Capital, an asset management firm, a mentor to School of Management students and chair of UB’s endowment investment committee.
• Darren J. Mollott, PhD ’93, MS ’85, BS ’79, an accomplished executive leader and research engineer with more than 30 years of distinguished service across the public and private sectors, received the Clifford C. Furnas Memorial Award. 
• The Walter P. Cooke Community Leadership Award was presented to Allana Krolikowski, MD ’11, BS ’06, BA ’06, chief executive officer of Jericho Road Community Health Center in Buffalo, where she leads a dedicated team advancing a mission of equitable, community-centered care.
• Human rights specialist Catalina Crespo-Sancho, PhD ’09, received the International Distinguished Alumni Award. She recently finished a four-year term as the Costa Rican ambassador to the United States and will assume the role of director of government relations for PBS Group Limited this fall.
• The Capen Award was presented to Satish K. Tripathi, president emeritus, UB professor and former UB provost.

In addition, UB deans presented Distinguished Alumni Awards to these alumni on behalf of each school:

• School of Architecture and Planning: Eric Brill, BA ’92. He is an account director and principal for global architectural firm Gensler.
• College of Arts and Sciences: Al’ai Alvarez, MD ’07, BS ’02, BA ’02. He is a clinical professor of emergency medicine at Stanford University and a national leader in clinician well-being, inclusion and belonging.
• School of Dental Medicine: Marshall Fagin, DDS ’70. He is a prosthodontist in private practice and a part-time associate professor in UB’s School of Dental Medicine.
• Graduate School of Education: Carol Van Zile-Tamsen, PhD ’96, EdM ’91. She is associate vice provost for faculty development and director of the Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching Transformation in the Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.
• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences: Amgad Elgowainy, PhD ’94. He is a senior scientist and distinguished fellow at Argonne National Laboratory.
• Honors College: Stephen Turkovich, MD ’03, BA ’99. Turkovich is president of Golisano Children’s Hospital of Buffalo.
• Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences: Lucy Mastrandrea, MD ’99, PhD ’99. She is a professor of pediatrics and division chief of Pediatric Endocrinology at the Jacobs School.
• School of Law: Hon. Barbara Howe, JD ’80. She began her judicial career in 1988, serving first on Buffalo City Court and later on New York State Supreme Court before becoming the first woman elected judge of Erie County Surrogate’s Court.
• School of Management: Thomas Barney, MBA ’00. He is president of Sportservice, Delaware North’s flagship sports hospitality and retail division, where he leads operations at nearly 50 professional sports and entertainment venues worldwide.
• School of Nursing: Diane Thopkins, BA ’76. She served in the United States Air Force Nurse Corps, completing flight nurse school and attaining the rank of captain. She later spent 14 years at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center as a clinical nurse, nurse manager and educator.
• School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences: Mark Stramaglia, MBA ’86, BS ’81. He has more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, with expertise in product management, product development, licensing, market analysis and portfolio management.
•  School of Public Health and Health Professions: Ellen Latham, EdM ’88, BS ’79. She is the creator and co-founder of Orangetheory Fitness, the science-backed, technology-tracked group fitness brand designed to help members live longer, healthier lives.
• School of Social Work: Maggie Dreyer, MSW ’91. She is a clinical social worker who maintains a clinical practice working with children, adults and families who have experienced complex trauma and interpersonal violence.

The UB Alumni Achievement Awards are sponsored by the UB Alumni Association.