A photo of the winners of the 2019 Alumni Stars awards

VCU Alumni Stars

Throughout the worlds of art, business, education, service and health care, VCU alumni reflect the brilliance of the university. Their knowledge and experience shine in all areas of human endeavor, illuminating problems, creating solutions and strengthening the quality of our lives.

We invite you to join a celebration of the 2022 Alumni Stars Sept. 29 at the Dewey Gottwald Center at the Science Museum of Virginia

Questions? Contact Jared Kline, event specialist, DAR Signature Events, at klinejc2@vcu.edu.

2022 Alumni Stars

Danny T.K. Avula, M.D., M.P.H. (M.D.’04/M; H.S.’07/M)

Person image	Person details
	Danny T.K. Avula, M.D., M.P.H., is commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services. He spent 2021 leading the state’s COVID-19 vaccination effort, helping Virginia become one of the top 10 most vaccinated states in the country. Before that, he was director of the Richmond City and Henrico County Health Districts. Avula, a public health physician specializing in pediatrics and preventive medicine, continues to practice as a pediatric hospitalist. He is an affiliate faculty member at VCU, where he regularly serves as an adviser and preceptor to graduate and medical students. Avula was appointed to the State Board of Social Services from 2013-21, serving as board chair from 2017-19. He sits on the board of the Richmond Memorial Health Foundation, where he has served as board chair. He has been named one of Richmond Magazine’s “Top Docs” since 2013 and has received numerous awards, including the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities’ Humanitarian Award, a Richmond Times-Dispatch Person of the Year (both in 2019) and Style Weekly’s Richmonder of the Year in 2020. His work has been covered by state and national media outlets, including The New York Times, NPR and “PBS Newshour,” and he can be found on the TED circuit with his TEDx talk, “Dependence Isn’t a Dirty Word.”

Danny T.K. Avula, M.D., M.P.H., is commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services. He spent 2021 leading the state’s COVID-19 vaccination effort, helping Virginia become one of the top 10 most vaccinated states in the country. Before that, he was director of the Richmond City and Henrico County Health Districts.

Avula, a public health physician specializing in pediatrics and preventive medicine, continues to practice as a pediatric hospitalist. He is an affiliate faculty member at VCU, where he regularly serves as an adviser and preceptor to graduate and medical students.

Avula was appointed to the State Board of Social Services from 2013-21, serving as board chair from 2017-19. He sits on the board of the Richmond Memorial Health Foundation, where he has served as board chair. He has been named one of Richmond Magazine’s “Top Docs” since 2013 and has received numerous awards, including the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities’ Humanitarian Award, a Richmond Times-Dispatch Person of the Year (both in 2019) and Style Weekly’s Richmonder of the Year in 2020.

His work has been covered by state and national media outlets, including The New York Times, NPR and “PBS Newshour,” and he can be found on the TED circuit with his TEDx talk, “Dependence Isn’t a Dirty Word.”

Curtis Brown (Cert.’09/GPA; M.A.’11/GPA)

Person image	Person details
	Curtis Brown is a public safety professional and national thought leader in diversity, equity and inclusion in emergency management. He has led the use of data-driven metrics to drive equitable support to under-resourced and disproportionately impacted communities and individuals. In May 2022, he joined the VCU L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs as visiting senior practitioner in residence, where he supports ongoing research in the Research Institute for Social Equity. He also teaches in Wilder’s Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness program. From June 2020 to January 2022, he served as the state coordinator of emergency management at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. There, he led the agency through the COVID-19 pandemic, hurricane responses, civil unrest and the Colonial Pipeline cyberattack. He has also provided expert testimony to Congress on emergency management and disaster equity on four occasions; served as a keynote speaker and panelist at numerous national events; and advised three governors and the chair of a congressional committee. In 2019, he co-founded the Atlanta-based nonprofit Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management. He also established the nation’s first office of diversity, equity and inclusion within a state emergency management office, developed policies and legislation to promote accessibility and integrate equity into emergency management plans, and directed the creation of Virginia’s COVID-19 health equity leadership task force, which was recognized by the National Governors Association as a best practice. He was co-recipient of the 2020 Governor’s Honor Award for Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach.

Curtis Brown is a public safety professional and national thought leader in diversity, equity and inclusion in emergency management. He has led the use of data-driven metrics to drive equitable support to under-resourced and disproportionately impacted communities and individuals.

In May 2022, he joined the VCU L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs as visiting senior practitioner in residence, where he supports ongoing research in the Research Institute for Social Equity. He also teaches in Wilder’s Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness program. From June 2020 to January 2022, he served as the state coordinator of emergency management at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. There, he led the agency through the COVID-19 pandemic, hurricane responses, civil unrest and the Colonial Pipeline cyberattack. He has also provided expert testimony to Congress on emergency management and disaster equity on four occasions; served as a keynote speaker and panelist at numerous national events; and advised three governors and the chair of a congressional committee.

In 2019, he co-founded the Atlanta-based nonprofit Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management. He also established the nation’s first office of diversity, equity and inclusion within a state emergency management office, developed policies and legislation to promote accessibility and integrate equity into emergency management plans, and directed the creation of Virginia’s COVID-19 health equity leadership task force, which was recognized by the National Governors Association as a best practice. He was co-recipient of the 2020 Governor’s Honor Award for Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach.

Gregory F. Domson, M.D., FAOA, FAAOS (H.S.’05/M; M.Ed.’14/E)

Person image	Person details
	A native of Alexandria, Virginia, Gregory Domson, M.D., FAOA, FAAOS, is an orthopaedist at VCU Health who specializes in treating benign and malignant tumors of the extremities and pelvis in children and adults. He graduated as an Echols Scholar from the University of Virginia before attending Eastern Virginia Medical School. He completed his internship and residency in the Department of Orthopaedics at VCU Health and completed a one-year fellowship in orthopaedic oncology at the University of Florida. He returned to Richmond in 2006 and joined the faculty of the VCU School of Medicine, where he is a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. For the past seven years, he also has served as residency director for orthopaedic surgery, overseeing the curriculum and training of 25 residents. He completed his master’s in adult education at the VCU School of Education in 2014, which he credits for his success in how he manages the residents and structures the residency. In January 2022, he was named the Robert S. Adelaar Professor in recognition of his exemplary contributions to teaching, research and public service. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedics, the American Orthopedic Association and the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society.

A native of Alexandria, Virginia, Gregory Domson, M.D., FAOA, FAAOS, is an orthopaedist at VCU Health who specializes in treating benign and malignant tumors of the extremities and pelvis in children and adults.

He graduated as an Echols Scholar from the University of Virginia before attending Eastern Virginia Medical School. He completed his internship and residency in the Department of Orthopaedics at VCU Health and completed a one-year fellowship in orthopaedic oncology at the University of Florida.

He returned to Richmond in 2006 and joined the faculty of the VCU School of Medicine, where he is a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. For the past seven years, he also has served as residency director for orthopaedic surgery, overseeing the curriculum and training of 25 residents. He completed his master’s in adult education at the VCU School of Education in 2014, which he credits for his success in how he manages the residents and structures the residency. In January 2022, he was named the Robert S. Adelaar Professor in recognition of his exemplary contributions to teaching, research and public service.

He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedics, the American Orthopedic Association and the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society.

Eric S. Edwards, M.D., Ph.D. (B.S.’02/H&S; Ph.D.’11/P; M.D.’13/M)

Person image	Person details
	Eric Edwards is co-founder and CEO of Richmond, Virginia-based Phlow Corp., a pioneering public benefit pharmaceutical corporation. As CEO, he has assembled a world-class team committed to providing a solution to the broken supply chain for essential medicines and overreliance on foreign manufacturers for our nation’s highest-priority medicines. Edwards was previously co-founder of Kaléo Inc. a pharmaceutical company in Richmond. During his 16 years at Kaléo, he held several executive positions, including chief science officer, where he was responsible for overall scientific strategy and all pharmaceutical development programs; chief medical officer, responsible for developing a medical affairs team and capability while establishing the company’s clinical program strategy; and vice president – innovation, overseeing Kaléo’s research and development pipeline and new product strategy. Edwards is the co-inventor of multiple marketed products, including AUVI-Q, an epinephrine auto-injector for treatment of allergic emergencies (anaphylaxis); he is named on more than 215 issued and patent-pending applications and is a published author in numerous scientific publications. He continues to serve his community by volunteering on a local rescue squad, including responding to 911 calls and training paramedics in pre-hospital emergency care.

Eric Edwards is co-founder and CEO of Richmond, Virginia-based Phlow Corp., a pioneering public benefit pharmaceutical corporation. As CEO, he has assembled a world-class team committed to providing a solution to the broken supply chain for essential medicines and overreliance on foreign manufacturers for our nation’s highest-priority medicines.

Edwards was previously co-founder of Kaléo Inc. a pharmaceutical company in Richmond. During his 16 years at Kaléo, he held several executive positions, including chief science officer, where he was responsible for overall scientific strategy and all pharmaceutical development programs; chief medical officer, responsible for developing a medical affairs team and capability while establishing the company’s clinical program strategy; and vice president – innovation, overseeing Kaléo’s research and development pipeline and new product strategy.

Edwards is the co-inventor of multiple marketed products, including AUVI-Q, an epinephrine auto-injector for treatment of allergic emergencies (anaphylaxis); he is named on more than 215 issued and patent-pending applications and is a published author in numerous scientific publications.

He continues to serve his community by volunteering on a local rescue squad, including responding to 911 calls and training paramedics in pre-hospital emergency care.

Karen Elizabeth Kimsey (M.S.W.’96/SW; Cert.’96/HP)

Person image	Person details
	Karen Kimsey, an independent health-care consultant, held numerous leadership positions at the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services in the past two decades. As director from 2019-22, she provided executive-level leadership, direction and accountability for Virginia’s Medicaid program, which serves 2 million individuals, with an annual budget of $20 billion per year. She led the agency during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure Medicaid was available to Virginians who needed health coverage and remained flexible for those using it. She also accomplished this while she battled a rare cancer through the pandemic, of which she is now in remission. Prior to that post, she was chief deputy, when she was instrumental in developing and implementing the state’s Medicaid expansion benefit, which expanded health insurance to approximately 600,000 low-income adults. She also served as deputy director of complex care and services, director of policy and research, and director of the Office of Behavioral Health. She led the successful implementation of integrating long-term and behavioral health services into a managed care platform to enhance care coordination for vulnerable Medicaid-eligible Virginians. She’s authored or co-authored more than a dozen articles and technical reports, has presented at numerous state and national meetings, and has been a member of multiple state and federal government and industry organizations, including the Virginia State Executive Council, National Association of Medicaid Directors board and Virginia Disaster Medical Advisory Committee. She has been honored for her work with numerous awards, including the National Association of Medicaid Directors’ Spotlight Award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the Governor’s Award – Governor’s Agency Star and the Department of Medical Assistance Services’ Special Recognition Awards for Outstanding Service to the Commonwealth, which she received multiple times.

Karen Kimsey, an independent health-care consultant, held numerous leadership positions at the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services in the past two decades. As director from 2019-22, she provided executive-level leadership, direction and accountability for Virginia’s Medicaid program, which serves 2 million individuals, with an annual budget of $20 billion per year. She led the agency during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure Medicaid was available to Virginians who needed health coverage and remained flexible for those using it. She also accomplished this while she battled a rare cancer through the pandemic, of which she is now in remission.

Prior to that post, she was chief deputy, when she was instrumental in developing and implementing the state’s Medicaid expansion benefit, which expanded health insurance to approximately 600,000 low-income adults. She also served as deputy director of complex care and services, director of policy and research, and director of the Office of Behavioral Health. She led the successful implementation of integrating long-term and behavioral health services into a managed care platform to enhance care coordination for vulnerable Medicaid-eligible Virginians.

She’s authored or co-authored more than a dozen articles and technical reports, has presented at numerous state and national meetings, and has been a member of multiple state and federal government and industry organizations, including the Virginia State Executive Council, National Association of Medicaid Directors board and Virginia Disaster Medical Advisory Committee. She has been honored for her work with numerous awards, including the National Association of Medicaid Directors’ Spotlight Award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the Governor’s Award – Governor’s Agency Star and the Department of Medical Assistance Services’ Special Recognition Awards for Outstanding Service to the Commonwealth, which she received multiple times.

Zach McCluskey (B.S.’02/N; M.H.A.’07/HP)

Person image	Person details
	Zach McCluskey began his career as a nurse working with critically ill children at VCU Health and transitioned to hospital leadership out of a commitment to the best outcomes for patients in the community he serves. Over the course of his career, he has led larger and more complex hospitals. In November 2021, he was named CEO of HCA Florida Fort Walton - Destin Hospital, where he oversees the growing 309-bed, four-campus hospital that serves Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa counties. From 2016-21, he served as CEO of HCA Healthcare’s Johnston-Willis Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. Under his leadership, JW was the first hospital in the U.S. to receive The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval for brain tumor care. Prior to JW, he was CEO at Parham Doctors’ Hospital, leading it to receive a top 5% national ranking for orthopaedic hospitals from by U.S. News & World Report. He also has served as chief operating officer at StoneCrest Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and associate administrator at HCA Healthcare’s CJW Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia. McCluskey, who met his wife, Amanda, at the VCU School of Nursing, mentors VCU M.H.A. students and is a guest lecturer on hospital operations, particularly on topics that improve patient and employee engagement. He is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and a member of the VCU Foundation Board of Trustees.

Zach McCluskey began his career as a nurse working with critically ill children at VCU Health and transitioned to hospital leadership out of a commitment to the best outcomes for patients in the community he serves.

Over the course of his career, he has led larger and more complex hospitals. In November 2021, he was named CEO of HCA Florida Fort Walton - Destin Hospital, where he oversees the growing 309-bed, four-campus hospital that serves Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa counties.

From 2016-21, he served as CEO of HCA Healthcare’s Johnston-Willis Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. Under his leadership, JW was the first hospital in the U.S. to receive The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval for brain tumor care. Prior to JW, he was CEO at Parham Doctors’ Hospital, leading it to receive a top 5% national ranking for orthopaedic hospitals from by U.S. News & World Report. He also has served as chief operating officer at StoneCrest Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and associate administrator at HCA Healthcare’s CJW Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia.

McCluskey, who met his wife, Amanda, at the VCU School of Nursing, mentors VCU M.H.A. students and is a guest lecturer on hospital operations, particularly on topics that improve patient and employee engagement. He is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and a member of the VCU Foundation Board of Trustees.

Victor Humberto Narro (B.A.’87/H&S)

Person image	Person details
	A nationally known expert on immigrant rights and low-wage workers, Victor Narro has been involved with immigrant and labor issues for almost 40 years. Currently project director for the UCLA Labor Center, he focuses on providing policy, legal and organizing campaign support for unions and community organizations and internship opportunities for UCLA students. Narro is also core faculty for the UCLA Labor Studies Program and the Public Interest Law Program at UCLA School of Law. Narro is co-author of the reports “Broken Laws, Unprotected Workers: Violations of Employment and Labor Laws in America’s Cities” and “Wage Theft and Workplace Violations in Los Angeles,” and co-editor of “Working for Justice: The L.A. Model of Organizing and Advocacy” and “No One Size Fits All: Worker Organization, Policy, and Movement in a New Economic Age.” He also published “Jimmy’s Carwash Adventure,” a children’s book about labor solidarity. Narro has become a leading voice for kindness and spirituality in the work for social justice. His recently published book, “The Activist Spirit - Toward a Radical Solidarity,” focuses on the values of love and compassion in the work for justice. In 2018, his passion for helping immigrant communities led him to establish the Victor Humberto Narro Scholarship in the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences, supporting students who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (also known as “Dreamers”), who are interested in migration studies or who work or volunteer at an organization with a mission to serve immigrant communities.

A nationally known expert on immigrant rights and low-wage workers, Victor Narro has been involved with immigrant and labor issues for almost 40 years. Currently project director for the UCLA Labor Center, he focuses on providing policy, legal and organizing campaign support for unions and community organizations and internship opportunities for UCLA students. Narro is also core faculty for the UCLA Labor Studies Program and the Public Interest Law Program at UCLA School of Law.

Narro is co-author of the reports “Broken Laws, Unprotected Workers: Violations of Employment and Labor Laws in America’s Cities” and “Wage Theft and Workplace Violations in Los Angeles,” and co-editor of “Working for Justice: The L.A. Model of Organizing and Advocacy” and “No One Size Fits All: Worker Organization, Policy, and Movement in a New Economic Age.” He also published “Jimmy’s Carwash Adventure,” a children’s book about labor solidarity.

Narro has become a leading voice for kindness and spirituality in the work for social justice. His recently published book, “The Activist Spirit - Toward a Radical Solidarity,” focuses on the values of love and compassion in the work for justice.

In 2018, his passion for helping immigrant communities led him to establish the Victor Humberto Narro Scholarship in the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences, supporting students who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (also known as “Dreamers”), who are interested in migration studies or who work or volunteer at an organization with a mission to serve immigrant communities.

Jerry “Jay” Sharpe (B.F.A.’90/A)

Person image	Person details
	As a junior at VCU, Jerry “Jay” Sharpe sold seven of his sleek, classic jewelry designs to luxury department store Nordstrom. Graduating a year later with a B.F.A. in Craft and Material Studies with a focus on metalsmithing and fine jewelry, he looked to expand on his early success while working alongside other emerging designers out of the Hand Workshop (now the Visual Arts Center of Richmond). In 1990, he launched his official brand, the Jay Sharpe Collection, and 10 years later, his own shop in Richmond’s Carytown district, which he ran for two decades. His custom-designed pieces have been worn by celebrities such as Queen Latifah, Brandy, Monica and Pam Grier (“Foxy Brown”). Sharpe’s second line, Henleava, is an eco-friendly costume jewelry line that has been featured on Bravo TV’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and in Essence, Richmond Magazine and Southern Living Magazine. He has designed an ornament for the White House Christmas tree (Blue Room) and custom cufflinks for Lexus of Richmond and crafted a Texas pendant for the late Jimmy Dean. Throughout his creative career, Sharpe has continued to teach at VisArts and, in 2014, became one of the organization’s Master Teacher award recipients.

As a junior at VCU, Jerry “Jay” Sharpe sold seven of his sleek, classic jewelry designs to luxury department store Nordstrom. Graduating a year later with a B.F.A. in Craft and Material Studies with a focus on metalsmithing and fine jewelry, he looked to expand on his early success while working alongside other emerging designers out of the Hand Workshop (now the Visual Arts Center of Richmond).

In 1990, he launched his official brand, the Jay Sharpe Collection, and 10 years later, his own shop in Richmond’s Carytown district, which he ran for two decades. His custom-designed pieces have been worn by celebrities such as Queen Latifah, Brandy, Monica and Pam Grier (“Foxy Brown”).

Sharpe’s second line, Henleava, is an eco-friendly costume jewelry line that has been featured on Bravo TV’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and in Essence, Richmond Magazine and Southern Living Magazine. He has designed an ornament for the White House Christmas tree (Blue Room) and custom cufflinks for Lexus of Richmond and crafted a Texas pendant for the late Jimmy Dean.

Throughout his creative career, Sharpe has continued to teach at VisArts and, in 2014, became one of the organization’s Master Teacher award recipients.

Marilyn Tavenner (B.S.’83/N; M.H.A.’89/HP; H.L.D.’07)

Person image	Person details
	Marilyn Tavenner started as a nurse at Johnston-Willis Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, in 1981 and worked her way up to the highest positions in the American health care system. By 1993, she was CEO of the hospital and was named president of the Central Atlantic Division of parent company HCA in 2001. She served from 2003-05 as group president for HCA in Nashville, Tennessee, where she set the vision for development of freestanding outpatient services nationwide. As secretary of health and human resources for Virginia from 2006-10, Tavenner was responsible for administering the state’s Medicaid program as well as for mental health, public health, aging, disabilities, social services and children’s services. In a rise to the national level, she became principal deputy administrator, then acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which also works with states on their Children’s Health Insurance programs. She played a major role in the rollout of the Affordable Care Act after its passage in 2010. She was confirmed as administrator in 2013. In 2015, Tavenner left government to join America’s Health Insurance Plans, a political advocacy and trade association of health insurance companies, where she became president and CEO, retiring in 2018. She now serves on the board for Select Medical and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, and has also served as a board member of the American Hospital Association and the VCU Health System Authority and president of the Virginia Hospital Association.

Marilyn Tavenner started as a nurse at Johnston-Willis Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, in 1981 and worked her way up to the highest positions in the American health care system. By 1993, she was CEO of the hospital and was named president of the Central Atlantic Division of parent company HCA in 2001. She served from 2003-05 as group president for HCA in Nashville, Tennessee, where she set the vision for development of freestanding outpatient services nationwide.

As secretary of health and human resources for Virginia from 2006-10, Tavenner was responsible for administering the state’s Medicaid program as well as for mental health, public health, aging, disabilities, social services and children’s services.

In a rise to the national level, she became principal deputy administrator, then acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which also works with states on their Children’s Health Insurance programs. She played a major role in the rollout of the Affordable Care Act after its passage in 2010. She was confirmed as administrator in 2013.

In 2015, Tavenner left government to join America’s Health Insurance Plans, a political advocacy and trade association of health insurance companies, where she became president and CEO, retiring in 2018. She now serves on the board for Select Medical and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, and has also served as a board member of the American Hospital Association and the VCU Health System Authority and president of the Virginia Hospital Association.

Niti Vanee, Ph.D. (M.S.’09/LS; Ph.D.’13/LS)

Person image	Person details
	Co-founder and CEO of iGenomeDx, Niti Vanee, Ph.D., started her journey in health care after completing her bachelor’s degree in biotechnology in India. After graduation, she moved to the U.S. and earned her master’s in bioinformatics at VCU, studying the genomics-based model of parasites and how to create simulation models for biological processes. Her Ph.D. in Integrative Life Sciences focused on creating and refining bacterial simulation models incorporating genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and proteomics with a potential application in various industries, including those focused on biofuel and health care. She completed her postdoctoral research in metabolic modeling and has published six peer-reviewed articles. In 2016, she co-founded iGenomeDx, a molecular diagnostic laboratory with a focus on pharmacogenomic, medication monitoring and nucleic acid-based infectious disease testing. Under her leadership, iGenomeDx was named the SBA 2022 San Antonio District Minority-Owned Business of the Year. She has shared her entrepreneurial knowledge to guide trainees and graduate students toward career paths in clinical diagnostics, organizing and conducting continuous medical education presentations for the medical community and volunteering for health fairs and workshops. Recently, she served on San Antonio’s COVID-19 task force, a committee that was charged with decision-making to combat the growing pandemic situation in the city. Outside of work, she practices yoga and spends time with her husband, Pramod, and two children, Eshanka, 6, and Sharvil, 4.

Co-founder and CEO of iGenomeDx, Niti Vanee, Ph.D., started her journey in health care after completing her bachelor’s degree in biotechnology in India. After graduation, she moved to the U.S. and earned her master’s in bioinformatics at VCU, studying the genomics-based model of parasites and how to create simulation models for biological processes. Her Ph.D. in Integrative Life Sciences focused on creating and refining bacterial simulation models incorporating genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and proteomics with a potential application in various industries, including those focused on biofuel and health care. She completed her postdoctoral research in metabolic modeling and has published six peer-reviewed articles.

In 2016, she co-founded iGenomeDx, a molecular diagnostic laboratory with a focus on pharmacogenomic, medication monitoring and nucleic acid-based infectious disease testing. Under her leadership, iGenomeDx was named the SBA 2022 San Antonio District Minority-Owned Business of the Year.

She has shared her entrepreneurial knowledge to guide trainees and graduate students toward career paths in clinical diagnostics, organizing and conducting continuous medical education presentations for the medical community and volunteering for health fairs and workshops. Recently, she served on San Antonio’s COVID-19 task force, a committee that was charged with decision-making to combat the growing pandemic situation in the city.

Outside of work, she practices yoga and spends time with her husband, Pramod, and two children, Eshanka, 6, and Sharvil, 4.

Tom W. Vines (B.S.’79/B)

Person image	Person details
	Tom W. Vines has held a variety of U.S. and internationally based senior-level positions in his 25 years in human resources. With each post, he developed and implemented human resources strategies aligned to business strategies that elevated the organization. Early in his career, HR Magazine named Vines one of the top 20 HR Hotshots in the U.S. He served as vice president of leadership at IBM from 2011-15. In this role, he identified and developed emerging leadership talent, ran the company’s leadership center, designed and implemented signature leadership development solutions for critical roles and led the team responsible for leadership integration of all acquired companies. His efforts led Fortune magazine to recognize IBM as the No. 1 company for developing global leaders. He worked at Cigna from 1992-2001, including as vice president of human resources, where he designed and implemented all human resources programs for the company’s technology division. Vines’ leadership was instrumental in Cigna’s recognition by Computerworld Magazine as one of the best places to work for information technologists. Today, he is senior vice president of talent and culture at Active International, a New York City-based corporate trade and media agency and is president of Tom Vines Consulting LLC. He also is founding president of the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources.

Tom W. Vines has held a variety of U.S. and internationally based senior-level positions in his 25 years in human resources. With each post, he developed and implemented human resources strategies aligned to business strategies that elevated the organization. Early in his career, HR Magazine named Vines one of the top 20 HR Hotshots in the U.S.

He served as vice president of leadership at IBM from 2011-15. In this role, he identified and developed emerging leadership talent, ran the company’s leadership center, designed and implemented signature leadership development solutions for critical roles and led the team responsible for leadership integration of all acquired companies. His efforts led Fortune magazine to recognize IBM as the No. 1 company for developing global leaders.

He worked at Cigna from 1992-2001, including as vice president of human resources, where he designed and implemented all human resources programs for the company’s technology division. Vines’ leadership was instrumental in Cigna’s recognition by Computerworld Magazine as one of the best places to work for information technologists.

Today, he is senior vice president of talent and culture at Active International, a New York City-based corporate trade and media agency and is president of Tom Vines Consulting LLC. He also is founding president of the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources.

Allen H. “Trey” White III, D.D.S. (D.D.S.’98/D)

Person image	Person details
	Trey White, D.D.S., was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined Oceanfront Dentistry in 1998. He received his B.S. in biology from Hampden-Sydney College and attended the VCU School of Dentistry, where he earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. White is committed to giving back to the community. He is an active member and former board member of the Noblemen, a Virginia Beach-based nonprofit that takes hands-on opportunities to help local children, and currently sits on the boards of St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children and TowneBank. He has been appointed by the Virginia Beach mayor to the city’s Health Services Advisory Board. In addition to serving as a volunteer dentist for the Salvation Army, he is the founder and director of Team Hoyt VB, an organization that helps individuals with physical disabilities, and is a founding board member of Surfers Healing Virginia Beach, a surf camp that takes 500 children with autism surfing every summer. He also serves as a mentor faculty member for CEREC (CEramic REConstructionCerec) doctors and provides dental care at nine local nursing homes on his days off. He has patented and received Food and Drug Administration clearance on a dental implant healing cap, Contour Healer, which greatly improves the healing and restorative side of the implant process. He and his wife, Elissa, have two daughters, Katie and Grayson.

Trey White, D.D.S., was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined Oceanfront Dentistry in 1998.

He received his B.S. in biology from Hampden-Sydney College and attended the VCU School of Dentistry, where he earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.

White is committed to giving back to the community. He is an active member and former board member of the Noblemen, a Virginia Beach-based nonprofit that takes hands-on opportunities to help local children, and currently sits on the boards of St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children and TowneBank. He has been appointed by the Virginia Beach mayor to the city’s Health Services Advisory Board. In addition to serving as a volunteer dentist for the Salvation Army, he is the founder and director of Team Hoyt VB, an organization that helps individuals with physical disabilities, and is a founding board member of Surfers Healing Virginia Beach, a surf camp that takes 500 children with autism surfing every summer. He also serves as a mentor faculty member for CEREC (CEramic REConstructionCerec) doctors and provides dental care at nine local nursing homes on his days off.

He has patented and received Food and Drug Administration clearance on a dental implant healing cap, Contour Healer, which greatly improves the healing and restorative side of the implant process.

He and his wife, Elissa, have two daughters, Katie and Grayson.

Michael D. Whitlow (B.S.’74/MC)

Person image	Person details
	Michael D. Whitlow is an award-winning marketing and public relations professional based in Richmond, Virginia. He has honed his skills in consulting and operations positions in a range of fields, including agriculture, banking, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, insurance and others, for more than four decades. Among his recent positions, he served as chief growth officer for Padilla from 2013-17, leading efforts to develop successful highly segmented marketing campaigns; as an owner and executive vice president of Carter Ryley Thomas from 2005-18, where, as corporate team leader, he consulted on all corporate communications engagements; and as executive vice president at CRT/tanaka public relations from 2005-13, where he led the firm’s corporate practice and helped build the firm’s status as the largest Virginia-headquartered PR/marketing firm. Before joining CRT/tanaka, he spent 15 years in corporate public relations with Ethyl Corp. and Albemarle Corp. He has been a leader of the Old Dominion Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and participated in regional mentoring programs and community nonprofit groups. He was inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame in 2012. He served for many years as a volunteer leader with VCU Alumni, including as president; he was instrumental in the organization’s move from a dues-based to organization open to all alumni and in creation of the VCU Alumni Council. He and his wife, Jane, established the Jane Dowrick and Michael Whitlow Scholarship in the Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture to encourage students with a high commitment to the community.

Michael D. Whitlow is an award-winning marketing and public relations professional based in Richmond, Virginia. He has honed his skills in consulting and operations positions in a range of fields, including agriculture, banking, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, insurance and others, for more than four decades.

Among his recent positions, he served as chief growth officer for Padilla from 2013-17, leading efforts to develop successful highly segmented marketing campaigns; as an owner and executive vice president of Carter Ryley Thomas from 2005-18, where, as corporate team leader, he consulted on all corporate communications engagements; and as executive vice president at CRT/tanaka public relations from 2005-13, where he led the firm’s corporate practice and helped build the firm’s status as the largest Virginia-headquartered PR/marketing firm.

Before joining CRT/tanaka, he spent 15 years in corporate public relations with Ethyl Corp. and Albemarle Corp. He has been a leader of the Old Dominion Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and participated in regional mentoring programs and community nonprofit groups. He was inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame in 2012.

He served for many years as a volunteer leader with VCU Alumni, including as president; he was instrumental in the organization’s move from a dues-based to organization open to all alumni and in creation of the VCU Alumni Council.

He and his wife, Jane, established the Jane Dowrick and Michael Whitlow Scholarship in the Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture to encourage students with a high commitment to the community.

Rhonda Williams (A.S.’68/En)

Person image	Person details
	Rhonda Williams is a writer, blogger, engineer, entrepreneur, life coach, software developer and activist. Born and raised in a small town in southern Virginia, Williams went on to make her mark as an information technology innovator and an activist on gender issues and identity. She was fascinated by computers even before she understood their exact purpose and studied engineering at Richmond Professional Institute, graduating the year it merged with the Medical College of Virginia to become VCU. In her early career, she worked for several software companies installing large personnel, budget control and payroll applications for state and county governments as well as corporations such as Exxon and Philip Morris. In 1983, she founded a software company that brought to market the first PC-based personnel system, PC Professional Personnel Manager, and the first consumer tax preparation software package, PC TaxCut, which H&R Block continues to market during tax season. Her efforts working with the IRS also led to electronic filing. Today she lives in Florida and spends much of her time consulting with nonprofits and speaking on issues relating to nonbinary, gender-fluid and transgender acceptance. Her blog, Rhonda’s Escape, has nearly 3 million views and offers daily posts that encourage others to escape whatever is keeping them from living a full life. She consults on diversity and inclusion, sits on the board of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council and is a trustee of the VCU College of Engineering Foundation.

Rhonda Williams is a writer, blogger, engineer, entrepreneur, life coach, software developer and activist. Born and raised in a small town in southern Virginia, Williams went on to make her mark as an information technology innovator and an activist on gender issues and identity.

She was fascinated by computers even before she understood their exact purpose and studied engineering at Richmond Professional Institute, graduating the year it merged with the Medical College of Virginia to become VCU. In her early career, she worked for several software companies installing large personnel, budget control and payroll applications for state and county governments as well as corporations such as Exxon and Philip Morris.

In 1983, she founded a software company that brought to market the first PC-based personnel system, PC Professional Personnel Manager, and the first consumer tax preparation software package, PC TaxCut, which H&R Block continues to market during tax season. Her efforts working with the IRS also led to electronic filing.

Today she lives in Florida and spends much of her time consulting with nonprofits and speaking on issues relating to nonbinary, gender-fluid and transgender acceptance. Her blog, Rhonda’s Escape, has nearly 3 million views and offers daily posts that encourage others to escape whatever is keeping them from living a full life. She consults on diversity and inclusion, sits on the board of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council and is a trustee of the VCU College of Engineering Foundation.

Emily Yeatts (B.A.’09/WS; B.A.’09/WS; Cert.’09/WS; M.S.W.’12/SW; M.P.H.’12/M; Cert.’12/GPA)

Person image	Person details
	A five-time VCU alumna, Emily Yeatts is passionate about reproductive justice and language access, and she credits her coursework and study abroad experiences in Mexico and Bolivia for developing these interests. During her graduate studies in the schools of Government and Public Affairs, Medicine and Social Work, she served as a bilingual health educator/outreach specialist at the Minority Health Consortium, a community-based HIV/AIDS support organization, which ignited her passion for sexual and reproductive health. After earning her master’s degrees in 2012, she joined the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood as education director, developing, implementing and evaluating education programs in Richmond and Hampton Roads. That experience led her to her current position as reproductive health unit supervisor at the Virginia Department of Health, where she manages statewide public health programs related to family planning, adolescent health, sex education, pregnancy loss and abortion. Yeatts also serves as an adjunct professor at the School of Social Work, where she teaches social work policy. She is a Certified Volunteer Master Naturalist and is pursuing a Botanical Illustration Certificate at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

A five-time VCU alumna, Emily Yeatts is passionate about reproductive justice and language access, and she credits her coursework and study abroad experiences in Mexico and Bolivia for developing these interests.

During her graduate studies in the schools of Government and Public Affairs, Medicine and Social Work, she served as a bilingual health educator/outreach specialist at the Minority Health Consortium, a community-based HIV/AIDS support organization, which ignited her passion for sexual and reproductive health. After earning her master’s degrees in 2012, she joined the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood as education director, developing, implementing and evaluating education programs in Richmond and Hampton Roads. That experience led her to her current position as reproductive health unit supervisor at the Virginia Department of Health, where she manages statewide public health programs related to family planning, adolescent health, sex education, pregnancy loss and abortion.

Yeatts also serves as an adjunct professor at the School of Social Work, where she teaches social work policy. She is a Certified Volunteer Master Naturalist and is pursuing a Botanical Illustration Certificate at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

Past honorees

2019

2019 Alumni Stars

Person image	Person details
	Randy Adams, D.D.S. (Cert.’80/D)
	Jeffrey Blount (B.S.’81/MC)
	Julia Cain (B.S.’01/En) and Nicholas Cain (B.S.’01/En)
	Ricardo Capilla (B.S.’99/B; M.B.A.’00/B)
	Rosalyn Dance (M.P.A.’94/GPA)
	Rodney F. Ganey, Ph.D. (B.S.’75/H&S)
	Charles Larry Horne, FASID (B.F.A.’69/A)
	Lauren Kern (M.Envs.’13/LS; M.T.’15/E)
	Ali Khan, M.D., MPP, FACP (B.S.’05/MC; M.D.’10/M)
	Jeanine Harper Maruca (B.S.W.’86/SW; M.S.W.’93/SW)
	Nancy McFarlane (B.S.’80/P)
	Cindy Munro, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’92/N; Cert.’97/N)
	Thomas Porter, M.D. (H.S.’87/M; H.S.’91/M)
	Rodney Robinson (M.Ed.’11/E)
	DaNika Neblett Robinson, Ed.D. (B.A.’11/H&S; Cert.’14/GPA; M.P.A.’15/GPA; Ed.D.’18/E)
	Fred Sammons (Cert.’55/HP)

2017

2017 Alumni Stars

Person image	Person details
	School of Nursing Judith B. Collins, RN, WHNP, BC, FAAN (Cert.’75/N) View Collins video
	Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture Anne M. Cooper-Chen, Ph.D. (M.S.’79/MC) View Cooper-Chen video
	School of Engineering Fahad Saif Harhara, Ph.D. (B.S.’00/En) View Harhara video
	School of the Arts Emerson Hughes (B.M.E.’65/A) View Hughes video
	School of Allied Health Professions Jess N. Judy (M.H.A.’77/AHP) View Judy video
	School of Dentistry Gerald M. “Jerry” Kluft, D.D.S. (D.D.S.’73/D) View Kluft video
	School of Pharmacy Harvey B. Morgan (B.S.’55/P) View Morgan video
	School of Social Work Robert W. “Bob” Peay (M.S.W.’74/SW) View Peay video
	VCU Life Sciences Elizabeth Prom-Wormley, Ph.D. (M.P.H.’99/M; Ph.D.’07/LS) View Prom-Wormley video
	School of Medicine Eduardo D. Rodriguez, M.D., D.D.S. (M.D.’99/M) View Rodriguez video
	VCU Honors College Amy T. Rose, M.D., FACS (B.S.’90/H&S) View Rose video
	School of Education Anna Lou Schaberg (B.S.’66/H&S; M.Ed.’70/E) View Schaberg video
	School of Business Linda M. Warren (B.S.’75/B) View Warren video
	L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Gregory H. Wingfield (B.S.’75/GPA; M.U.R.P.’76/GPA) View Wingfield video
	College of Humanities and Sciences Peter Zucker, Ph.D. (M.S.’81/H&S; Ph.D.’84/H&S) View Zucker video

2015

2015 Alumni Stars

View event photos and a video montage that captures the personal and professional side of the 2015 honorees.

Person image	Person details
	College of Humanities and Sciences Barbara L. Hartung (B.A.’72/H&S)
	The Honors College Minh Q. Tran, M.D. (B.S.’92/H&S; M.D.’96/M)
	School of Allied Health Professions Christine S. Zambricki, D.N.A.P. (D.N.A.P.’12/AHP)
	School of the Arts Morgan E. Yacoe (B.F.A.’11/A)
	School of Business Thomas J. Dorsey (B.S.’75/B)
	School of Dentistry Del. Todd E. Pillion, D.D.S. (D.D.S.’01/D)
	School of Education Michael T. Gamel-McCormick, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’95/E)
	School of Engineering Bradley T. Trevillian (B.S.’06/En)
	L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Keith T. Parker (B.A.’90/H&S; M.U.R.P.’93/GPA)
	Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture Katherine Wintsch (M.S.’01/MC)
	School of Medicine Norma S. Kenyon, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’87/M)
	School of Nursing Wilsie S. Bishop, D.P.A. (B.S.’70/N; M.S.’78/N)
	School of Pharmacy Jean-Venable R. Goode, Pharm.D. (B.S.’89/P; Pharm.D.’94/P)
	School of Social Work Grace E. Harris, Ph.D. (M.S.W.’60/SW)
	School of World Studies Jonathan W. Waybright (B.A.’90/WS)
	VCU Life Sciences Sterling W. Thomas, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’10/LS)

2013

2013 Alumni Stars

View 2013 event photos

Person image	Person details
	School of Allied Health Professions Arthur W. Layne (B.S.’72/H&S; M.H.A.’76/AHP)
	School of the Arts Angela Bacskocky (B.F.A.’09/A)
	School of Business Jane G. Watkins (B.S.’75/B) Jane Watkins' remarks
	School of Dentistry Julian C. Metts Jr., D.D.S. (D.D.S.’63/D)
	School of Education S. Dallas Dance (M.Ed.’02/E; Ph.D.’07/E) Dallas Dance's Remarks
	School of Engineering Oscar L. Martin Jr., Ph.D. (Ph.D.’09/En)
	College of Humanities & Sciences Tonya Mallory (B.S.’88/H&S; M.S.’90/H&S)
	School of Mass Communications Jesse E. Vaughan (B.S.’80/MC)
	School of Medicine Raymond A. Dionne, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’80/M)
	School of Nursing Josephine L. Hargis (B.S.’55/N)
	School of Pharmacy Susan M. Learned (Pharm.D.’97/P; Ph.D.’97/P) Susan Learned's remarks
	School of Social Work Stephen S. Harms (M.S.W.’82/SW)
	L. Douglas Wilder School of Government & Public Affairs Joseph F. Damico (M.P.A.’97/H&S) Joe Damico's remarks
	School of World Studies Sainath R. Iyer (B.S.’10/MC; B.A.’12/H&S)

2011

2011 Alumni Stars

Person image	Person details
	School of Allied Health Professions Panelpha “Penny” Kyler (B.S.’72/HP)
	School of Business Glenn A. Davis (B.S.’86/B)
	School of Education Dale Christina Kalkofen (M.A.E.’76/A)
	College of Humanities & Sciences Edmond F. Bowden, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’82/H&S)
	School of Social Work Paul D. McWhinney (B.S.W.’74/SW; M.S.W.’79.SW)
	School of the Arts Tara Donovan (M.F.A.’99/A)
	School of Dentistry Ronald L. Tankersley, D.D.S. (D.D.S.’68/D)
	School of Engineering Jason T. Roe (B.S.’00/En)
	School of Medicine Tadataka “Tachi” Yamada (H.S.’74/M)
	School of Pharmacy Jonathon C. Roberts (B.S.’79/P)
	School of Nursing Debra E. Lyon, Ph.D. (B.S.’84/N; M.S.’94/N; Cert.’96/N; Ph.D.’97/N)