Penn State Alumni Association honors 12 at 2025 Alumni Fellow Awards

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State Alumni Association celebrated some of its best and brightest during the 2025 Alumni Fellow Awards ceremony on Sept. 17, where 12 Penn State alumni from different graduating colleges and campuses received the Alumni Association's most prestigious honor.

Watch the full 2025 Alumni Fellow Awards Ceremony here via the Alumni Association's official recording, view a photo gallery from the evening, and read about the honorees on the Alumni Fellows page.



Here is this year's class of Alumni Fellow Award recipients, along with a brief overview of their life and career:

• Judith Aberg, class of 1990, College of Medicine, is a professor emeritus at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she served as a systems chief of infectious diseases and Dr. George Baehr Professor of Medicine. An internationally recognized leader in HIV and infectious diseases, she has shaped national care guidelines, led Mount Sinai's COVID-19 response, and advanced research on HIV comorbidities, vaccine responses and chronic inflammation. She is a former chair of the HIV Medicine Association and an active Penn State alumna.

• Tiffany Beers, class of 2002, Penn State Behrend, leads global engineering teams at Logitech, driving innovation in mechanical design, materials and sustainability to help the company cut its carbon footprint by 50% by 2030. A former engineer at Tesla and Nike, she helped create groundbreaking products like the Nike Mag and Air Yeezy. She also contributed to Olympic champion Allyson Felix's Saysh brand and appears in the 2025 documentary "She Runs the World."

• Gary Brito, class of 1986, College of Health and Human Development (nominated by Penn State Altoona), is a four-star general in the U.S. Army and commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, where he recruits and trains the future force. With over 38 years of active-duty service, he is one of just 11 four-star U.S. Army generals currently serving. Among his awards and decorations, he has earned the Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Legion of Merit and others, reflecting his exceptional leadership and valor.

• Gary Butler, class of 1971, College of Engineering, is president and CEO of Precision Components Group LLC, a manufacturer of large pressure vessels, reactors and complex equipment for the defense and energy sectors. Under his leadership, PCC has become a trusted supplier to the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army and NASA. An Executive of the Year honoree, he remains closely connected to Penn State, serving in numerous leadership positions on boards and championing STEM education through community engagement.

• Barbara Dalton, class of 1974, Eberly College of Science, is a retired senior managing partner and vice president at Pfizer Ventures, where she led more than $1 billion in biotech investments for 17 years. A leader in advancing rare disease and oncology innovation, she began her studies at Penn State Berks and supports women in science through the Dalton Undergraduate Student Research Fund. She also serves on the Penn State Research Foundation Board.

• Jennifer Homendy, class of 1994, Penn State Harrisburg, is chair of the National Transportation Safety Board. She has served as an agency board member since 2018 and became the agency's 15th leader and first chairwoman in 2021. She has overseen many high-profile investigations, including the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others; the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore; the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio; and more.

• Chukwudi Igwé, graduate class of 2006, Smeal College of Business; graduate class of 2008, College of Information Sciences and Technology, is founder and president of Moravia Health, a nationally recognized home health care agency and official provider for the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Union soccer club. He also founded Moravia Cares, a nonprofit serving low-income families. He has received numerous accolades, including Most Admired CEO of the Year, Top Entrepreneur of the Year, and Metro Philadelphia Black Power Player.

• Jacqueline Jamieson-Szafara, class of 1983, Bellisario College of Communications, is the executive director of the National Arts Program, which promotes diversity and access to the arts by empowering organizations across the country to host art exhibitions. She remains deeply connected to Penn State, mentoring students and young alumni through the Bellisario Fellows program and the Dean's Advancement Council.

• Cindy Miller, class of 2003, Penn State Harrisburg, is a former CEO of Stericycle, where she led a multiyear transformation culminating in the company's $7.2 billion acquisition in 2024. She previously spent 30 years at UPS, where she advanced from package car driver to president of UPS Europe, overseeing $7 billion in revenue and 50,000 employees. She serves on corporate boards and remains engaged with Penn State through the Alumni Association.

• Eileen Supko, class of 1985, College of Engineering, is president of Energy Resources International, specializing in nuclear fuel management and radioactive materials transport. A frequent expert witness, she co-authors a major annual industry report and serves as principal representative in North America for the World Nuclear Transport Institute. She remains connected to Penn State through the College of Engineering's Campaign Committee and Nuclear Engineering Society.

• Tina Terrell, class of 1987, College of Agricultural Sciences is a senior executive for national recruitment at the U.S. Forest Service, where she champions workforce diversity and conservation leadership. A 40-year agency veteran, she has held 14 positions and influenced major national policy and legislation. The first Black woman to earn a forestry degree from Penn State, she remains engaged through philanthropy and mentoring and helped found the University's MANRRS chapter. She is an honorary fellow of the Society of American Foresters.

• Steven Wagman, class of 1982, College of Health and Human Development, is a national health care business leader for Siemens Smart Infrastructure, directing strategy and development across North America. During his 33-year career at Siemens, he has led initiatives in health care IT, imaging, consulting and smart infrastructure, and championed diversity and inclusion as vice president and chair of the company's DE&I Council. A former Penn State trustee and Alumni Association president, he remains active through mentorship, guest lecturing and alumni engagement.

Award recipients each shared some words during their time on stage after a brief introduction by Penn State Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos.

Each recipient's acceptance speech emphasized the incredible support these Penn Staters received during their time as students at Penn State, as well as over the course of their illustrious careers. No two stories were the same, and a handful of Alumni Fellows made reference to feeling impostor syndrome standing on stage - a remarkably humble note considering the accolades each fellow has accrued.



Following the singing of the Alma Mater, attendees enjoyed each other's company during a reception at the Nittany Lion Inn.

The Alumni Fellow program is administered by the Penn State Alumni Association in cooperation with the University's academic colleges, campuses and the Office of the President. Alumni are nominated by a college or campus as leaders in their professional fields and accept an invitation from the president of the University to return to campus to share their expertise with students, faculty and administrators.



Learn more about the award on the Alumni Association's website.