As a “serial entrepreneur” and interactive marketer, has applied his across varied careers. More recently, he has worked with global audiences in a dozen countries, sharing his knowledge of the creator economy.

A 1980 graduate of the , Branagan returned to the school in 2011 to found the and teach media innovation courses.

The center runs the , a where students test digital content and media ideas and connect with faculty and media mentors and entrepreneurs. Branagan has also launched student startup competitions, entrepreneurship programs, the interactive series “” and ��, a seed fund for tech hub startups. He coaches numerous startups and venture funds.

Branagan’s global journey began with a 2021 grant to help universities in Estonia create media entrepreneurship programs. Affiliated with Tallinn University’s Baltic Film and Media School, he spent two months in 2022 conducting workshops, making presentations and immersing himself in the country’s startup scene.

He returned to Estonia to keynote the 2023 -Net Summit on Media Entrepreneurship. The organization is comprised of European university professionals focused on improving research into and teaching entrepreneurship teaching for the screen media industry.

More speaking requests followed. He has since spoken to journalism students in Belgium, government officials and business leaders from across the African continent in Ethiopia, sports leaders in Ireland, media researchers in Lithuania, corporate communicators in Germany, musicians in Slovakia and policy makers in the United Kingdom.

He has also participated virtually at universities and conferences in India, Nepal and South Africa, and is teaching creative entrepreneurship in a virtual format to 500,000 high schoolers across India, Indonesia and the Middle East. Recently, he traveled to the U.K. to brief members of Parliament on the creator economy and existing technologies as they considered a bill proposing to ban cell phones in schools. In December he (along with Newhouse Professor and other education technology and government leaders) will address hundreds of top students at the at in Coimbatore, India.

We asked Branagan about those experiences, his reaction to questions he receives from media innovators worldwide and how his global work impacts his teaching.

A turning point in Pete Buttigieg’s public service career came with unrelenting rainfall while he was mayor of South Bend, Indiana. The city of roughly 100,000 experienced flooding that washed out roadways, damaged properties and endangered lives.

Buttigieg activated the city’s emergency operations center and hit the streets to assess the damage. At the urging of a councilmember, he knocked on the door of a woman who needed assistance.

Inside, he saw her family’s possessions floating in the flood water.

“And that was the moment that my mental image of climate change stopped being polar bears and ice shelves,” he said. “I think of political rhetoric around climate change. Not that I don’t care about what happens in the Arctic, but this was happening on the west side of South Bend, Indiana.”

Capacity Crowd at Syracuse

Buttigieg reflected on the flood’s aftermath during a conversation-style event in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building on Friday, Oct. 3. Part of the Pontarelli Speaker Series—named for its sponsors, alumnus and University Trustee Kenneth A. Pontarelli ’92 and his wife, Tracey—the talk was co-hosted by the and the .

Buttigieg shared the stage with , Pontarelli Professor of Environmental Sustainability and Finance and director of the Syracuse University . Their conversation encompassed environmental issues, leadership, American democracy and more.

In his opening remarks, Maxwell Dean said he was heartened to see so many students in the audience—all tickets for the event were claimed less than 20 minutes after it was announced. “These individuals are passionate about the issues we’re going to discuss today, and they are our future leaders,” said Van Slyke.

Before welcoming Buttigieg to the stage, Whitman’s interim dean, , shared some of his accomplishments. Buttigieg became mayor of South Bend in 2012 at age 29. He was elected for two terms and departed for a 2014 deployment to Afghanistan as a Naval reservist. In 2020, he sought the Democratic nomination for president, winning the Iowa caucuses. As U.S. secretary of transportation from 2021-25, Buttigieg implemented the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which funded over 70,000 projects.

The Syracuse event occurred three days into a shutdown of the U.S. government. Golden’s first question presented an opportunity for a general assessment: “Where are we today as a nation?”

Facing Unprecedented Challenges

“I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that not since the Civil War has our country faced this level of challenges—certainly not since World War II,” replied Buttigieg. “And so much of it is actually happening not because of an external threat.”

Social media, with its misinformation and algorithms, has distorted perspectives and relationships, he said. At the same time, Buttigieg said, the U.S. is witnessing an unprecedented level of government assertion of control over not only its own branches but also entities that have long remained independent such as academia and even late-night television.

“That makes this an extremely challenging time, but also a particularly important time for universities, because universities exist for the purpose of finding the truth, for the purpose of fostering dialogue and healthy difference and for charting where we are supposed to go next in ways that maybe won’t fully resemble the status quo that we inherited,” said Buttigieg, who later said universities need to fiercely guard their independence.

Several of Golden’s questions focused on the environment. For instance, he wondered what the current administration is trying to accomplish by repealing and diminishing protections. Buttigieg shared his view that much of the transitions have served to benefit certain friends and allies.

“Part of the tragedy of this is there is a healthy conservative critique to be made of environmental policies that are either self-defeating or unreasonable,” added Buttigieg. “And I say that as a strong believer in environmental protection.”

Several students posed questions, some related to climate change and the recent downsizing and dismantling federal departments like USAID.

Donough Lawlor, who is pursuing a master of science in sustainable organizations and policy, asked Buttigieg to comment on the impact of doing away with USAID and the worldview of U.S. leadership.

While he expressed deep concern, Buttigieg pointed out that many entities were formed in the 1940s and 50s “based on the way the world was.”

“Sooner or later, it’s going to be somebody’s job to figure out what to put in there next,” he said. “And that’s actually a huge opportunity to set up development aid in a way that is more responsive to the needs of the people it’s supposed to serve.”

He added, “my main impulse is not despondency, even though it can be depressing to watch, but actually propulsion.”

Looking Forward, Not Back

In South Bend, he said, prior generations often reflected about the economic boomtime prior to the 1963 closure of a main employer, the Studebaker auto plant. His community had a breakthrough in part, he said, because his generation was the first that didn’t experience its automaking heyday. As mayor, he said, all he could consider is “what do we do next?”

A parting message seemed directed toward students.

“If you’re considering participating in civic processes, which I hope you will, don’t underestimate the moral authority that you carry as a young person saying, ‘This decision you’re about to make affects me,’” he said. “The longer you are planning to be here, the more you have at stake, and I think, the more you have to say.”

We want to know how you experience Syracuse University. Take a photo and share it with us. We select photos from a variety of sources. Submit photos of your University experience by sending them directly to ������Ƶ at newsphoto@syr.edu. You might see it featured here.

Coach Fran Brown with his son on the field in the JMA Wireless Dome, surrounded by players and fans, after the Orange upset Miami in their final game of the season over the weekend. (Photo courtesy of Syracuse Athletics)

As part of National Coming Out Day, students and Otto the Orange participated in a Chalk the Quad event. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and University staff members from the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) pose for a photo on the parade ground at the National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC). The SBA representatives were visiting the NVRC to learn more about the IVMF’s entrepreneurship programs, post-program support and research initiatives in support of veteran small business owners. (Photo by Charlie Poag)

attended the Fulbright Pre-Academic Program at Syracuse University’s English Language Institute this summer for four weeks to participate in a variety of workshops, field trips and textual and oral communication courses before matriculating into their degree programs at institutions across the United States. (Photo by Amy McCoy)

New students move into the residence halls with help from orientation leaders, volunteers and the Goon Squad. (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

David M. Van Slyke, dean of the , met with alumni, partners and dignitaries, including India’s minister of education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, during a recent visit that celebrated the school’s and its 70-plus-year partnership with the country.

Dean Van Slyke was in India along with Maxwell’s Director of Accelerated Learning and Global Engagement Dan Nelson to celebrate the centennial and highlight the global impact of the school’s students, faculty and alumni. The ��began more than��. That history started soon after India’s independence, grew stronger in the second half of the last century, and has recently focused on Maxwell’s educational expertise in public administration and international affairs. Over the decades, Maxwell has hosted thousands of Indian students, citizens and civil servants.

The meeting with Minister of Education Pradhan was made possible by the long relationship between Maxwell and India, and it represented the hope for even more collaboration and partnership with the world’s largest democracy and most populous country.

“Meeting with Minister of Education Pradhan was truly an honor, and it put an exclamation point on what was a wonderfully productive visit where we spent time with our global partners and accomplished alumni,” says Van Slyke. “I look forward to our continued partnership with India and its people.”

Van Slyke also met with Surendra Nath Tripathi, the director general of the Indian Institute for Public Administration (IIPA), founded upon the recommendation of and in consultation with former Maxwell dean Paul Appleby.�� Van Slyke spoke with faculty, civil servants and military personnel at IIPA, among other institutions, on how governments manage complex partnerships with industry.

Maxwell’s longstanding position to invest in the development and raise awareness of good governance initiatives around the globe is a hallmark of the school and was facilitated through meetings with Dr. R Balasubramaniam at the Government of India’s Capacity Building Commission.

Dean Van Slyke also served as the keynote speaker at the International Conference on Public Policy and Management hosted by the Centre for Public Policy at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. The interdisciplinary conference drew scholars representing diverse perspectives on public policy issues and provided a forum for showcasing the latest developments in policy research and practice.

The visit to India culminated with a centennial gathering at the Delhi Gymkhana Club. There, Van Slyke and Nelson joined over 80 Maxwell alumni, partners and dignitaries to celebrate the global impact of Maxwell and the school’s special relationship with India.

Senior Isabelle Lutz joined a group of fellow Syracuse University students and community members for a short bus ride last fall to the Skä•noñh Great Law of Peace Center—the Haudenosaunee cultural hub on the shore of Onondaga Lake in Liverpool.

The evening’s event, part of a series called “Listen to the Elders,” featured Onondaga Hawk Clan Chief Spencer Ohsgoñ:da’ Lyons speaking about the history of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and sharing the traditional Thanksgiving address. The gathering included an array of Haudenosaunee foods, including three sisters soup made with corn, beans and squash.

“We’re not a people of the past,” Lyons told the audience. “The Haudenosaunee are still the Haudenosaunee. We have our language; we have our songs.”

For Lutz, an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation in her home state of Wisconsin, the Skä•noñh event provided a chance to connect directly with Indigenous leaders in the Syracuse area.

“So much of Native American studies or Indigenous studies can be taught from a historical/past context, when the people, traditions, and cultures are still present and active in the community,” said Lutz ’24, who in May earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in Native American and Indigenous studies. “So, when there are opportunities to attend and listen to members of different nations share their story and knowledge, it truly complements and enriches my classroom studies.”

The “Listen to the Elders” series began in 2022, organized by a University group called Not in the Books, which fosters a reciprocal learning relationship between the University community and the peoples of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

The Maxwell School is strongly connected to the effort: two of its faculty members, Aaron Luedtke and Heather Law Pezzarossi, are among its key organizers and it is supported with funding from the Tenth Decade Project, an initiative created 10 years ago in the lead of to the school’s 100th anniversary (see related story: From Sovereignty to Mortality: Tenth Decade Awards Support Research Across Disciplines).

“The Tenth Decade awards have energized and enabled interdisciplinary research around critical themes to the Maxwell School,” says Carol Faulkner, professor of history and Maxwell’s senior associate dean for academic affairs. “‘Listen to the Elders’ engages the Syracuse community around issues of citizenship, democracy and environment. It is a particularly appropriate project for our centennial because it highlights how our present obligations as citizens are tied to our past.”

Indigenous Ties ��

The work of Not in the Books aligns with the teaching and research of Aaron Luedtke and Heather Law Pezzarossi.

Law Pezzarossi, an anthropologist trained in critical heritage studies, does collaborative work that addresses colonial history while serving the contemporary needs of Indigenous communities, such as the Nipmuc people of New England. Her teaching includes courses on contemporary Native American issues, and on Indigenous museum relations and Native Americans. She is a faculty affiliate in the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program and a member of the advisory board for the University’s new Center for Global Indigenous Cultures and Environmental Justice.

Luedtke, an assistant professor of history at Maxwell since 2022, is also a faculty affiliate with the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program. He focused his graduate research at Michigan State University on the native peoples of the Great Lakes—particularly, in his words, “how they used the authoring of their own histories as resistance to colonial erasure.”

The connections Luedtke has made with Syracuse-area Indigenous communities through Not in the Books and other projects are influencing his research direction. “I have the privilege to build these relationships with Haudenosaunee elders,” says Luedtke, who is of Suquamish and Duwamish descent. “I am going to spend the rest of my career working in tandem with the Haudenosaunee to tell Haudenosaunee stories of resistance.”

The impetus for creating the Not in the Books group initially came from Diane Schenandoah, Oneida Nation Faith Keeper and the University’s Honwadiyenawa’sek—or “one who helps them.” A sculptor for 40 years, she earned an art degree from the College of Visual and Performing Arts in 2011. Her daughter, Michelle Schenandoah, is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and an adjunct professor in the law school, and her son-in-law, Neal Powless, serves as the University’s ombuds.

As Honwadiyenawa’sek, Schenandoah offers intuitive energy work grounded in traditional Haudenosaunee culture and teachings to the University community. She also leads events such as a Haudenosaunee welcome ceremony opening the academic year and a monthly full moon ceremony. “I was asked to be a Wolf Clan Faith Keeper in 1988,” she says. “As a Faith Keeper, part of my duty is to share our teachings of how to live in peace though gratitude. We have duties and responsibilities to one another as humans, and to our Mother Earth for all that is provided. Giving thanks on a daily basis is of great importance.”

Through her initial work on campus, Schenandoah began connecting with Native students as well as with professors, such as Luedtke, Law Pezzarossi, and Patricia Roylance, associate professor of English, who teach courses related to Native American and Indigenous studies.

While students were clearly keen to learn more, many had little background on the impacts of colonialism and the dispossession of Indigenous lands, or on the persistence and current-day realities of Indigenous communities—topics rarely addressed in primary or secondary education. “As Indigenous people, our history is so erased,” Schenandoah says. “Many students see the purple and white flag flying around campus but don’t really know what it is. You’re standing in the capital of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. This is the birthplace of democracy.”

Looking for ways to help fill this gap in knowledge and awareness of the area’s Indigenous heritage and contemporary presence—among not only students but faculty and staff—Schenandoah lit on the idea of connecting the University community with a tribal elder. She contacted Freida Jacques, Onondaga Turtle Clan Mother Whatwehni:neh. Jacques agreed to do a series of lectures, and the Not in the Books team—named by Schenandoah—coalesced to organize these events at Skä•noñh.

In addition to Luedtke, Law Pezzarossi, Schenandoah and Roylance, the Not in the Books team includes Scott Catucci, associate director of outdoor education at the Barnes Center; Jim O’Connor, producer with the special collections team at SU Libraries; and Tammy Bluewolf-Kennedy, a member of the Oneida Nation’s Wolf Clan who leads Indigenous student recruitment in the University’s Office of Admissions.

“The Onondaga are still here, and the Onondaga reservation is minutes away from SU’s campus,” says Luedtke. “We decided as a group very early on that we have a coherent job to do: to educate the campus community that Native peoples are not the mythological, ahistorical stereotype representations that people are accustomed to seeing. Native peoples are just as modern, nuanced, complicated and fully capable of all aspects of humanity as anyone else.”

Hosting the series at a Native cultural center, rather than bringing elders to campus, was important for the spirit and intent of the project. “Skä•noñh is a Haudenosaunee welcome center,” Law Pezzarossi says. “So, it’s the perfect place for people to start learning.”

Building Bridges

Supported with a $5,000 grant from Maxwell’s Tenth Decade Project and other campus programs, the “Listen to the Elders” series began in the 2022–23 academic year with four presentations by Freida Jacques, who in addition to being a clan mother has served for decades as a Haudenosaunee cultural liaison for educational institutions across New York state and beyond.

During these Skä•noñh events, Jacques led tours of the center and explained how in Haudenosaunee tradition, women choose the clan leaders and men marry into women’s clans rather than vice versa.

In one session, she discussed the enduring impact of the boarding schools run by churches or the federal government that tens of thousands of Indigenous children—including Jacques’ grandfather—were forced to attend between the late 1800s and the 1960s.

In a letter written to support a funding application, Jacques said that sharing her life experiences and knowledge has been fulfilling. “Both grandparents on my mother’s side attended Carlisle Indian Industrial boarding school in Pennsylvania,” she wrote. “My family was affected by this fact. My father was a Mohawk Wolf Clan person and originated at Akwesasne, whose territory is divided by Ontario, Q and New York State. …Building bridges between cultures appears to be one of my life’s purposes.”

Onondaga Chief Spencer Lyons continued the series in 2023-24 with presentations on Haudenosaunee traditions and governance. With free transportation available from campus to Skä•noñh, the “Listen to the Elders” series have consistently drawn capacity crowds.

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Syracuse University has announced the election of six new members to its Board of Trustees. All innovators in their fields, the new members bring diverse backgrounds and experiences as entrepreneurs, investors, executives and visionaries. The new members are Nomi Bergman, Brian D. Grossman, Stephen H. Hagerty ’91, G’93, Allegra F. Ivey G’99, Jeannine L. Lostritto ’90 and Kirthiga U. Reddy G’95,

“We are excited to welcome these new trustees, all of whom have a connection to the Orange community either though their personal experiences or through their families,” says Board Chair Jeff Scruggs. “They have each demonstrated extraordinary vision and expertise in their different fields of interest, and we look forward to their insights and service to our students and the continued growth of the University.”

“Our trustees express their dedication in so many different ways,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “They share their wisdom, their experiences and their generosity of time, talent and treasure in ensuring that we deliver on the promises we make to our students to prepare them for success. The newest trustees are joining a board that works collaboratively and effectively to strengthen our university.”

Nomi Bergman

Bergman is a senior executive at Advance and president of Advance/Newhouse Investment Partnership, a subsidiary of Advance. Throughout her career, she has been an executive, investor and advisor in the communications and emerging technology space with a focus on transforming the customer experience.

Bergman also recently served as interim CEO of 1010data, a technology platform provider of decision science, data management and data analytics that was owned by the Advance/Newhouse Investment Partnership and acquired by SymphonyAI. Previously, Bergman was president of Bright House Networks and helped lead the company to become the sixth-largest cable operator in the nation. She and her team provided corporate guidance, execution and oversight of technology, product and strategic partnerships across the company’s video, broadband, voice and wireless platforms.

Bergman currently serves on the board of directors for Advance’s growth investment HawkEye360. In addition, she is on the boards of Visteon and Black & Veatch, and was honored to serve as a Comcast board member. She is involved with several industry and nonprofit organizations; as a member of the FCC Technological Advisory Council, The Marconi Society, Adaptive Spirit and Bridging Voice.

She received the National Cable & Telecommunications Association’s Vanguard Award for Distinguished Leadership in 2008. In 2011, she was recognized with Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) highest honor, Woman of the Year.

Bergman earned a B.A. in economics and statistics from the University of Rochester in 1985. Growing up in Syracuse, her association with Syracuse University runs deep. Her father, Bob Miron ’59, is a Martin J. Whitman School of Management alumnus and a life trustee. Her husband, Neal, is a 1981 graduate of the Whitman School. Bergman herself has served on the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) Dean’s Leadership Council and taught part-time as an adjunct professor. She is working to complete her own Syracuse degree, as she is enrolled in the Whitman School’s online MBA program.

Bergman lives in Fayetteville, New York, with her husband. They have three adult children, Becca (Hayworth), Dori and Allison.

Brian D. Grossman

Grossman is managing partner and chief investment officer for San Francisco-based PFM Health Sciences, a $1.6 billion health care focused investment advisor. The firm is one of the longest tenured public market life science investment funds, which focuses broadly across health sciences from small biotech firms to large global pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics companies.��The firm also has a long history of investing in hospitals, health insurance and other businesses involved in providing medical services.

Grossman was a founding member of Partner Fund Management (PFM), which started operations in the fall of 2004. Prior to PFM, Grossman spent time as an investment analyst at Andor Capital (2001-2004) and Pequot Capital (2001) where he focused primarily on the biotech industry. He started his career in 1996 at J.P. Morgan Investment in the summer of 1996.

A graduate of economics from the University of Pennsylvania, Grossman grew up in Syracuse and has strong familial ties to Syracuse University. His grandfather Lionel O. Grossman L’1916; his father, Murray Grossman ’43, G’45 (College of Medicine); and his uncle Richard D. Grossman ’51, L’55 all attended the University as undergraduates, with his grandfather, uncle and sister Sarah going on to graduate from the College of Law. His father, Murray, provided medical services for many years to the athletics department, for which he was later recognized in 2016 with a Letterwinner of Distinction Award.

Grossman now lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife, Elizabeth, and three children: Brady, Zoe and Sylvie. He currently serves as co-chair of the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Health Executive Council, which evaluates business strategies, operations and financial performance for UCSF Health. The Grossmans are active philanthropically in their community, supporting the S.F. Ballet, Planned Parenthood, The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, Tipping Point and their children’s schools.

Stephen H. Hagerty ’91, G’93

Hagerty is a management consultant, entrepreneur and civic leader. He is the founder and president of Hagerty Consulting, one of the nation’s leading emergency management consulting firms that help governments, schools, hospitals, businesses and other large organizations prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. Between 2017 and 2021, he served as the mayor of Evanston, Illinois, successfully leading the city through a global pandemic and social unrest. As a result of his leadership, Evanston had one of the lowest infection and fatality rates in the state and one of the highest vaccination rates.��Soon after leaving office, Evanston was named an All-American City in 2021 by the National Civic League.

Hagerty has successfully helped manage the recovery efforts from major U.S. disasters, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and the California wildfires. Before starting his firm in 2001, Hagerty worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for eight years building a disaster recovery practice.

Hagerty earned a B.S. degree from the College for Human Development (now the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics) in consumer studies and went on to earn an M.P.A. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He has served on the Maxwell Advisory Board since 2014.

Together with his wife, Lisa Altenbernd G’93, they established the ��in 2022, the Stephen Hagerty and Lisa Altenbernd Faculty Fellow Fund in 2018 and the William D. Duncombe Faculty Research Endowment in 2014. Hagerty and Altenbernd reside in Evanston, Illinois, with their two children, Caroline, a junior at Washington University in St. Louis, and Garrett, a sophomore at Evanston Township High School.

Allegra F. Ivey G’99

Ivey is a managing director at BofA Securities Inc. She has served as a public finance investment banker in the municipal banking and markets division for 15 years, primarily covering large cities, such as New York, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans.

During her 25-year career, Ivey worked for PaineWebber Inc. (which became UBS Financial Services), J.P. Morgan and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. She has helped state and local governments nationwide finance over $40 billion in infrastructure projects, including airports, toll roads and water and sewer facilities, among others.

Ivey earned a master’s in public administration from the Maxwell School, where she has served on the advisory board since 2017. She inspired other Maxwell graduates when she delivered the keynote speech at the 2018 convocation.

Ivey came to Syracuse University after earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University in 1997. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, Matthew Brennan, and their four children, Tiernan (TJ), Ellison (Ellie), Kellan and Braden.

Jeannine L. Lostritto ’90

Lostritto parlayed her interest in architecture into her professional, personal and volunteer experiences, most recently in her engagement with the board of trustees of Friends Academy in Locust Valley, New York, an independent Quaker college-preparatory private school serving early childhood through 12th grade.

A former Friends Academy parent, Lostritto serves as a member of its board of trustees and on its Governance Committee, and helps oversee new building construction, maintenance of the campus and existing buildings as clerk of the Buildings and Grounds Committee.

With an undergraduate degree from the School of Architecture, she first took a job as an architectural consultant at Avis Rent-a-Car and on commercial architecture projects. From 1995 to 1998, Lostritto was employed in the civil engineering division at Sear-Brown—an architecture, engineering, planning and construction services firm—where she worked on large highway and expressway projects, such as the renovation of the Queens Midtown Tunnel, as well as drainage and landscape architecture projects.

She is currently a board member of her family’s real estate company, Steel Equities and is a member of the Board of Regents at NYU-Winthrop Hospital. Additionally, she and her husband, Glenn, actively support Syracuse University through contributions to such initiatives as the Barnes Center at The Arch and the General Supported Scholarship Fund. She is also a member of the School of Architecture Advisory Board.

Lostritto lives in Old Brookville New York, with her husband. They have three children, Domenica “Sunny” L’23, Glenn Jr. and Joseph.

Kirthiga U. Reddy G’95

Reddy is an��entrepreneur and��investor who has been at the helm of technology-driven transformations in innovative companies. She is CEO and co-founder of Virtualness, a mobile-first platform to help creators and brands navigate the complex world of Web3, and use��the power of generative AI and blockchain. She is a��founding investment partner of f7 Ventures,��whose mission is��“Bold Women Investing in Bold Ventures.” She is co-founder of Liftery, a��social impact��initiative focused on working mothers.

Previously, she was the first female investment partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers focused on frontier, enterprise and health tech investments. She was managing director for Facebook India and South Asia and then became managing global partner��and emerging markets lead for global accounts in markets, including Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa and Middle East.��She has also held engineering and product executive��roles at��of Phoenix Technologies, Motorola and��Silicon Graphics��Inc.

Reddy earned a master’s degree in computer engineering from the College of Engineering and Computer Science and later earned an MBA from Stanford University. She served on the ECS Dean’s Leadership Council for several years and has established the Kirthiga Reddy Graduate Scholarship in ECS.

Reddy lives in Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband, Dev G’94, who also attended the College of Engineering and Computer Science. They have two adult children, Ashna and Ariya.

A longtime city manager committed to cultivating future public servants. A retired managing director dedicated to volunteerism and philanthropy. A public health pioneer who has improved the lives of millions. An accomplished executive and entrepreneur committed to advancing sustainability.

In their varied pursuits, the four individuals above have represented the Maxwell School’s commitment to engaged citizenship and making the world better for all. For their efforts, Wally Bobkiewicz ’89, Cathy Daicoff ’79, Anuradha Gupta ’07 and Ken Pontarelli ’92 will be honored with centennial awards at the planned for Friday, May 31, in the Smithsonian Institution’s

The event will mark the Maxwell School’s 100th anniversary and serve as a gathering for alumni and friends to connect and celebrate. “We are thrilled to honor these four highly engaged and accomplished individuals who have, in a variety of ways and across sectors, demonstrated a commitment to Maxwell’s ideals,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke, who will serve as the event’s emcee.

The centennial celebration includes five additional honors: will go to alumni B. Ben Baldanza ’84, Carlisha Williams Bradley ’09, Mary Margaret Graham ’78, Lia Miller ’03 and Jessica Sun ’09.

The centennial award honorees are listed below.

Centennial Champion Award

Wally Bobkiewicz ’89

The Maxwell Centennial Champion Award recognizes dedicated volunteer engagement and philanthropy in support of the school, and there is no greater champion of the Maxwell School’s local government initiatives than Wally Bobkiewicz.

A career city manager who has worked in local government for more than 30 years, Bobkiewicz tirelessly channels his passion for public service to uplift communities as well as the careers of countless Maxwell students and alumni. For decades, Bobkiewicz has been a powerful force behind the scenes, working to nurture relationships, create professional opportunities and galvanize support among Maxwell alumni. He is de facto host and connector at annual local and city management conferences and networking events; and he inspires others to invest their time and money to support career development opportunities for students.

Since 2019, Bobkiewicz has served as city administrator of Issaquah, Washington. He was previously city manager of Evanston, Illinois, and Santa Paula, California, and worked in local government for Novato, California, and Long Beach, California. He is a former president of the Syracuse University Alumni Association and served on its board of directors from 2001-10. He is the recipient of the 2024 American Society for Public Administration National Public Service Award.

Centennial Steward Award

Cathy Daicoff ’79

For significant engagement, volunteer service and philanthropic support that have sustained the continued excellence of the school, Maxwell School Advisory Board Vice Chair Cathy Daicoff is the recipient of the Centennial Steward Award. A dedicated supporter of the school since earning an M.P.A. in 1979, Daicoff has served as a member of its advisory board for more than 25 years and maintained an increasingly generous level of giving throughout this time.

Daicoff’s gifts, including her $1.2 million endowment to establish the Marguerite Fisher Faculty Research Fund and a major gift for the creation of the Daicoff Faculty Scholars award, help the school attract and retain world-class faculty. In addition, she shares her expertise in domestic and international finance with the board and as a trusted career advisor to students and alumni interested in the field.

Daicoff retired in 2016 as a managing director at Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services after 38 years with the company. Her career spanned management responsibility in U.S. domestic operations, Canada, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and global positions. She was the company’s first senior policy officer and director of policy training for Ratings Services, and she served for more than 20 years on the firm’s Analytics Policy Board.

Centennial Luminary Award for Global Health Equity

Anuradha Gupta ’07

For her profound impact in spearheading global initiatives that improve public health and increase equitable access to vaccines, Anuradha Gupta is the recipient of the Centennial Luminary Award for Global Health Equity.

Gupta’s work has helped to save and improve millions of lives. Currently, she is president of global immunization at Sabin Vaccine Institute in Washington, D.C., an organization dedicated to strengthening immunization in communities most affected by infectious diseases, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Prior to this, she served as deputy CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (2014-22) in Geneva, where she oversaw programs across 73 countries and partnerships with WHO, UNICEF and The World Bank. She introduced the pivotal concept of zero-dose children, bringing inequities into global focus.

Previously, Gupta served in the Indian Administrative Service for 30 years, holding leadership positions in a wide range of areas including health, education, nutrition and finance. As mission director of the National Health Mission of India (2010-14), she ran the largest public health program in the world, achieving several public health feats which include polio eradication and a steep reduction of maternal and child deaths in India.

Centennial Luminary Award for Sustainability

Ken Pontarelli ’92

For his leadership and dedication to developing solutions that balance the economic need for growth with environmental sustainability, Ken Pontarelli is the recipient of the Centennial Luminary Award for Sustainability.

As a Syracuse University trustee, Pontarelli lends his deep expertise in financial markets and sustainability investing, earned over a 30-year career at Goldman Sachs, to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, resulting in environmental policy research that is grounded in a realistic understanding of markets and financial mechanisms. Together with his spouse, Tracey, he established the Pontarelli Professorship of Environmental Sustainability and Finance at the Maxwell School, currently held by Professor Jay Golden, founder and director of the Dynamic Sustainability Lab.

Pontarelli graduated from Syracuse University with a dual degree in economics, from Maxwell, and finance, from the Whitman School of Management, where he now serves on the advisory board. In 2018, Pontarelli founded Mission Driven Capital Partners, a New York City-based firm focused on sustainability investing. Two years later, he returned to Goldman Sachs, where he serves as partner and managing director and leads its sustainable investing group.