Raise your glass to some of the best among us!
Who are the alumni all-stars? See this year’s volunteer award recipients and honorees, and find out more about the awards and previous recipients.
Volunteer Recognition
Meet our recipients and learn more about the awards that honor the difference that dedicated Brunonians have made for Brown and for the world.
Volunteer Recognition
Meet our recipients and learn more about the awards that honor the difference that dedicated Brunonians have made for Brown and for the world.
The highest honor bestowed upon a Brown graduate who exemplifies the University's mission to prepare alumni for lives of “usefulness and reputation.”*
2023 Recipient: Brianna Brown ’03
Brianna Brown's work in Texas is not just about organizing: it's about envisioning and actively working towards an inclusive democratic future. Her dedication to social justice, combined with her effective leadership, makes her an exemplary recipient for Brown University’s William Rogers Award, as she embodies the essence of living a life of “usefulness and reputation,” significantly contributing to society and human rights, much like Rogers himself. Read more about Brianna Brown
* In the words of Brown's charter
For an alumna or alumnus who has made a significant impact in his/her community or society, and who demonstrates an unwavering commitment to public service either as a professional or a volunteer.
2023 Recipient: Mari I. Riddle ’80
Mari Riddle has dedicated much of the past several decades to community development in southern California, promoting adult literacy, cultural arts, and economic development with a focus on low-income communities, women, immigrants, and people of color.
From 2017 to 2022, Riddle served as the president and CEO of Grand Performances—a nationally recognized performing arts organization with a mission to inspire community, celebrate diversity, and unite Los Angeles through free access to global performing arts.
During her tenure, she led the organization through a two-year venue remodel and then through the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing performances to the community through streaming and offering a platform for artists to perform and receive compensation. Read more about Mari Riddle
Honors a lifetime of outstanding and wide-ranging volunteer service to Brown.
2023 Recipients:
José J. Estabil ’84 ScM’88
José Estabil is a distinguished Brown alumnus and trustee emeritus with a long history of volunteerism at Brown. He was instrumental in founding the Brown University Latino Alumni Council and co-establishing Latinos in Bio, demonstrating his dedication to fostering diversity and innovation within the Brown community.
A prolific Brown volunteer, Estabil has served many roles, including alumni interviewer, class-gift co-chair, class officer-at-large, mentor of Brown undergrads for the Nelson Center’s Brown Venture Prize, co-chair of the Brown Alumni Association (BAA) Board of Governors’ Multicultural Alumni Committee, marketing/outreach lead for the BAA’s first website, founding member of the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity, member of the IE-Brown EMBA Industrial Council, and co-chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Brown Corporation. Read more about José Estabil
Resa E. Lewiss, M.D. ’92
Actively involved in the Brown community, Resa E. Lewiss, M.D. ’92 has served on the Brown Women’s Leadership Council, the Brown Medical Alumni Association, and as an interviewer for the Brown Alumni Schools Committee. A Rhode Islander and Westerly High School graduate, Lewiss is a professor of emergency medicine, TEDMED speaker, TimesUp Healthcare founder, and award-winning author known for her expertise in health care design and point-of-care ultrasound. She has contributed to various publications such as the Harvard Business Review and Fast Company, and is the creator and host of the Visible Voices Podcast. Read more about Resa Lewiss
Honors distinguished, continuing volunteer service to Brown.
2023 Recipients:
Araceli M. Hintermeister ’12
Araceli Méndez Hintermeister has given the gift of time and expertise through her many volunteering roles at Brown. She serves on the Brown Alumni Association Board of Governors, President’s Advisory Council on the Library, and is the Class of 2012 co-president, regional representative, and past president of the Brown University Latino Alumni Council, in addition to her prior role as a board member of the Simmons School of Library and Information Science Alumni Board. Her work has allowed her to connect with Brunonians across generations while helping them build connections with one another. Leveraging her professional expertise in library sciences and information management, she has also helped fellow Brown alumni find and utilize the resources and services available to them through the University. Read more about Araceli Hintermeister
Jade M. Palomino ’07
Jade Palomino’s spirit of cooperation and unwavering commitment to Brown began during her time as a student, when she served as class president. Her connection to Brown has only grown since then, supporting the University and its alumni community with an expansive and diverse list of roles, including work with the Alumni Class Leaders, Brown Annual Fund Young Participation Council, Class of 2007 Committee, BearShare Ambassadors, Brown Alumni Association Board of Governors, Multicultural Alumni Committee, Advisory Council on Diversity, Alumni Interviewing Program, BRUnet Volunteers, Multicultural Alumni Committee, and the Brown Club of Greater Miami. Read more about Jade Palomino
Recognizes a commitment to diversity and collaboration that strengthens the University community.
2023 Recipients: Elias Wolff ’00 (awarded posthumously) & Jonathan Mooney ’00
Eli Wolff and Jonathan Mooney were the founding co-chairs of the Disability and Neurodivergence Alumni Collective (DNAC) in 2023. This alumni affinity group creates opportunities for all members of the Brown community to learn about and engage on issues of disability justice and neurodivergence, and works with partners on and off campus to ensure that our community is centered and thriving. DNAC honors the life’s work of Wolff, who first began his advocacy as a student at Brown. Read more about Eli Wolff and Jonathan Mooney
Honors distinguished service to a class, the Alumni Class Leaders (ACL) or to Brown.
2023 Recipient: Barbara Langworthy ’63
For nearly 60 years, Barbara Langworthy has been tirelessly connecting with and supporting her graduating class. Starting off as a class fundraiser for the Brown Annual Fund, Langworthy’s involvement with Brown grew with roles including alumni interviewer, class leader, and officer of the Brown Club of Vermont/New Hampshire. In retirement, she became a member of the Brown Alumni Class Leaders, where she served as a board member and eventual secretary for nine years. Additionally, Langworthy was the president, vice president, and now secretary of the Class of 1963. Read more about Barbara Langworthy
Given by the Brown Annual Fund for extraordinary leadership.
2023 Recipient: Susan A. Buffum ’74
As a Brown Annual Fund volunteer for nearly 50 years, Susan A. Buffum has encouraged thousands of members of the Brown community to volunteer and support the Annual Fund. Buffum served as chair of the Brown Annual Fund Leadership Council and was a member of the Brown Annual Fund Executive Committee from 2021 to 2023. This year, she is serving as co-chair of her 50th Reunion Brown Annual Fund Class Committee and honorary chair of the Brown Annual Fund Leadership Council. Buffum also co-chaired her 35th and 40th Brown Annual Fund Class Committees to record years. She has a forward-looking vision for the Brown Annual Fund and has been an insightful partner in helping improve the volunteer and donor experience. She passionately advocated for cross-collaboration between the Brown Annual Fund, Office of Philanthropic Strategies and Planned Giving, and the Women’s Leadership Council resulting in increased awareness and support among volunteers and alumni. Buffum truly embodies the best of the Ever True spirit.
Honors an individual or individuals who have made truly outstanding contributions to fundraising at Brown.
2022 Recipient: John B. Ehrenkranz ’87, P’24, P’26
John Ehrenkranz ’87, P’24, P’26 was a tremendous leader for his 35th Reunion Class Gift, serving as co-chair. His energy and enthusiasm for the Brown Annual Fund and the Reunion Class Gift inspired hundreds of classmates to join him, and with his leadership, the Class of 1987 led not only all of the Reunion Classes, but all classes overall in 2022 for donors and dollars with over $2.5 million raised from more than 500 donors. The class set three new fundraising records for the 35th Reunion, including largest Reunion Class Gift (multi-year), highest dollars raised, and the highest number of Leader donors. Ehrenkranz’s unwavering commitment to the Brown Annual Fund and his continued volunteer leadership continue to make a tremendous impact on the overall success of the Brown Annual Fund.
For outstanding volunteer service to Brown by young alumni in any field of alumni engagement, recognizing young alumni for their hard work, love of Brown, and ability to set an example for their peers.
2023 Recipients:
Stephanie L. Harris ’14
Highly engaged in various Brown student organizations during her undergraduate years, Stephanie Harris has thrown herself into volunteering in a wide array of capacities. Her first volunteer position was as an alumni interviewer and then regional coordinator of alumni interviewing in western Massachusetts. Since then, she has been a mentor with the Women’s Launch Pad and secretary of Inman Page Black Alumni Council (IPC). Harris also proudly served for four years on the Brown Alumni Association (BAA), where she was elected to the executive board as secretary. She is currently serving as vice president of the Class of 2014, preparing for their upcoming 10th Reunion this spring. Read more about Stephanie Harris
David Chy ’16
Rhode Island native David Chy has remained engaged with the Brown community well after graduation, serving at various times as an alumni interviewing leader, member of the Brown Alumni Association Board of Governors, and member of the Advisory Council on the College. His exceptional contributions as a young alumnus—including his work in supporting first-generation, undocumented, low-income students through the BAA—make him a worthy recipient of the Young Alumni Service Award. Read more about David Chy
Honors one or more young alumni (undergraduate alumni from 1-14 years out) whose volunteer fundraising efforts in the prior fiscal year distinguished them as rising leaders and contributed significantly to the Brown Annual Fund’s success.
2023 Recipient: Aida S. Haile-Mariam ’13
As a first-time Brown Annual Fund volunteer, Aida S. Haile-Mariam joined the effort with full enthusiasm as the participation co-chair for the Class of 2013’s 10th Reunion Class Gift. She not only was the Reunion volunteer who sent the most solicitations, but her leadership was also instrumental in engaging hundreds of alumni from the Class of 2013. She demonstrated the importance of connecting with classmates from historically under-represented groups, and single-handedly secured the most gifts from her classmates from culturally diverse backgrounds, many of whom were new donors to Brown. Haile-Mariam resides in northern Virginia with her daughter, and is also active in the local chapter of the Inman Page Black Alumni Council.
For the undergraduate alumni class that demonstrates extraordinary commitment to the University by achieving the highest participation in giving through the Annual Fund.
2023 Recipient: Class of 1963
The Class of 1963 demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the University by achieving the highest participation in giving through the Annual Fund. The class embodied the spirit of philanthropy and was unstoppable from day one by building class engagement throughout the 60th Reunion year. This led to an outstanding 61% class participation, the highest of all the classes in Fiscal Year 2023. In addition to the total outstanding performance, the Class of 1963 set five new Reunion records! The class achieved a far above-average attendance at the 60th Reunion. Their Reunion Class Gift to Brown was a little over $541,000.
Honors a volunteer whose efforts played a critical role in achieving the Annual Fund’s goals of securing financial support for the University’s highest priorities.
2023 Recipient: Shelley N. Fidler ’68, P’09
Shelley Fidler is a passionate advocate for the Brown Annual Fund and a dedicated volunteer. Her enduring connection to Brown is abundantly clear through her work with the Annual Fund, as a mentor for the Women’s Launch Pad and Chair Emeritus for the Women’s Leadership Council. In her role as a co-chair for the Class of 1968 55th Reunion Gift Committee, Fidler took the initiative to craft a personal and heartwarming appeal to promote the Class of 1968 Reunion Class Gift. The result was a new record for the 55th Reunion Class Gift, nearly $1.5 million, as well as a new Leader donor record for the 55th Reunion.
Recognizes a class whose leaders facilitate exceptional engagement among classmates.
2023 Recipient: Class of 1963
The Class of 1963 distinguished itself through their outstanding efforts in encouraging engagement and participation with exceptional programs that culminated in a truly special 60th Reunion.
For their 50th, 55th, and 60th Reunions, the Class of 1963's Reunion Activities and Class Gift Committees reached out to every classmate, extending a Reunion invitation and encouraging them to participate in the class gift. They also held yearly mini-reunions that led to camaraderie and lasting friendships amongst the classmates, even though they may not have known each other while at Brown and Pembroke. In addition to their in-person gatherings, regular newsletter and email communications keep the class up to date and connected to Brown. The quality, variety, and creativity of their consistent outreach has fostered a spirit of inclusion and connection that has risen to an exceptional level.
The Class of 1963’s leadership in these areas has been a source of inspiration to their fellow alumni and is an invaluable asset to the Brown community.
For the class that most embodied the spirit of philanthropy at Brown over the last year through their dedicated outreach and support of the Brown Annual Fund.
2023 Recipient: Class of 1973
The Class of 1973 embodied the spirit of philanthropy by building strong class engagement throughout their 50th Reunion year leading the class to set a new 50th Reunion Class Gift record. Members of the gift and participation committee shared photos, memories, and examples of how their philanthropy impacted current students while building excitement for the big celebration on College Hill. For their Reunion Class Gift, the Class of 1973 raised $3.2 million, including $1.2 million in planned gifts to the Brown Annual Fund. Overall, the Class of 1973 had a class participation rate of 36.6% and a class comprehensive giving total of over $12.7 million in support of all priorities at Brown.
The Leadership Award, presented by the Brown Alumni Association, is a prestigious recognition of individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and made significant contributions to the University community and beyond. This award celebrates outstanding leadership, character, and the positive impact an individual (or group) can have on society.
2023 Recipients:
Women’s Leadership Council Members and Alumnae
2023 Black Alumni Reunion Planning Committee
Recognizing distinguished alumni, faculty, and members of the community who support The Warren Alpert Medical School's mission and purpose.
For more information about alumni awards, contact: