Keck Graduate Institute has selected five outstanding alumni for the second annual Distinguished Alumni Awards. The event will be held on campus on October 2 as part of the Bee United: Alumni and Industry Engagement Day, which brings together alumni, corporate partners, industry advisors, and university leadership to celebrate the Institute’s success and expand collaboration.
There are three award categories as part of the Distinguished Alumni Awards –– the Early Career Impact Award, which debuted this year, the Volunteer Service Award, and the Professional Achievement Award.
“The caliber and number of deserving nominees reflect the remarkable strength of KGI’s alumni community and the extraordinary leaders our graduates have become across biotechnology and healthcare,” said President Mohamed Abousalem. “This year’s honorees embody the very best of KGI — using their knowledge, innovation, and leadership to heal and uplift communities locally and around the world.”
The Early Career Impact Award recognizes an outstanding graduate who is making a powerful, early impact in their career, showcasing exceptional leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, or scientific contribution in their field. Richard Cale ’21 is the recipient of the new award. Cale graduated from KGI’s Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program and is a Global Product Marketing Manager at BD.
The Volunteer Service Award celebrates an alumni who exemplifies dedication to KGI through mentorship, support, and consistent giving of their time and expertise to support the student and alumni community. This year’s recipient is Stephen Chang ’08, who serves as General Manager of Global Commercial at Red Nucleus. Chang graduated from KGI’s Master of Business and Science in Biotechnology (MBS) program.
The Professional Achievement honors alumni who have demonstrated significant career advancement, pioneering leadership, and groundbreaking innovation in the life sciences, biotech, or healthcare sectors.
There are three recipients of this award this year: Jenny Sheng ’09 is the founder and CEO of Innomaven; Dr. Erin White ’12,’13 is an assistant professor and associate burns director at The University of Alabama at Birmingham Medicine; and Jennifer Wong ’08 is the divisional vice president of Global Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at Abbott.
All three winners graduated from KGI’s MBS program, and Erin also earned a Postbaccalaureate Pre-Med Certificate at KGI.