- Alumni
- /
UIC Featured Alumni
Page One | Page Two | Page Three
-
Dr. Naeema Al-Gasseer MS '87 NURS, PHD '90
World Health Organization (WHO) Representative for Iraq
-
Rajaa al-Sanea, '85 ENG, '07 DENT
Dentist, Bestselling Author
-
Dr. Sharon Ayd, PhD '97 PHARM
CEO, Molecular Formulations, LLC.
-
Billy Branch '74 LAS
Emmy Winning Blues Musician
-
Dr. Jean Bogner, MS '73 LAS
Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Founder, Landfills + Inc.
-
Jeff Bzdelik '76 AHS
Head coach, Wake Forest Men's Basketball
-
Greg Cameron MPA '87
Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Window to the World
-
Dr. Chun-Tao Che '82 PHARM
Internationally Renowned Scientist and Professor
-
Andy Cukurs '85 ENG
CEO, Suzlon Wind Energy Corp.
-
Gloria Curtin, '74 ED, MED '80
Vice President of Adult Programs, El Valor Corp.
-
Michael DeSantiago '79 HONORS/ENG
President and Co-Founder, Primera
-
Donald Dew, MSW '80
President and CEO, Habilitative Systems, Inc.
-
Mary Dillon, '83 CBA
President and CEO, U.S. Cellular
-
Rina Dukor, '86 HONORS/LAS, MS '87, PHD '91
Co-Founder and President, BioTools Inc.
-
John Edel, BFA '92, MFA '96
Founder, Chicago Sustainable Manufacturing Center
More about Naeema Al-Gasseer
Graduated:
MS '87 NURS, PHD '90
Current Position:
Assistant Regional Director of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative for Iraq
Naeema Al-Gasseer
Class of '87, '90 | NURS, PHD
Professional success:
WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends. For more information on Dr. Naeema Al-Gasseer, visit the World Health Organization.
Content and photo provided by World Health Organization.
More about Rajaa al-Sanea
Graduated:
'07 DENT
Current Position:
Dentist, Bestselling Author
Rajaa al-Sanea
Class of '07 | DENT
Professional success:
Rajaa is a Muslim writer from Saudi who achieved prominence through her bestselling novel, Girls of Riyadh (Banat al-Riyadh). First published in Lebanon in 2005 and in English two years later, it is unconventional in its use of emails to narrate the story. Her fictional account of four young Saudi Arabian women dared to challenge the traditions of Arab society and point out the inequalities between men and women. Her book was so successful that plans are underway to make the story into a film. To find out more about this author, visit her website.
Content and photo provided by UIC Alumni Magazine.
More about Dr. Sharon Ayd
Graduated:
PhD '97 PHARM
Current Position:
CEO, Molecular Formulations, LLC.
Dr. Sharon Ayd
Class of '97 | PHARM
Professional Success:
Molecular Formulations LLC is a life science research and development company that offers prototype formulation, drug delivery, and stability study evaluation to pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Dr. Ayd has become a leader in the pharmaceutical industry. He has launched several start-up companies in addition to managing larger corporations. For more information on Dr. Sharon Ayd and Molecular Formations, LLC., visit Bloomberg BusinessWeek website.
Content provided by Bloomberg BusinessWeek website.
Photo provided by the UIC College of Pharmacy.
More about Billy Branch
Graduated:
'74 LAS
Current Position:
Emmy Winning Blues Musician
Billy Branch
Class of '74 | LAS
Professional Success:
As a UIC student, Billy wrote in his notebook that he wanted to form a blues band, play Muddy Waters' songs and use blues in a TV commercial. Now known for his harmonica virtuosity on stages and in studios around the world, Branch achieved those goals and a whole lot more. Billy Branch has made a life of playing, teaching and promoting the music that his mentor, singer/songwriter Willie Dixon, called "the facts of life". For more information on Billy Branch, visit his website.
Content and photo provided by UIC Alumni Magazine.
More about Dr. Jean Bogner
Graduated:
MS '73 LAS
Current Position:
Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Founder, Landfills + Inc.
Dr. Jean Bogner
Class of '73 | LAS
Professional Success:
Not every scientist has the opportunity to conduct groundbreaking work on a new source of renewable energy, but geologist Dr. Bogner is one of them. Bogner was the coordinating lead author for the waste chapter for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 4th Assessment Report (2007): Mitigation of Climate Change for which she shared the Nobel Peace Prize with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore. For more information on Dr. Jean Bogner, visit Landfills + Inc..
Content and photo provided by UIC Alumni Magazine.
More about Jeff Bzdelik
Graduated:
'76 AHS
Current Position:
Head coach, Wake Forest Men's Basketball
Jeff Bzdelik
Class of '76 | AHS
Professional Success:
Lauded for his coaching ability on both the collegiate and professional levels, Coach Bzdelik is in his second season at the helm of the Wake Forest Men's Basketball team. Bzdelik has been involved in coaching college and professional basketball since 1978, including seven seasons as a college head coach and three seasons as the head coach of the NBA's Denver Nuggets. Jeff also holds the Flames single season record for free throw percentage (88.1%) and ranks among the programs all-time leading scorers. For more information on Coach Bzdelik and the Wake Forest Men's Basketball team, visit Wake Forest Sports.
Content provided by Wake Forest Men's Basketball website.
Photo provided by Ken Bennett, University Photographer.
More about Greg Cameron
Graduated:
'87 MPA
Current Position:
Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Window to the World (WTTW)
Greg Cameron
Class of '87 | MPA
Professional success:
Mr. Cameron is responsible for managing and directing revenue and sales divisions of WWCI, including national and local program marketing, television and radio fundraising and sales, development, and communications. In addition to his duties at WTTW, he's currently an Associate Professor of Arts Management at UIC. For more information on Greg Cameron, visit WWTW.
Content and photo provided by UIC Alumni Magazine.
More about Dr. Chun-Tao Che
Graduated:
Class of '82 | PHARM
Current Position:
Internationally Renowned Scientist and Professor, UIC College of Pharmacy
Dr. Chun-Tao Che
Class of '82 | PHARM
Professional success:
An internationally recognized scientist, Dr. Che returned to UIC's College of Pharmacy to accept the Norman Farnsworth Professorship in Pharmacognosy in January 2011. Dr. Che has been authenticating and assessing the quality of medicinal herbs for more than 30 years. For more information on Dr. Chun-Tao Che, visit the UIC College of Pharmacy website.
Content and photo provided by UIC College of Pharmacy.
More about Andy Cukurs
Graduated:
'85 ENG
Current Position:
CEO, Suzlon Wind Energy Corp. (Wind Turbine Pioneer)
Andy Cukurs
Class of '85 | ENG
Professional success:
As CEO Andy Cukurs has transformed Suzlon Wind Energy Corp. from a start-up into a $1 billion enterprise, with 48 wind farms in 15 states, including Illinois, Texas and Minnesota. For more information on Andy Cukurs and Suzlon Wind Energy Corp., visit the Suzlon website.
Content and photo provided by UIC Alumni Magazine.
More about Gloria Curtin
Graduated:
'74 ED, MED '80
Current Position:
Vice President of Adult Programs, El Valor Corp.
Gloria Curtin
Class of '74, '80 | ED, MED
Professional Success:
Curtin oversees programs such as family support, respite care and home-based services for children and adults with disabilities at all stages of development. After joining El Valor in 1980, Curtin helped founder Guadalupe Reyes build the small nonprofit organization into a community fixture that provides training programs, residential services, rehabilitation services support and counseling services in the Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods. For more information on Gloria Curtin, visit El Valor.
Content and photo provided by UIC Alumni Magazine Fall
More about Michael DeSantiago
Graduated:
Class of '79 HONORS/ENG
Current Position:
President and Co-Founder, Primera
Michael DeSantiago
Class of '79 | HONORS/ENG
Professional Success:
Mr. DeSantiago is co-founder and President of Primera Engineers, Ltd. with 30 years of engineering design and management experience. As President, Mr. DeSantiago helped develop Primera into a client-focused design firm with more than $14 million in annual billings and a well-deserved reputation for quality service and innovation, including the achievement of ISO certification. As a LEEDÆ AP and a Certified Energy Procurement Professional (CEP), Mr. DeSantiago works with in-house design teams and external clients to develop solutions that are appropriate, budget-compliant and environmentally responsible. For more information on Michael DeSantiago, visit the Primera website.
Content and photo provided by Primera website.
More about Donald Dew
Graduated:
'80 MSW
Current Position:
President and CEO, Habilitative Systems, Inc.
Donald Dew
Class of '80 | MSW
Professional Success:
HSI is a vital Westside human services organization which currently operates over 40 programs for thousands of children and families in need. Under his tenure, HSI's budget has increased from $6.5 million in 1989 to nearly $9.8 million in 2009, signaling a significant increase in services to Chicago area residents. For more information on Donald Dew, visit Habilitative Systems, Inc.
Content and photo provided by UIC Alumni Magazine and HSI Executive team bio page
More about Mary Dillon
Graduated:
'83 CBA
Current Position:
President and CEO, U.S. Cellular
Mary Dillon
Class of '83 | CBA
Professional Success:
Mary is passionate about leveraging consumer insights and customer-focused strategies to propel share gains and profitable growth. She applied that leadership philosophy to guide U.S. Cellular through the launch of The Belief Project, an array of industry-first initiatives that elevate the wireless customer experience and reward loyalty. She continues to lead the company in finding innovative ways to inspire customer advocacy, advance the brand and drive profitability and shareholder value. For more information on Mary Dillon, visit the U.S. Cellular Bio Page
Content provided by U.S. Cellular Bio Page.
More about Rina Dukor
Graduated:
'86 HONORS/LAS, MS '87, PHD '91
Current Position:
Co-Founder and President, BioTools Inc.
Rina Dukor
Class of '86 LAS (Honors College) | MS '87 LAS | PHD '91 LAS
Professional Success:
As a UIC student, Rina was given a research problem by chemistry professor Timothy Keiderling that would take her four years to solve and yield a scientific breakthrough. Today, she co-owns BioTools Inc. and helps the pharmaceutical industry solve its toughest problems. BioTools provides instrumentation and services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms in several niche markets. For more information on Rina Dukor, visit BioTools Inc.
Content and photo provided by UIC Alumni Magazine.
More about John Edel
Graduated:
BFA '92, MFA '96
Current Position:
Founder, Chicago Sustainable Manufacturing Center
John Edel
Class of '92, '96 | BFA, MFA
Professional Success:
John has turned a former meatpacking plant on the edge of Chicago's old Union Stockyards into an indoor farm. Known as aquaponic farming, this technique minimizes water use while allowing year-round harvests, and itís just the beginning of Edel's vision for a futuristic, urban farm he has called "The Plant." He will expand this concept across the multiple floors of a single building that boasts 93,500 square feet. Once completed in 2015, the $4 million building will devote approximately two-thirds of its space to raising fish and growing leafy greens such as lettuce, kale and basil, with the remaining area leased to food-related businesses. For more information on John Edel, visit the Chicago Sustainable Manufacturing Center.
Content and photo provided by UIC Alumni Magazine and Chicago Tribune Article April 10, 2011
© Copyright 2012 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
