2026 Alumni Award Honorees

Cognitive Science | Marshall College

President, Dartmouth

Sian Leah Beilock is the 19th president of Dartmouth and the first woman in the role. During her time at Dartmouth and beyond, she has advanced groundbreaking initiatives to rebuild trust and faith in higher education — from affordability, to mental health and wellness, to fostering skills in young people to bridge political and personal divides. A leading cognitive scientist focused on performance under pressure, Sian is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Sciences Letters. She has authored 120 papers and two acclaimed books, and her 2017 TED talk has more than three million views. View Sian Leah Beilock's video.

Economics | Muir College

Founder and CEO, LionTree

Aryeh Bourkoff leads LionTree, an independent merchant bank recognized globally for advising and investing in media, technology, telecom and consumer companies. Over the past decade, he has built LionTree’s mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and asset management capabilities, partnering with CEOs, creators and investors on transformative transactions. Before founding LionTree, he spent 13 years at UBS, rising to vice chairman and head of Americas investment banking. A dedicated supporter of UC San Diego, Aryeh established The LionTree Endowed Scholarship Fund for scholar-athletes in 2021 and served as co-chair of the Campaign for UC San Diego. He also serves on boards including Yahoo, Nobu and Carnegie Hall. View Aryeh Bourkoff's video.

Social Sciences | Muir College

Founder and Chair, Westcore Properties

Marc Brutten is a visionary real estate entrepreneur whose career spans more than 47 years and more than $15 billion in commercial and residential real estate transactions. Through companies including Brixton Capital, Westcore Europe, United Apartment Group, Utah Casualty Insurance, Airport Development Partners and Westcore Properties, he has built institutional-scale investment and operating platforms across the U.S. and Europe. His commitment to UC San Diego includes helping establish the UC San Diego Student Foundation and a new UC San Diego real estate investment class, creating professional opportunities for future generations of Tritons.

Social Sciences | Warren College

Co-owner, Lucky Jack Farms

Patricia Brutten’s career reflects a blend of philanthropy, entrepreneurship and community leadership. She founded and operates Lucky Jack Farms, a premier equestrian training facility in Rancho Santa Fe. Patricia’s dedication to creating meaningful impact includes developing important civic spaces like Del Mar Plaza. For more than two decades, she has championed foster youth and underserved communities through charitable initiatives, as well as education, mental health and environmental preservation. A longtime supporter of UC San Diego, she contributed her time and leadership to the Alumni Awards Gala and served on the advisory committee for the University Art Gallery.

Social Sciences | Muir College

Managing Director, La Jolla Playhouse

Debby Goosenberg Buchholz is the managing director of La Jolla Playhouse and a nationally recognized arts leader. She serves as president of the League of Resident Theatres, reflecting her influence in shaping the national theater landscape. Her leadership has helped position the Playhouse as an internationally acclaimed incubator for new work with a strong track record of developing world premieres and Broadway transfers. She previously served as counsel to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and was a faculty member at the Smithsonian’s Program on Legal Problems of Museum Administration. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Debby is a recipient of a San Diego Women Who Mean Business Award.

Political Science | Revelle College

Board Chair, PTC; Board Member, Synopsys

A distinguished technology executive with more than three decades of experience, Janice Durbin Chaffin has led large-scale global hardware and software businesses through periods of growth and transformation. A proud UC San Diego alumna, she has remained committed to advancing innovation and leadership across the tech industry. Her career spans executive leadership at Fortune 500 companies, board service for leading public technology firms and advisory roles supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs. View Janice Durbin Chaffin's video.

History and Political Science | Muir College

Founder, Managing Partner and CIO, Gramercy Funds Management

With nearly four decades of investment experience, Robert Koenigsberger exemplifies Triton excellence in global finance. He founded Gramercy in 1998 with the vision of building a global, institutional investment management firm focused on emerging markets. His career includes senior leadership roles at Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, where he led sovereign debt restructurings and traded emerging markets debt across New York, London and Hong Kong. He serves in advisory and governance roles supporting academic and financial research institutions, and at UC San Diego, he served on the New York Regional Cabinet for the Campaign for UC San Diego. In addition, as chair of The Kroner and Koenigsberger Center for Financial Research at UC San Diego’s Industry Advisory Council since its inception, Robert has been centrally important to the growth of the center. View Robert Koenigsberger's video.

Bioengineering | Jacobs School of Engineering

President and CEO, EpiBiologics

Ann Lee-Karlon is president and CEO of EpiBiologics, where she leads the development of next-generation bispecific antibody therapeutics in oncology and immunology. Her career spans leadership roles at Altos Labs and Genentech, where she guided transformative therapies from early research to global launch. A former National Science Foundation Fellow, she remains deeply committed to advancing science, medicine and inclusive leadership. At UC San Diego, Ann currently serves on the Jacobs School of Engineering Dean’s Council of Advisors and previously served as its chair. View Ann Lee-Karlon's video.

History | Muir College

Dean, Kogod School of Business at American University

David Marchick is dean of the Kogod School of Business at American University, where he has driven innovation in sustainability, AI and entrepreneurship. Previously, he served as COO of the U.S. Development Finance Corporation, where he supported global COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing, and held multiple senior roles in the Clinton administration. He also spent 12 years at Carlyle where he served on the firm's management committee and helped take the firm public. David has taught at Dartmouth, served on numerous corporate and nonprofit boards, and co-authored “The Peaceful Transition of Power: An Oral History of Presidential Transitions.” He served as a vice chair of The Campaign for UC San Diego and as chair of the Washington, DC, Regional Cabinet. View David Marchick's video.

Arts and Humanities | Muir College

Partner, Co-Founder and CEO, GlobeFlex Capital LP

For more than 30 years, Marina Marrelli has led GlobeFlex Capital as co-founder, managing partner and CEO, building a globally focused investment management firm serving pension plans, endowments and foundations. One of the early female-owned firms in the asset management industry, GlobeFlex remains women-led across nearly all areas of the organization. Marina has supported a number of important philanthropic initiatives, including founding roles with WomensTrust and the Leading Ladies Network, which provide women and girls in Ghana with mentorship and economic opportunities. Her work reflects a sustained commitment to expanding access to capital, leadership development and opportunity for underserved communities globally.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering | Revelle College

Venture Partner, New Enterprise Associates

David Price is chief executive officer of PriceSmart, the largest membership warehouse club operator across Latin America and the Caribbean, serving more than four million cardholders across 12 countries and one U.S. territory, with expansion underway in Chile. A third-generation retail leader, David brings a people-first approach to building organizations that create real value in the communities they serve. At PriceSmart, that mission is to provide access to high quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices while strengthening economic opportunity and community well-being. With approximately 13,000 employees across the region, PriceSmart continues to drive growth and scale across new and existing markets while deepening its commitment to the values of integrity, excellence and community that have defined the company since its founding. View Gregory M. Papadopoulos' video.

International Affairs | School of Global Policy and Strategy

CEO, PriceSmart

Gregory Papadopoulos joined New Enterprise Associates as a venture partner in 2010, focusing on early-stage systems, software and deep-tech companies. He was previously executive vice president and chief technology officer at Sun Microsystems and an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT. Early in his career, he was an engineer at HP and Honeywell; lead architect at Thinking Machines Corporation and co-founder companies in video conferencing, AI accelerators, portable PCs and computational fluid dynamics. Greg is a trustee for the Computer History Museum and a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum. He was elected to the UC San Diego Foundation Board of Trustees in 2017 and served as a vice chair for The Campaign for UC San Diego and as a co-chair of the Bay Area Regional Cabinet. He is also a member of the Jacobs School of Engineering Dean’s Council of Advisors.

Psychology | Muir College

Co-Founder and CEO, Hatch

Ann Crady Weiss is co-founder and CEO of Hatch, the sleep wellness company behind smart, design-forward products that help people of all ages, from newborns to adults, build healthy sleep habits. Hatch has helped more than six million people sleep better, with TIME naming Hatch Restore one of the 100 Best Inventions in 2020. Ann is also a partner at True Ventures, where she works closely with early-stage founders. Previously, she founded Maya's Mom, which was acquired by Johnson & Johnson, and held senior leadership roles at Yahoo and BabyCenter. Ann serves on UC San Diego's executive board for The Basement. View Ann Crady Weiss' video.