10 CMU Alumni Honored for Impact and Achievement

During its 125 year history, Carnegie Mellon University has proven what can be accomplished when talented, driven people put their hearts in the work. This year’s 10 Alumni Award honorees embody that legacy of impact and service to others. 

Some use their talents to bring a smile to faces around the world or provide them with the tools to craft a better future for their families. Some are studying the foundation of human health or analyzing how complex data is analyzed. Some devote their lives to public service or uniting others to advance a cause. Some reach back to lift up those who follow or help make connections that can change lives. 

“This year is a double celebration — 125 years since CMU’s founding and 75 years of the Alumni Awards — so it’s the perfect time to honor where we’ve been and where we’re headed,” says Joanna D. Lovering, president of the CMU Alumni Association Board. “What a milestone year to cheer on this incredible group of Alumni Award honorees! Their drive, creativity and generosity light the way for every Tartan.” 

Representing all seven colleges and schools, this year’s honorees can be found in the fields of entertainment, public service and international diplomacy, cybersecurity and technology, immunology, financial services, and construction, demonstrating that the CMU experience can prepare you for success in any field and provide the skills and will to make a difference anywhere.

2025 Alumni Awards Honorees 

The CMU Alumni Awards are composed of four categories: Alumni Achievement, Alumni Service, Recent Alumni Achievement and Recent Alumni Service. Honorees are nominated by CMU community members and selected by members of the CMU Alumni Association Board Awards Committee based on the impact of nominees’ professional work and/or service to Carnegie Mellon. 

Alumni Achievement Awards 

These awards are presented to alumni for exceptional accomplishment and leadership in their fields or vocations. This year’s honorees are: 

• Josh Gad (CFA 2003) is an award-winning actor, singer, comedian, writer and producer who has made a significant impact on popular culture through his roles in Broadway, film and television productions. He is best known for voicing Olaf in the “Frozen” franchise, and for his roles in the original Broadway productions of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” “The Book of Mormon” and “Gutenberg: The Musical!” Gad has also starred in multiple TV series including “Wolf Like Me,” "Avenue 5,” “The Comedians” and “Central Park,” the last of which he co-created and produced under his Angry Child Productions banner. He has more than 40 film credits to his name including “Murder on the Orient Express,” “The Wedding Ringer,” “Marshall” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Gad received a bachelor’s degree in drama from Carnegie Mellon’s College of Fine Arts in 2003.

• Professor Sarah L. Gaffen (MCS 1988) is a leader in the field of fungal mucosal immunology. Her research on T cell cytokines, which are proteins that regulate the body’s immune response, led to the discovery that a specific type of cytokine called IL-17 is the central regulator of immune defense against oral thrush, a fungal infection in the mouth. Professor Gaffen’s work has led to a better understanding of the role that specific cells play in human immunity and inflammation and has made a significant impact in other areas of immunological study. Professor Gaffen earned a bachelor’s degree in biological science from Carnegie Mellon in 1988 and a Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1994. She is currently a professor of medicine and rheumatology and holds the Gerald P. Rodnan Endowed Chair in the Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh.

• Jure Leskovec (SCS 2007, 2008) is a computer scientist and professor at Stanford University whose work in data science, machine learning and network science has shaped the way complex systems are studied and applied across academia, industry and society. He pioneered the field of graph machine learning, revolutionizing the way in which complex data is analyzed. His work has received more than 200,000 citations, has been published in top scientific journals like Nature and Science, and is featured regularly in major press outlets. Leskovec is the recipient of numerous honors including the ACM SIGKDD Innovation Award, the Lagrange Prize, an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and an honorary doctorate from the University of Antwerp. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, and a master’s degree in knowledge discovery and data mining and Ph.D. in machine learning from Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science.

• During Joanna M. Livengood's (ENG 1980, 1991) 40-year career with the U.S. Department of Energy, she has played a pivotal role in driving scientific and technological advancements that addressed the nation’s energy, national security, public health and environmental concerns. She conducted research on air pollution control and acid rain, managed clean coal technology demonstration projects and led government-industry partnerships in electricity generation and transmission. After being promoted to the federal Senior Executive Service, she distinguished herself through her leadership at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory. Livengood has been honored with a Presidential Meritorious Rank Award, a Secretary of Energy Excellence Award and a Secretary of Energy Achievement Award for her leadership. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and mathematics from Mary Washington College and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon.

Alumni Service Awards

These awards recognize alumni for their dedicated and impactful service to the university and its students and alumni. This year’s honorees are:

• Erika Bañuelos (DC 1996) has led and supported the CMU Denver Alumni Network for nearly 20 years, serving as a vital connector for alumni and prospective students throughout the Rocky Mountain region. As network president, she hosted faculty visits, organized more than 10 annual local events and helped the chapter win the Rising Star Award. She has served on the Tartan Athletic Club Board, the Alumni Association Board and is currently on the board of the CMU Black Alumni Association. Bañuelos also acts as a mentor to members of the Tartan women’s soccer team, Spirit Racing Systems and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. She earned a bachelor’s degree in modern languages from Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences and a minor in engineering studies from the College of Engineering in 1996. Bañuelos has more than three decades of experience managing large-scale capital construction projects across the U.S. 

• Robert A. DeAngelis (TPR 1985) has been a dedicated supporter of the Tepper School of Business alumni community for more than 20 years. A 1985 graduate with a master’s degree in industrial administration, he has been instrumental in increasing engagement among the school’s alumni. DeAngelis has served on the Tepper School’s reunion committee, reunion giving committee and alumni board and recently completed his last term as board president. DeAngelis’ strategic, data-driven approach to alumni engagement evolved from his career in the financial services industry. He began his successful 40-year career at Mellon Bank and has held leadership roles at consulting and financial institutions including KPMG, Wachovia Corporation and KeyCorp. Currently, he is the founder and chief executive officer of The Cartesian Group, an advisory firm that works with clients to drive business value through strategic thinking and analytics. 

• As the leader of CMU’s Turkey Alumni Network, Halil Kulluk (ENG 1985) revitalized the region’s alumni community and enhanced the CMU brand on an international scale. He has connected Turkish alumni across the globe through daily messages, coordinated webinars and outreach initiatives that showcased CMU's research to the Turkish community, and built a strong connection with CMU’s Turkish Student Society. Kulluk earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon. He served as a research engineer and system scientist at CMU’s Robotics Institute, and is the founding director of the institute’s Manufacturing Engineering and Technology Application Center. He currently serves as the founder and chairman of Intekno Group of Companies, whose operations span technology transfer, engineering design, construction and contracting, international trade of raw and consumable materials, and strategic investments in startup ventures around the world. 

• Tyelisa Shields (INI 2010) is an accomplished information security and risk management professional who has made an impact on CMU students and alumni from coast-to-coast. She is a dedicated volunteer at both the Silicon Valley and Pittsburgh campuses, where she is highly engaged with the Information Networking Institute alumni community. She joined INI’s alumni leadership council in 2015, and is responsible for creating and executing multiple initiatives to help facilitate meaningful connections between alumni and students. She is also a dedicated supporter of INI and CMU students interested in the cybersecurity field. Shields has served as a mentor, hosted CMU interns in her professional roles, participated on alumni panels and attended numerous alumni-student events across the country. She earned a master’s degree in information security–information technology in 2010, and is currently a global cybersecurity governance and compliance program manager at HP.

Recent Alumni Achievement Award

This award is presented to alumni who graduated in the last decade for exceptional professional or vocational accomplishment. This year’s honoree is:

• Juan J. Germán (HNZ 2015) is a career foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of State known for his steadfast commitment to excellence in the field of diplomacy. As the assistant cultural affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, he played a pivotal role in strengthening U.S.-Pakistan relations by leading the development of exchange programs that promoted U.S. policy interests, empowered young leaders and increased opportunities for Pakistanis with limited resources. His portfolio of work includes consular affairs, youth engagement, strategic messaging and countering foreign malign influence. Germán has received several prestigious awards and fellowships, including meritorious and superior honor awards from the State Department in recognition of his service. He currently serves as deputy public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Vienna, Austria. Germán holds a master’s degree in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy.

Recent Alumni Service Award

This award is presented to alumni who graduated in the last decade for volunteer service to the university or any of its alumni organizations. This year’s honoree is:

• Samantha Allen (INI 2015) is a cybersecurity expert who is dedicated to empowering the next generation of digital defenders through creative outreach and community building. She acts as a mentor to students at Carnegie Mellon’s Information Networking Institute, helping them navigate their academic journeys and explore professional career paths in the cybersecurity field. She also plays a vital role in the INI alumni community, where she has served on the leadership council, organized virtual reunions and nurtured connections between students and alumni. Allen earned her master’s degree in information security technology and management from the College of Engineering in 2015. She currently serves as the executive director of The Cyber Security Intellects, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public on cybersecurity and privacy practices through engaging events and initiatives.