2022 NYU Alumni Changemakers

Vision. Perseverance. Belief.

These are the qualities that unite this class of NYU Alumni Changemakers—a selected group of NYU alumni whose accomplishments help build a better world.

Chosen by the NYU Alumni Association Board from crowdsourced nominations, these alumni are the best of the best: entrepreneurs and visionaries who save lives, reduce suffering, and bring hope to the marginalized.

Ambition for private gain is one thing. But ambition with the public good in mind?

That’s how you make change.

Chandana Banerjee(WAG ’03)

Dinee Simpson(GSM ’06)

Eric A. Goldstein(LAW ’80)

Eugene Kleiner(TANDON '48, '51, HON '89)

Hinda Miller(TSOA ’76)

Black and white photo of Polly holding a camera

Polly Smith (TSOA ’75)

Joan Furey(MEYERS ’76)

Maura o'Malley giving speach at a podium

Maura O’Malley (WAG ’82)

Melissa sitting on floor together with children in Africa

Melissa Kushner (WAG ’06)

Samir Goel (STERN ’16)Wemimo Abbey (WAG ’15)

Shawna Baker (LAW ’15)

Tarika Barrett (STEINHARDT ’10)

Wole Coaxum (STERN ’96)

Meet the Honorees

Chandana Banerjee (she/her)

WAG ’03

End-of-Life Care Advocate

Empowering doctors and patients to make directed, compassionate decisions during life’s final stage.

“We need permanent structural change in medical training and a focus on the entire circle of life and death.”

Meet Chandana

Dinee Simpson (she/her)

GSM ’06

Founder, The African American Transplant Access Program

The first Black female transplant surgeon in the state of Illinois.

“Build your village. Build your network. Learn from others, and take care of yourself.”

Meet Dinee

Eric A. Goldstein (he/him)

LAW ’80

Co-director, NYU Environmental Law Clinic

Helped to get lead out of gasoline, eliminate fossil-fuel based polystyrene foam containers and one-use plastic bags, rid low-income neighborhoods of noxious odors from sewage-treatment facilities, and safeguard drinking water at the source.

“Our generation began to awaken environmental consciousness, but it’s the next generation that is going to have to rescue the planet.”

Meet Eric

Eugene Kleiner (he/him)

TANDON ’48, ’51, HON ’89

Mechanical Engineer, Founder and Venture Capitalist of Over 300 Technology Firms

Helped establish Fairchild Semiconductors, becoming one of history’s most influential investors and pillars of Silicon Valley.

“To the day he died, whenever my father was asked to list his occupation, he wrote down. ‘Engineer’.”

Meet Eugene

Hinda Miller (she/her)

TSOA ’76

Co-founder, Jogbra INC

Invented the Jogbra®, the first sports bra, influencing the world of sports, design, clothing, and women’s comfort in exercise and athletics.

“We created the marketplace, and we made space for women of all sizes and all activities.”

Meet Hinda

Polly Smith (she/her)

TSOA ’75

Co-founder, Jogbra INC

Invented the Jogbra®, the first sports bra, influencing the world of sports, design, clothing, and women’s comfort in exercise and athletics.

“We created the marketplace, and we made space for women of all sizes and all activities.”

Meet Polly

Joan Furey (she/her)

MEYERS ’76

US Army Nurse (Ret.)

Established the National Center for PTSD, the VA's Center for Women Veterans, and was a recipient of the VA's Distinguished Career Award.

“I had an important understanding of why this generation of veterans were different, and I thought I could help.”

Meet Joan

Maura O’Malley (she/her)

WAG ’82

Founder, Lifetime Arts

Helps older adults build communities, fight isolation, and—perhaps most importantly—be themselves through art.

“Growing olders doesn’t hinder creativity and learning. In fact, it’s a formidable asset.”

Meet Maura

Melissa Kushner (she/her)

WAG ’06

Founder, Yamba Malawi

Empowers Malawian communities - through caregiver education, financial literacy, and sustainable business models—to escape poverty itself.

“The ultimate goal is the global eradication of childhood poverty.”

Meet Melissa

Samir Goel (he/him)

STERN ’16

Co-founder, ESUSU

Driving economic justice by creating a more equitable credit building system, and empowering millions of working families traditionally locked out of financial institutions.

“We have a bigger mission than the color of our skin… What binds us together is so much bigger than what separates us.”

Meet Samir

Wemimo Abbey (he/him)

WAG ’15

Co-founder, ESUSU

Driving economic justice by creating a more equitable credit building system, and empowering millions of working families traditionally locked out of financial institutions.

“We have a bigger mission than the color of our skin… What binds us together is so much bigger than what separates us.”

Meet Wemimo

Shawna Baker (she/her)

LAW ’15

Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice

The first-ever 2SLGBTQ+ person and third woman confirmed to the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court.

“My visibility is important. It creates space for the people behind me.”

Meet Shawna

Tarika Barrett (she/her)

STEINHARDT ’10

Education Leader and Advocate

The first Black woman CEO of Girls Who Code.

“I want to change the way STEM education looks. The real objective is to disrupt the status quo.”

Meet Tarika

Wole Coaxum (he/him)

STERN ’96

CEO & Founder, Mobility Capital Finance (MOCAFI)

Providing access to banking services, credit-building tools, and aid programs for tens of millions of Americans locked out of traditional banking institutions.

“I knew I had to do something and I wanted to reimagine change through my unique perspective.”

Meet Wole

Be The Light

With more than half-a-million NYU alumni around the globe, we need you to help us shine a light on NYU Alumni Changemakers and their impressive work.

It begins when you take a few moments to fill out a nomination form. Then, the NYU Alumni Association Board of Directors, along with a special committee made up of key members of the NYU community, will review all potential candidates based on the magnitude of the challenge, originality and innovation of the solution, and the results and impact achieved.

Their work sparked significant change. Your nomination illuminates their efforts and extends their impact.

Who inspires you today?

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2021 changemaker

Alexandra Clare

(SPS ’15)
2021 changemaker

Ali Knight

(WAG ’07)
2021 changemaker

Claudia Espinosa

(WAG ’13, STEINHARDT ’23)
2021 changemaker

Diana Mao

(WAG ’08)
2021 changemaker

Edward Lee

(CAS ’95)
2021 changemaker

Ellen Kurz

(GAL ’80)
2021 changemaker

Dr. Frank Leon Roberts

(GAL ’04, TSOA ’95, TSOA ’20, GAL Faculty)
2021 changemaker

Dr. Ilene Wilkins

(WSUC ’82)
2021 changemaker

Madeleine Baran

(GSAS ’04)
2021 changemaker

Nina Morrison

(LAW ’98)
2021 changemaker

Peter Neufeld

(LAW ’75)
2021 changemaker

Isabel Ebel

(TANDON ’34)
2020 changemaker

Miriam Altman

(WAG ’13)
2020 changemaker

Judy Blume

(STEINHARDT ’61)
2020 changemaker

Liz Fanning

(WAG ’97)
2020 changemaker

Dr. Briar Flicker-Grossman

(SSSW ’86)
2020 changemaker

Dr. Jay Grossman

(DEN ’88)
2020 changemaker

Judith Haber

(MEYERS ’67, ’84)
2020 changemaker

Jasper H. Kane

(TANDON ’28, ’95)
2020 changemaker

Robert Lee

(STERN ’13)
2020 changemaker

Alexandra Meis

(WAG ’13)
2020 changemaker

Lili Nikolova

(SPS ’13)
2020 changemaker

Israel Rocha

(WAG ’18)
2020 changemaker

Maria Toler Velissaris

(STERN ’09)
2019 changemaker

Brenda Berkman

(LAW ’78)
2019 changemaker

Taina Bien-Aimé

(LAW ’91)
2019 changemaker

Kristin Van Busum

(WAG ’10)
2019 changemaker

Matthew Campisi

(TANDON ’96, ’20)
2019 changemaker

Adrian Kantrowitz

(ARTS ’40)
2019 changemaker

Marcia Robinson Lowry

(LAW ’69)
2019 changemaker

Janet Mock

(GSAS ’06)
2019 changemaker

Jacqueline Murekatete

(CAS ’07)
2019 changemaker

Erin Vilardi

(CAS ’03)
2019 changemaker

Lori Wiener

(SSSW ’79, ’88)
2018 changemaker

Eleanor Baum

(TANDON ’61, ’64)
2018 changemaker

Danielle Butin

(STEINHARDT ’85)
2018 changemaker

Hannah Dehradunwala

(GAL ’16)
2018 changemaker

Jacqueline Fawcett

(MEYERS ’70, ’76)
2018 changemaker

Hernando Garzon

(GSM ’88)
2018 changemaker

Scott Harrison

(CAS ’98)
2018 changemaker

Martin Hellman

(TANDON ’66)
2018 changemaker

Jean Paul Laurent

(DEN ’13)
2018 changemaker

Hope Lewis

(LAW ’09)
2018 changemaker

Eduardo Rodriguez

(DEN ’92)