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Distinguished Alumni Awards
Gonzalo A. Acevedo ’91, College of Arts and Sciences,
Senior Vice President and Manager for HSBC Private Bank,
Miami, Fl.
For the past 16 years, Gonzalo A. Acevedo has been at the forefront of the banking and investment industry. As senior vice president and manager of HSBC Private Bank US/Domestic in Miami, Acevedo is responsible for leading a team of top-notch banking, lending, investment, and private wealth advisors who provide financial solutions for high-net worth individuals and their families. Prior to HSBC, Acevedo served as senior vice president of the Bank of America Corporation, vice president at The ABN AMRO Group/LaSalle Bank N.A. and vice president at The Citigroup Private Bank. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, as well as a certificate of studies in Latin American and the Caribbean at FIU. Acevedo served six years as a member of the Naval Reserves, completing his service in 2003 An avid supporter of his community, Acevedo is chairman of the Board of Advisors at the FIU College of Arts and Sciences. He is also a member of the Board of Directors at the Bass Museum of Art and a volunteer for the KAPOW (Kids and the Power of Work) School Program.
Cecilia Altonaga ’83, College of Arts and Sciences
Federal Judge, U.S. District Court, Miami, Florida
The Honorable Cecilia Altonaga made history in 2003 when she became the first Cuban-American woman to be appointed a federal judge in the United States. Altonaga has been a leader throughout her life. At Yale Law School she was director of the Yale Moot Court Board and articles editor of the Yale Journal of International Law. At FIU, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree with highest honors in political science and a certificate in Latin American and Caribbean studies, she received an Outstanding Academic Achievement Award. More than 20 years after graduating, her presence is still strong within the FIU community. An avid supporter of the FIU College of Law, Altonaga has returned to speak at convocations and is a member of the Deans Advisory Council. Additionally, she mentors law students and offers them summer internships. As a result of her commitment to the FIU College of Law, Altonaga was presented with the 2006 Enma Tarafa Legal Excellence Award.
Nicholas Bustle MIB ’88, College of Business Administration
City President of Miami and Private Wealth Management Line of Business
Manager for South Florida, Sun Trust Bank South Florida Region, Miami, Florida
Nicholas Bustle earned an M.S. in International Business from Florida International University nearly two decades ago and has since remained committed to the South Florida and university communities. Bustle currently holds two positions at Sun Trust Bank, where he has served nearly 19 years. As City President of Miami for Sun Trust Bank South Florida Region, he is responsible for coordinating that institution’s overall banking operations in Miami-Dade County; as the Private Wealth Management line of business manager for South Florida, he oversees the bank’s wealth management activities in seven South Florida’s counties. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Beacon Council, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, the Jackson Memorial Foundation and Community Partnership for Homeless. Additionally, he is a member to the Dean’s Council at the FIU School of Business and the Advisory Council of Our Lady of Lourdes Academy. His commitment to FIU’s Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame program is exemplified by his efforts in 2004 to secure renewed sponsorship from Sun Trust Bank and create interest in the initiative among other corporations.
Anitere Flores ’97, Honors College
Florida State Representative, District 114, Miami, Florida
Since graduating from Florida International University a decade ago with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations, Florida State Representative, Anitere Flores has become a prominent voice for the university in the community and the State.
A dedicated supporter of her alma mater, Flores’ partnership with FIU strengthened in 2004 when she was elected to Florida House of Representatives’ District 114, which includes the University Park campus. Among her recent accomplishments is the First Generation Scholarship bill she authored, which supports the education of undergraduate students with financial need who are the first in their families to attend college. Already $1.6 million of this $6.5 million program has benefited FIU students.
Flores is former director of State Relations for FIU and continues to advocate for higher learning as director of Community and Civic Partnerships for the university. She currently sits on the Honors College’s Community Advisory Board, which aims to raise the profile and resources of the college in the community.
Robin Fraser ‘89, College of Business Administration,
Director of Coaching for the Arizona Futbol Club, Arizona
Robin Fraser, director of coaching for the Arizona Futbol Club, made his national debut with the Colorado Foxes in 1988, after earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing and international business at FIU. That same year, he competed with the U.S. Olympic Team in the President’s Cup in Korea. It was the beginning of a stellar soccer career that would take him from earning an All-American title at FIU, where he led the team to a Division II title during his freshman year, to being named Major League Soccer (MLS) Defender of the Year. Born and raised in Jamaica, Fraser amassed recognition while playing with some of the country’s top teams, including the Los Angeles Galaxy, the Colorado Rapids and the Columbus Crew. During his 10-year professional career, he was a five-time member of the MLS Best XI. Fraser retired at the end of the 2005 season as one of only two players to win MLS’ Defender of the Year award twice. Today, he utilizes his experience and knowledge to help others advance in the sport.
Richard Gannotta ’91, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Chief Operating Officer, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Raleigh, North Carolina
Richard Gannotta, chief operating officer of Duke Raleigh Hospital –, chose a career in nursing because he felt a calling to help others. In 1991, Gannotta earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing and NP certification from FIU, followed by an MBA degree from Campbell University in North Carolina. At Duke Raleigh, Gannotta applies his extensive nursing and management experience to help guide the hospital’s programs and growth. Prior to his current position, he served as senior vice president of Operations & Patient Care and Administrator at WakeMed, Raleigh’s largest hospital system. While there, he utilized his nursing background and leadership skills to develop the heart program to the # 1 position in the Carolina’s, created a nursing shared governance model and critical-care physician program. Gannotta is consulting adjunct faculty at the Duke School of Nursing, a 1996 J&J Wharton School Fellow and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He serves on several community and professional boards, including the Advisory Board for the Wharton School, the North Carolina Hospital Association and the NC Center for Nursing Workforce Development.
Philip Goldfarb ’79, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
President and Chief Operating Officer, Turnberry Associates, Miami, Florida
As chief operating officer of Turnberry Associates, one the nation’s leading real estate development and property management firms, Philip Goldfarb is responsible for the combined operations of hotels and resorts, among which are the luxurious Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club and the historic Union Station in Nashville, Tenn. A hospitality industry veteran of more than 25 years, Goldfarb is also in charge of the firm’s retail and office divisions, which include South Florida’s Aventura Mall and more than 1.5 million square feet of class “A” office space. Prior to joining Turnberry Associates, he was chief operating officer of All Florida Hospitality Management and worked for more than a decade with Doubletree Hotels Corporation. Goldfarb currently sits on the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management’s Industry Advisory Board, which provides counsel to the dean in matters relating to the curriculum, career placement for students and graduates and fundraising.
Ivette M. Lirio ’96, MS ’00, College of Education
Teacher, Barbara Goleman Senior High, Miami, Florida
Throughout the years, Ivette Lirio’s tireless efforts as a physical education teacher have promoted the health and well-being of children as well as the greater community. After earning a bachelor’s degree cum laude in education from FIU in 1996 and a master’s in 2000, Lirio joined the faculty at Barbara Goleman Senior High School. In addition to her responsibilities at Barbara Goleman, she teaches adult education courses and wellness and physical education courses. Showing that educators can take the learning experience beyond the classroom, Lirio has worked for 10 years with Students Against Destructive Decisions Club as a sponsor and advisor. In 2002, she was appointed to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Other recognitions include the Dade County Sallie Mae Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award in 1998, the Exceptional Student Education Recognition Award in 2002 and the Teacher of the Year Award at Goleman in 2004.
James O’Brien ’92, College of Engineering and Computing
Associate Professor of Computer Science, University of California at Berkeley, California
As an associate professor in the Computer Science Division of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California at Berkeley, Dr. James O’Brien conducts research in the area of computer graphics with an emphasis on simulation and motion-capture techniques. O’Brien’s work creating computer-generated simulations of natural phenomena such as waves, snowdrifts, mud and fire is driven by computer codes called physics engines. Currently, his algorithms are used in some PlayStation 2 software and at Pixar. In 2004, O’Brien was named one of the world’s top 100 technology innovators by Technology Review magazine. One year later, he was recognized by Time magazine as “one of the world’s top experts on how to make computers simulate complex physical systems.” O’Brien is the recipient of a Sloan Fellowship, a prestigious award given to only the very best young faculty members in specified fields of science. One of his field’s most dynamic scholars, he has received awards for his research from the Okawa and Hellman Foundations.
Dawn Ostroff ’80, School of Journalism and Mass Communication
President of Entertainment, The CW Network, Los Angeles, California
As president of entertainment of the new CW Network (the result of a merger between The WB and UPN last year), Dawn Ostroff oversees the executive and programming challenges of the young broadcast network, including the creation and cancellation of shows. Ostroff has to keep her finger on the pulse of pop culture to do her job, a skill she’s honed finely after nearly 30 years in the business. An early interest in media drew Ostroff to answer request lines at a Miami radio station at the age of 16. Two years later, she become a reporter for the CBS “All News” radio station WINZ. An FIU graduate by the age of 19, she moved to Los Angeles on her own when she was 21. She worked as an assistant at 20th Century Fox for several years before finding her niche in program development. Jobs of increasing responsibility at Disney, 20th Century Fox, Lifetime and UPN earned Ostroff her stripes as a risk-taker and set the stage for her current position.
Penny Parham ’97, Stempel School of Public Health
Administrative Director, Miami-Dade County Department of Food and Nutrition, Miami, Florida
Since graduating from FIU in 1997 with a master’s degree in dietetics and nutrition, Penny Parham has become a leader in introducing healthy nutrition and wellness programs in our schools. Parham worked her way up the administrative ranks from a food service manager III in 1989 to her current position as administrative director for Miami-Dade County Department of Food and Nutrition. During her tenure, Parham has made significant contributions. They include establishing a universal free breakfast program for all county students, improving the nutritional quality of products sold in the district under the vending machine contracts and implementing a summer training program to provide professional development for food service employees. Parham’s commitment to promoting wellness and good health extends beyond schools to the surrounding communities. In addition to serving on several committees, such as the Community Council for Sister to Sister National Women’s Heart Day, Parham has twice received the USDA Best Practice Award for Promoting a Healthy School Environment.
Danny Pino ’96, College of Architecture and the Arts
Actor, TV’s Cold Case, Los Angeles, California
Whether he is solving long-forgotten crimes on CBS’ hit show Cold Case or appearing in the family film Flicka or Andy Garcia’s The Lost City, a film set in 1950s Havana, Cuba, Danny Pino has proven his versatility as an actor time and again. The actor stepped into the spotlight with his roles as Desi Arnaz in Lucy and as a dangerous drug lord on The Shield in 2003. One year earlier, he co-starred opposite Madonna in the West End production Up for Grabs. When he is not working on his craft, Pino serves as a spokesperson for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), a program that aids children in foster care in court. He also has volunteered his time and efforts to the El Faro orphanage in Mexico, Habitat for Humanity and Amnesty International. Locally, he has conducted workshops at the Roxy Theatre, located across from the University Park campus, for members of its non-profit theatre group. Additionally, he and his wife, Lilly Pino ’97, are founding members of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the FIU College of Architecture and the Arts.
FIU Service Award
Jason Scott Hamilton ’89, MS 93, College of Arts and Sciences
Associate Director, Florida International University’s Ronald E. McNair Post
Baccalaureate Achievement Program, Miami, Florida
As a two-time graduate of FIU – he has received a bachelors’ degree in psychology and a master’s in psychology and guidance counseling – Dr. Jason Scott Hamilton is a Clinical Psychologist who knows about the college experience. Today, as associate director of the university’s Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program, he helps guide the preparation of under-represented minorities for advanced graduate education in science, technology or mathematics as well as lecturing in the Psychology Department. Last fall, one of his McNair Scholars began his Ph.D. studies in Bio-Medical Engineering after winning a highly competitive Chancellor’s Fellowship at the University of California at Berkeley. Prior to his current position, Hamilton served as coordinator of the Pre-Collegiate Young Scientist Bio-Medical Program at FIU and as head of the Guidance Counseling Department at Palmetto High School. His community achievements include coaching the Palmetto Middle School Volleyball and Soccer team’s to their first regional championship. His awards include FIU’s 2006 Faculty Advisor of the Year award, Palmetto Middle School’s 1991 “Rookie Teacher of the Year for Exceptional Education” award and the Carlin Foundation’s 2001 “Making a Difference” Award.
Community Leadership Award
Bennett A. Bramson ’83 ‘87, School of Social Work, Justice and Public Affairs
Founder, DevelopMentors, Inc., Snowmass, Colorado
Bennett Bramson has devoted his life to the service of others, not only through his career in nonprofit administration but through his continued community leadership, volunteerism, educational efforts and philanthropy. Prior to shifting his focus to freelance consulting, he was executive director of Aspen Youth Experience, an organization that empowers at-risk teens and young adults to reach their potential. Today as a consultant he serves numerous nonprofit organizations and businesses in South Florida, New Orleans and Aspen, Colorado. His firm advises such non-profit organizations as Celebrate the Beat, Grassroots Television and Tomorrow’s Voices. Bramson relocated from South Florida to Aspen, Colorado, a few years ago and has quickly become an engaged member of the community. An award-winning teacher, he has been honored by several educational institutions, including Johnson & Wales University, Lehrman Day School and Nautilus Junior High School. Bramson is a lifetime member of the Alumni Association, having graduated from FIU with a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation and a master’s degree in public administration.
Outstanding Faculty Award
David Lee, College of Arts & Sciences
Professor of Biological Sciences
As a longtime FIU faculty member, Dr. David Lee has dedicated more than 26 years to establishing the university as a top research institution. In the early 1980s, Lee was instrumental in developing a close research relationship with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. In 1994, he became the first chair of the Department of Environmental Studies. Last August, he became chair of the Department of Biological Sciences. He has served on the university’s Athletic and University Environmental councils, established and chaired the Landscape Advisory Committee and been elected to the Faculty Senate numerous times. An award-winning faculty member, Lee has been honored for both his service to the university and for his research. A leading tropical botanist, he has published widely on the subject of plant color, including in the prestigious scientific journal Nature. While at FIU, Lee has earned a reputation as a leading advocate of educational quality, teaching at every level and supervising the work of both master’s and doctoral candidates.
Outstanding Achievement Award
Monte E. Kane ’82, College of Business Administration
Principal, Kane & Company, Miami, Florida
Monte E. Kane is founder of one of South Florida’s most successful accounting and consulting firms. Active in a variety of civic and charitable activities, he has served on the Board of Governors of the Florida Institute of CPAs and is past president of the Dade County Chapter. He is a former officer of Community Associates Institute, a non-profit organization that promulgates education in the community association industry. Kane co-authored the AICPA Accounting and Audit guide for Common Interest Realty Associations. An avid runner, Kane has competed in dozens of marathons and half-marathons throughout the country. He is the founder of the Florida Institute of CPAs 1040K Run and Fitness Walk, which was created in memory of Lewis Davis, Miami-Dade’s first African-American CPA. The race draws more than 600 runners annually and has funded more than 40 scholarships and thousands of dollars in the past 15 years. In 2004, Kane was selected by the South Florida Business Journal as a Heavy Hitter in Finance, and in 2006 was selected for The Key Partners Award.
Posthumous Outstanding Career Achievement Award
Maria Amelia Orth ’78 ’81 ’83, College of Education
Former Principal, Gratigny Elementary, Miami, Florida
Like her mother and grandmother before her, Maria Amelia Orth’s passion was teaching. A third-generation FIU alumnae, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as a certificate in administration before embarking upon an award-winning career in education that spanned 25 years and touched thousands of lives. As principal of Gratigny Elementary, a leadership post she held from 1991 until her death in December 2003, Orth was instrumental in getting the school a full-service medical center where children and their families can see a dentist, visit a doctor or speak with a social worker. She also played a critical role in obtaining grants for a new library at the school. Orth helped improve her school’s attendance by keeping close tabs on how much school each child missed and the reasons behind it. The dozens of honors and awards she received during her career – beginning with a Teacher of the Year Award in her very first year of teaching – and the many students she helped flourish and thrive bear testament to a life well lived.
Charles E. Perry Visionary Award
David M. Callejo Perez ’93 ’00, College of Education
Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Theory and Practice, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
Since earning a doctorate in education from FIU in 2000, Dr. David M. Callejo Perez has excelled as a teacher, historian of education, program developer and mentor at institutions of higher education throughout the country. In the last seven years, he has authored one book, co-edited two others and published several chapters in books as well as dozens of peer-reviewed articles and refereed academic papers. Additionally, he has secured more than $220,000 in grant support for research focused on improving teaching and learning in both rural and urban schools. The publication of his first book, Southern Hospitality: Black Identity and the Civil Rights Movement in the South, helped establish his reputation as a respected historian of education and a curriculum theorist. While a member of the graduate faculty at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he and a colleague developed a highly successful master’s degree program in urban education and diversity. Today, Callejo Perez coordinates the doctoral program in Curriculum and Instruction at West Virginia University and is a education policy and evaluation consultant for rural school districts in Nebraska, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
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