VCU to celebrate 15 notable alums at biennial Alumni Stars event

By Mark Newton

Virginia Commonwealth University will honor 15 of its most accomplished alumni at the 2026 Alumni Stars ceremony. The biennial event, hosted by VCU Alumni, celebrates alumni from across the university's academic units for their extraordinary personal and professional achievements.

Honorees are selected through faculty recommendations and alumni committees. Recipients will be honored Oct. 9 at the Dewey Gottwald Center at the Science Museum of Virginia.

This year's Alumni Stars are:

• Ella Balasa, School of Life Sciences and Sustainability. A patient advocate working to ensure medical progress is informed not only by science but also by the voices and experiences of the people it serves.
• Carola Bruflat, School of Nursing. A widely published expert on health policy, grassroots advocacy and patient-centered care, and the former president of the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners.
• Robert Carden, Ph.D., College of Health Professions. Transformed Virginia Blood Services into the Commonwealth Transfusion Foundation, creating a lasting legacy of grants, scholarships and educational opportunities.
• Marc W. Cheatham, School of Social Work. Once an intern for Tim Kaine's campaign for lieutenant governor, now the senator's director of constituent services and casework, connecting Virginians with the resources and support they need.
• Woon Chow, M.D., Ph.D., College of Engineering. A five-time VCU graduate who now serves as deputy chief health informatics officer and staff pathologist at the Central Virginia VA Health Care System.
• Edward W. Dadez, Ph.D., College of Humanities and Sciences. President emeritus of Saint Leo University in Florida who credits his experiences at VCU with helping to launch his 45-year career in higher education.
• Emmet Gowin, School of the Arts. An internationally recognized photographer who has captured both intimate family portraits and vast landscapes transformed by natural disasters and human activity.
• Andrew Henritze, D.D.S., School of Dentistry. Has grown his Henritze Dental Group to 14 locations and 21 doctors in Southwest Virginia while giving back to his community.
• Melanie Kay-Wyatt, Ed.D., School of Education. A barrier-breaking educator who currently serves as senior adviser to the state superintendent on agencywide school improvement at the Virginia Department of Education.
• Allegra Newman, Richard T. Robertson School of Communication. A champion of diverse perspectives and character-driven stories as vice president of development for A Bird and a Bear Entertainment.
• Amy Hauck Newman, Ph.D., School of Pharmacy. Serves as scientific director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, chief of the Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, and director of NIDA's Intramural Research Program Medication Development Program.
• David O. Okonkwo, M.D., Ph.D., School of Medicine. A professor of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, executive vice president of UPMC Enterprises and team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Frank W. Rockhold, Ph.D., School of Public Health. Internationally recognized for advancing clinical research and an expert in clinical trial design, patient safety, pharmacovigilance, open science and data monitoring committees.
• Dietra Y. Trent, Ph.D., L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. An expert on historically Black colleges and universities and a former Virginia secretary of education who leads the Virginia HBCU Alliance for Innovation and Community Impact.
• Chris Tsui, School of Business. Founder and president of EAT Restaurant Partners, which operates popular Richmond-area establishments such as Fat Dragon and Red Salt Chophouse & Sushi.