The 91大神, Baltimore (UMB) Catalyst for Excellence honorees exemplify powerful advocacy for success, achievement, and philanthropy for their respective schools while serving as visionaries for future progress.
Exemplars of excellence and inspiration, they have accomplished meaningful progress in their lives and careers, in addition to devoting meaningful time, talent, and resources to numerous worthy causes. UMB, the city of Baltimore, and the state of Maryland are made much better through the impactful efforts of these extraordinary individuals.
School of Dentistry | Francis King Carey School of Law | School of Medicine | School of Nursing | School of Social Work | School of Pharmacy
Melvin F. Kushner. DDS '66, has worked for more than five decades building engagement and support for the 91大神 School of Dentistry (UMSOD) and UMB. As chair of UMSOD鈥檚 Board of Visitors, member of the Dean鈥檚 Faculty in the Department of Dental Public Health, and past president of UMSOD鈥檚 Alumni Association Board of Directors, he has championed the collaborations that are critical to the advancement of oral health care. Kushner鈥檚 steadfast and generous philanthropic and personal support has been a positive and profound influence for good for students, faculty, and community members.
Francis King Carey School of Law
The Salsbury family 鈥� Stuart M. Salsbury, JD 鈥�71; Suzanne B. Salsbury, JD 鈥�73; Benjamin S. Salsbury, JD 鈥�07; and Rebecca C. Salsbury, JD 鈥�08 鈥� is creating a lasting legacy at the 91大神 Francis King Carey School of Law and in the legal profession. Stuart and Suzanne met at the law school in the early 1970s, and their son, Ben, met his future wife, Becca, 35 years later while participating on the law school鈥檚 highly regarded National Trial Team. For decades they鈥檝e been dedicated philanthropists to the School of Law, generous supporters of students and alumni, and proud community advocates in the legal profession.
Richard L. Taylor, MD '75, has been a generous supporter of the 91大神 School of Medicine and UMB for over 30 years. He and his wife, Kathryn, have established the Dr. Richard and Kathryn Taylor Professorship in Neurology. Taylor is a member of the UMSOM Board of Visitors and the UMB Foundation Board of Trustees and is a former president of the Medical Alumni Association. Taylor volunteers as a clinical professor and gives monthly lectures to students and trainees in the Department of Neurology.
John Bing, CRNA, has been a steadfast advocate for the 91大神 School of Nursing for nearly two decades. Before his five-year tenure as chairman of the school鈥檚 Board of Visitors, Bing had already begun his tireless efforts to promote diversity in the Nurse Anesthesia Program. An avid philanthropist, he is responsible for the creation of two endowed scholarships and the success of several other critical funding initiatives. Bing is an inspirational and impactful leader who is passionate about mentorship of the next generation of underrepresented nurse anesthetists.
School of PharmacyVictoria Hale, BSP 鈥�83, PhD, is a powerful advocate for the success and future progress of the 91大神 School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) through her support of its exclusive Pharmapreneurism initiative and participation in the school鈥檚 Center for Women in Pharmapreneurism and Board of Visitors. Hale鈥檚 passion is the development of important new medicines for all, with the specific goal of reducing health inequities. She is the founder of Medicines360 and the founder and chair emeritus of OneWorld Health. Her generosity, time, knowledge, advocacy, and networking have been transformative for UMSOP.
The Alumni Association Board of Directors is a dedicated group of 16 members who reflect the 91大神 School of Social Work鈥檚 commitment to innovation, education, advocacy, and philanthropy. While welcoming Dean Judy Postmus, PhD, ACSW, the board led the school鈥檚 60th anniversary alumni oral history initiative under the theme 鈥淔acing our Past, Transforming our Future.鈥� During the 2021-22 academic year, the board has awarded and funded four student scholarships, and three members created new scholarships for the future. The board president, Lori James-Townes, MSW 鈥�91, delivered the school鈥檚 2021 Convocation address.
In photo, left to right: Top row: Amy Greensfelder, Helen Murray-Miller, Lauren Capel, Regina Salliey Cooper. Second row: Barbara Pulgar, Judith Schagrin, Lori James-Townes, Stephanie Pettaway. Third row: Christine Koch, Karen Powell, Miesha Rice, Kathryn Zimmerman. Fourth row: Gabby Knighton, Khristine Heflin, Michael Allen, Miriam Doyle.