Tulane luminaries set to shine at 52nd Alumni Awards Gala

The Tulane Alumni Association’s 52nd annual gala is a marquee event that brings together alumni whose contributions have made a meaningful impact on the university, their communities and the world. This evening of celebration, to be held on April 18, 2026, at the historic Civic Theatre, honors distinguished graduates for their professional achievements, philanthropic leadership and steadfast commitment to service in their communities. 

“The gala shines a light on the impact of Tulanians, reminding us how the leadership and service we learned at Tulane continue to make an impact on campus and within our communities around the world,” says Jon Warkentin (B ’07), Tulane Alumni Association president. 

“It gives us all a meaningful chance to celebrate the many accomplishments of our alumni and come together as a community,” he adds. “It’s always a wonderful time when Tulane alumni gather, and we have much to celebrate with this year’s exceptional honorees.” 

Please join us in congratulating this year’s Tulane Alumni Association award recipients:

Scott Ballard (UC ’95) will receive the Dermot McGlinchey Lifetime Achievement Award. Ballard is the owner of Ballard Brands, LLC, a fast casual dining leader based in Covington, Louisiana and the founder of Ballard Hospitality, LLC, a logistics company that provides lifestyle services, housing and all logistical support to remote sites, among others. Named one of the Gambit's "40 Under 40" businessmen to watch in 2007, Ballard is a dedicated member of the Louisiana community, sharing his talents with numerous boards and councils.

Steven M. Paul (A&S ’72, G *75, M *75) will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award. Paul is the founder and chair of the board at Seaport Therapeutics and a venture partner at Third Rock Ventures. He has over 40 years of experience as a physician-scientist specializing in neuroscience and molecular neuropharmacology and has authored or co-authored more than 600 papers and book chapters.

Ellyn W. Ogden (NC ’82, PHTM *84) will receive the Lisa Jackson Professional Achievement Award. Ogden is a globally recognized expert in polio eradication, infectious disease surveillance and designing outbreak response and immunization campaigns, including in conflict-affected and hard-to-reach areas.

Odaline de la Martínez (NC ’72) will receive the International Award for Exceptional Achievement. The founder and long-time artistic director of the Lontano Ensemble and the founder of the classical label, LORELT, de la Martinez is a Cuban-born British composer and conductor whose work has played a significant role in shaping contemporary music. 

Shawn M. Barney (B ’11) will receive the Community Builder Award. Barney is a co-founder of Campaign for Equity New Orleans, which works to educate, connect and mobilize leadership throughout the city in order to address areas of systematic racism and build a better future for New Orleans.

Dottie Reese (SW *79, PHTM *80) will receive the Scott Cowen Service Award. The co-founder and principal of DMM & Associates in New Orleans, an award-winning consulting firm, Reese has mentored and provided guidance for 40 years to untold numbers of Tulane students and graduates as they successfully navigate the social work profession.

Libby Connolly Alexander (NC ’84) will receive the Bobby Boudreau Spirit Award. Former CEO of Connolly, Inc., Alexander is a distinguished executive, board director, author and philanthropist who has demonstrated a deep and abiding commitment to the university through her visionary leadership and dedicated service.

Maxwell "Max" Steitz (SLA ’20) & Franziska "Fran" Trautmann (SSE ’20) will receive the Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Professional Award. Steitz and Trautmann are co-founders of Glass Half Full, a New Orleans-based glass recycling company that recycles glass waste into sand and gravel to restore eroding coasts and create new glass.

Shelby R. Brown (PHTM ’17, SoPA *23) will receive the Robert V. Tessaro Young Volunteer Award. The senior director of volunteer services and donor relations at Met Council, America’s largest Jewish organization combating poverty, Brown serves as president of the Tulane Club of New York and sits on the executive committee of the Tulane Fund Advisory Board.

Karen B. DeSalvo (M *92, PHTM *92, R *95, R *96) will receive the Tulane Medical Alumni Association Outstanding Alumni Award from the Tulane Medical Alumni Association. DeSalvo is chief health officer at Google and former acting assistant secretary for health with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2020, she received the Lisa P. Jackson Professional Achievement Award. 

Sue Griffey (PHTM *83, PHTM *93) will receive the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Outstanding Alumni Award. A career strategist and founder of SueMentors, a global mentoring consultancy for people in career transitions, Griffey co-founded the mentoring program at the Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Lisa Kelloway Madden (NC ’88, B *89) will receive the A. B. Freeman School of Business Outstanding Alumni Award from the Freeman School. She spent over 35 years working for KPMG before her retirement, serving as vice chair of risk management and leading the firm’s enterprise and operational risk strategy, governance and practices.