Carnegie Mellon to recognize 11 alumni for outstanding impact and achievement

Carnegie Mellon University alumni are known for changing the world and this year’s 11 Alumni Award honorees are adding to that Tartan legacy.

This year’s honorees are active in fields including computer science, AI and robotics, public service, manufacturing, national security, real estate and infrastructure, private equity and investment, construction, clinical research and environmental advocacy.

“The number of motivated, intelligent and hard-working alumni we have at Carnegie Mellon is inspiring,” says Andrés Vélez, president of the CMU Alumni Association Board. “The 2026 Alumni Award honorees truly serve as an example to all Tartans of what is possible both in professional achievement and personal service.”

Along with incredible professional achievement, this group is also known for its service, by providing support to those who follow in their footsteps, making connections that change lives or uniting others to elevate the human condition.

2026 Founders Medal

The highest honor bestowed by the Carnegie Mellon President, this award recognizes alumni with both a long standing record of service and support to CMU and exceptional professional achievements. This year’s honoree is:

Manuela M. Veloso (SCS 1989, 1992)

Manuela M. Veloso is a global leader in artificial intelligence, computer science and roboticism. From 2018 to 2026, she was the founder and Head of JPMorganChase AI Research and the Herbert A. Simon University Professor Emerita at Carnegie Mellon University, where she also was faculty in the Computer Science Department and head of the Machine Learning Department. At JPMorganChase, she built a team of more than 100 talented members that focused on pillar areas of AI in finance. Veloso has a licenciatura degree in electrical engineering and a Master of Science degree in electrical and computer engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon; a Master of Arts degree in computer science from Boston University; a Ph.D. in computer science from CMU; and honorary doctorates from the Örebro University, Sweden, the Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Portugal, the Université de Bordeaux, France, and the Universidade Católica of Portugal. She served as president of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), is co-founder and a past president of the RoboCup Federation, and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Academy of Sciences of Portugal. Veloso is also a fellow of AAAI, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Association for Computing Machinery. She is the recipient of the ACM/SIGART Autonomous Agents Research Award, the Einstein Chair of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, an NSF Career Award and the Allen Newell Medal for Excellence in Research.

2026 Alumni Awards Honorees

The CMU Alumni Awards are composed of four categories: Alumni Achievement, Alumni Service, Recent Alumni Achievement and Recent Alumni Service. Honorees are nominated by CMU community members and selected by members of the CMU Alumni Association Board Awards Committee based on the impact of nominees’ professional work and/or service to Carnegie Mellon.

Alumni Achievement Awards

CMU is honoring four alumni this year for exceptional accomplishment and leadership in their fields or vocations.

Elin Warn Betanzo (CFA 1998; MCS 1999)

Elin Warn Betanzo is a drinking water expert with more than 25 years of experience in drinking water science, engineering, policy and public health protection. Her work on the lead crises in Washington, D.C., Benton Harbor, Michigan, and Flint, Michigan, has helped shape stronger lead-in-water protections nationwide, including Michigan’s Lead and Copper Rule revisions and the federal Lead and Copper Rule improvements. She also helped Michigan become the first state to pass Filter First requirements for schools and childcare facilities. Elin is the president and founder of Safe Water Engineering LLC, a small consulting firm that works to improve access to safe drinking water through engineering and policy consulting. She earned bachelor’s degrees in piano performance and environmental science from Carnegie Mellon University and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Virginia Tech.
 

Robert Bowser (MCS 1987)

Robert Bowser is an internationally recognized leader in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, known for his discovery and incorporation of biomarkers into ALS clinical trials. He currently serves as chief scientific officer, professor and chair of the Department of Translational Neuroscience at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, and is the principal investigator and leader of the National ALS Clinical Research Consortium. In addition to his academic roles, he co-founded three biotechnology companies — Knopp Biosciences, Iron Horse Diagnostics and nVector, Inc. — to develop diagnostics and treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Robert received a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Carnegie Mellon and a Ph.D. in cell biology from Yale University.

Noah A. Mitz (CFA 2005)

Noah A. Mitz is a three-time Emmy Award-winning television lighting designer whose career spans large-scale broadcasts and events across the globe. His designs for the Oscars, Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, Tony Awards and Golden Globes, as well as for “America’s Got Talent” and “Dancing with the Stars,” have been recognized domestically and internationally. Noah’s portfolio encompasses a variety of genres including talk shows with Conan O’Brien and James Corden, game shows and globally-broadcast special events. Throughout his career, he has established industry standards for lighting in live television production. Noah earned a bachelor’s degree in drama from Carnegie Mellon University in 2005 before moving to Los Angeles to work at Full Flood, Inc., where he currently serves as lighting designer and managing partner.

Merline Saintil (ENG 2005)

Merline Saintil is a software engineer turned Silicon Valley COO and investor whose leadership has transformed businesses and boardrooms across the country. She is an active angel investor in enterprise technology, AI and deep tech who has taken six companies through their IPOs. Saintil is currently building A10L Ventures, a holding company that acquires and transforms businesses through AI and human-machine collaboration. She is co-founder of Black Women on Boards, chairs the nominations and governance committee at Symbotic, serves as chair of the compensation committee at TD Synnex, and is lead independent director of Rocket Lab. Prior to her board work, Saintil held executive leadership roles at Intuit, Yahoo, PayPal, Adobe, Joyent and Sun Microsystems. She received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Florida A&M University and a master’s degree in software engineering management from Carnegie Mellon University, and is an alumna of Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.

Alumni Service Awards

Four alumni will receive recognition for their dedicated and impactful service to the university and its students and alumni.

Robert D. Bowie (ENG 1989)

Robert D. Bowie is a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general recognized for his dedicated service and leadership to his country and alma mater. He serves as president of CMU’s Black Alumni Association, and is also a member of the Black Alumni Association Endowment Board, the College of Engineering’s Dean’s Advocacy Council, and the Andrew Carnegie Society. Bowie’s 35-year military career included various operational and Headquarters Air Force staff assignments as a civil engineer. He has commanded at the squadron and group level and held critical leadership roles for four presidential inaugurations, among other assignments. He is the founder and owner of Quantum Leap Services LLC, a construction and consulting company. Bowie earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and mathematics from CMU, a master’s degree in public administration from Northern Michigan University and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the Air War College.

Alex DiClaudio (DC 2009; HNZ 2011)

Alex DiClaudio is an interdisciplinary entrepreneur who has spent more than a decade serving Carnegie Mellon University as a dedicated alumni leader. He is one of the longest-serving members of the Alumni Association Board, having served for 11 years, including two as president. He was also co‑chair of the Tepper School of Business Undergraduate Alumni Task Force and a member of the Fence Working Group. He currently serves on the Dietrich College Dean’s Advisory Board. Professionally, DiClaudio is the co-founding managing director and executive vice president at Bedford Management Partners. His career in the energy and private equity sectors has also included positions at HiUp Enterprises North America, Blue Tip Energy and the Energy Innovation Center Institute.He is also an independent producer whose credits include Broadway, TV and social media. DiClaudio received a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in arts management from CMU.

Greg H. Gonzalez (CIT 2007, 2008)

Greg H. Gonzalez was a member of the Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team from 2003 to 2008. He has led planning for the CMU Men’s Basketball Alumni Weekend since 2016. Under his leadership, participation has grown to more than 100 attendees, including multiple generations of players. He has also expanded programming to include an alumni basketball game, charitable dinner and mentorship opportunities between current student-athletes and former players. Gonzalez earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from CMU. He played professional basketball in Germany and Puerto Rico before beginning a career in construction focused on public and private infrastructure. In 2021, he founded Anaqua Investments Group, a private investment firm focused on commercial real estate and infrastructure.

Lisa Salley (CIT 1987)

Lisa Salley is a national security thought leader who is recognized for her service and dedication to Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering and Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). She currently serves on the MSE Alumni Advisory Council and on the College of Engineering’s Dean’s Advocacy Council. She was the keynote speaker for the MSE Graduate Student Symposium in 2022, served on the university’s Admission Council for 11 years and is an active member of the CMU Black Alumni Association and CMU’s Philadelphia Regional Network. Professionally, Lisa is the founder of Heritage Solutions Group, a boutique strategic growth consultancy. She has also spent the past seven years developing a recyclability company built on licensed green chemistry. Lisa holds a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering and materials science from Carnegie Mellon and a master’s degree in decision sciences and engineering systems from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Recent Alumni Achievement Award

This award is presented to alumni who graduated in the last decade for exceptional professional or vocational accomplishment. This year’s honoree is:

Lindsay Powell (HNZ 2017)

Lindsay Powell was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in September 2023. Since taking office, she has co-launched a bipartisan housing caucus and taken the lead on legislation to protect access to reproductive healthcare clinics, increase public transit funding and improve the state’s aging housing infrastructure. She also serves as the city vice chair of the Allegheny County Delegation, secretary of the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus and board member of the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Prior to her election, Powell was the director of workforce strategies at InnovatePGH and assistant chief of staff for the City of Pittsburgh. She was recognized as one of Pittsburgh Magazine’s “40 Under 40” in 2019 and was also featured in The Incline’s “Who’s Next: Politics” series. Powell earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Wheaton College and a master’s degree in public policy management from CMU’s Heinz College.

Recent Alumni Service Award

This award is presented to alumni who graduated in the last decade for volunteer service to the university or any of its alumni organizations. This year’s honoree is:

Rodolfo Scannone (HNZ 2018)

Originally from Venezuela, Rodolfo Scannone earned his master of science degree in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy in 2018. Since graduating, he has remained actively engaged with the CMU community by advising incoming and prospective students, participating in Heinz College events in the Washington, D.C. area and speaking with students about careers in public policy, international development and international organizations. He has supported alumni engagement initiatives, including helping to organize CMU's Globally Plaid gatherings in Washington, D.C. Scannone currently serves as a partnerships specialist at the Global Partnership for Education, where he supports global initiatives focused on climate-smart education, school health and nutrition, safe learning, gender equality and education technology across low- and middle-income countries. His continued engagement with Carnegie Mellon reflects his commitment to giving back to the university community and supporting the next generation of public policy leaders.

About the Alumni Awards

Nearly 1,000 Carnegie Mellon alumni have been honored for their service to the university and their outstanding accomplishments in the arts, humanities, sciences, technology, business and more as part of the CMU Alumni Awards program. Each of these Tartans has added to Carnegie Mellon’s legacy of impact. This year’s Alumni Award ceremony will be held on Friday, Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the Kresge Theatre of the College of Fine Arts Building during the university’s annual Homecoming Weekend.