The Notre Dame Alumni Association announced its second annual Domer Dozen cohort, honoring 12 graduates ages 32 and younger for significant contributions in their fields, as well as in service to others.
The Domer Dozen program is the signature initiative of YoungND, the Alumni Association’s newest affinity group. The 2020 honorees include alumni who have excelled in health care, childhood education, international aid, faith, cultural advocacy, gender equity and space exploration, among other areas. They were chosen by a selection committee consisting of the YoungND board, University officials and Alumni Association staff, who reviewed more than 140 nominations this past fall and evaluated them based on a weighted ranking system and the nominee’s dedication to at least one of the four core pillars of the association’s mission — faith, service, learning and work.
“I never cease to be amazed by the extraordinary impact our young alumni have in their communities and respective industries,” said Dolly Duffy, executive director of the Alumni Association and associate vice president for University relations. “Our newest Domer Dozen honorees continue to prove this point. Their accomplishments as innovators, faith leaders, educators, advocates, engineers and diplomats are truly remarkable, and I know this is just the beginning of their positive influence on the world.”
The 2020 Domer Dozen honorees are:
- Sara Abdel-Rahim ’17: Breaking barriers for refugee and asylum-seeking chefs
- Nate Alexander ’17: Saving time and expanding the reach of life-saving organ transplants
- Jessica Binzoni ’15 J.D.: Empowering displaced people in the Middle East
- Glynnis Garry, M.D. ’11: Revolutionizing the treatment of heart disease
- Katarina Goitz ’16, ’18 M.A.: An inspiration to a deeper connection with faith
- Maria Hinson Tobin ’14 M.S.: Combating gender inequity in global agriculture
- Terrell Hunt ’19 MBA: Serving the country in pursuit of a better world
- Ashley Kalinauskas ’13 M.S.: Innovating to help pets with cancer
- Bill Kennedy ’17: Enabling humanity’s search for truth through space exploration
- Alexandria Kristensen-Cabrera ’16: Advocating for health care equity among underserved communities
- Kara Strass ’11: Revitalizing Myaamia language, culture and traditions
- Jasmin (Simmons) Tow ’11: Providing innovative educational solutions in low-income schools
The Domer Dozen honorees gathered virtually for an awards show celebration on Tuesday. For more information on this year’s honorees, visit domerdozen.nd.edu and follow YoungND on Instagram.