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Marymount University will recognize three alumni, one faculty member and two community members for their professional achievements and service to others at the inaugural 2021 Halo Awards Dinner and Ceremony.<\/p>\n
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The Halo Award recipients include:<\/p>\n
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Thomas J. Donohue <\/strong>ser<\/span>v<\/span>ed as president and <\/span>chief <\/span>executive <\/span>officer of the <\/span>U<\/span>.<\/span>S<\/span>. <\/span>Chamber <\/span>of <\/span>Commerce <\/span>from <\/span>1997 <\/span>to <\/span>2019<\/span>, <\/span>the <\/span>first <\/span>person <\/span>to <\/span>hold <\/span>both <\/span>titles <\/span>concurrently <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>organization<\/span>‘<\/span>s history<\/span>. <\/span>From <\/span>2019 <\/span>to <\/span>2021<\/span>, <\/span>Tom <\/span>served <\/span>as chief executive officer <\/span>alongside <\/span>Suzanne <\/span>Clark<\/span>, <\/span>who <\/span>was <\/span>elevated <\/span>to <\/span>president <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>U<\/span>.<\/span>S<\/span>. <\/span>Chamber. Concluding <\/span>the <\/span>leadership transition<\/span>, <\/span>Tom <\/span>stepped <\/span>down <\/span>from <\/span>his <\/span>role <\/span>as <\/span>CEO <\/span>in <\/span>March <\/span>of <\/span>2021 <\/span>and <\/span>now <\/span>serves <\/span>as an <\/span>advisor <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>organization <\/span>and <\/span>a <\/span>member <\/span>of <\/span>its <\/span>board <\/span>of <\/span>directors<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n During <\/span>his <\/span>tenure<\/span>, <\/span>Donohue <\/span>built <\/span>the <\/span>Chamber <\/span>into <\/span>a <\/span>lobbying and political <\/span>powerhouse with <\/span>expanded <\/span>influence <\/span>across <\/span>the <\/span>globe <\/span>and <\/span>helped secure <\/span>business <\/span>victories <\/span>on <\/span>Capitol <\/span>Hill<\/span>, <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>regulatory agencies<\/span>, in <\/span>politics<\/span>, in <\/span>courts <\/span>of <\/span>law and <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>court <\/span>of <\/span>public <\/span>opinion<\/span>, <\/span>and <\/span>before <\/span>g<\/span>overnments <\/span>around <\/span>the <\/span>world<\/span>. Read More<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology<\/a><\/p>\n Deb Longua-Zamero<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\u00a0is the purple-headed interior architectural designer who, after two decades in the architecture industry, started her own Los Angeles-based design firm, DLZ INTERIORS Inc.<\/a> in 2007. Her work has been featured in design magazines and publications, was a contributing design expert for The Washington Post<\/a>, and has received design, community and public service awards throughout her career. Her clients have included a sitting U.S. President, Hollywood legends, high-profile developers and estate owners, to the everyday homeowner. During her time at Marymount, Longua-Zamero was the Student Chapter President for the American Society of Interior Designers<\/a>, and helped put the University\u2019s Interior Design<\/a> program on the map by leading the chapter to recognitions of Outstanding Student Chapter for the Mid-Atlantic Region, followed by Outstanding Student Chapter for the U.S.<\/p>\n In addition to her professional achievements, Longua-Zamero has been very active in community service since her days at Marymount University. Early on, she understood the value and importance of giving back. In 1990, after years of volunteerism, Longua-Zamero began pro bono design services to help create long term recovery and housing facilities for the unhoused (run by Samaritan Inns<\/a>), which has since transform 15,000 formerly homeless men and women into healthy, productive citizens. Thirty years later, as Board Member and Director of Operations for HOUSINGMV: Mar Vista Task Force on Homelessness<\/a>, and pro bono COO for Asante Mama<\/a>, a social enterprise in Uganda uplifting farm families out of extreme poverty (18,000 and counting), Longua-Zamero continues to make an impact on her community and the world-at-large.<\/p>\n College of Health and Education<\/a><\/p>\n Ms. Marlene Malek<\/strong> is a community activist, health care advocate, and patron of the arts. Marlene earned her degree in Nursing from Marymount in 1979 while also raising her children. In addition to being an alumna, Marlene is an extraordinary advocate and volunteer at Marymount. Marlene serves on the Board of Trustees and has been recognized for her dedication and accomplishments with the Mother Gerard Phelan Gold Medal for exemplary Community Leadership, and the Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award. The Malek School of Nursing Professions is named in honor of Marlene and her late husband Frederic V. Malek for their service and commitment to the institution.<\/p>\n Marlene is Vice Chairman of Friends of Cancer Research which is our country\u2019s leading voice in advocating for policies and solutions that will get treatment to patients in the safest and quickest way possible. She serves on the Board of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, as well as the Duke University\u2019s Cancer Institute. Marlene also served on the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center Leadership Council. Marlene received a Presidential Appointment to the National Cancer Advisory Board at NIH for a six year term.<\/p>\n Marlene was a Presidential Appointee to the Board of Trustees for the J.F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts from 2002-2008, and now serves on their International Committee. Additionally, she serves on the Boards of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Ford\u2019s Theater Society, Vital Voices Global Partnership, Explore Children\u2019s Museum, and the Public Broadcasting for Greater Washington (WETA). Marlene is a member of the Executive Roundtable Board of the Republican Governors Association, and serves on the Board of the George & Barbara Bush Foundation.<\/p>\n The Washingtonian Magazine named Marlene a \u201cWashingtonian of the Year\u201d in 2004, and one of The Most Powerful Women in Washington in 2019.Marlene resides in McLean, VA and has two grown children and five grandchildren.<\/p>\n Alyson McNair<\/b>, a loving wife and mother, was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.\u00a0 She started her career at the age of 14 as a Staff Assistant for East New York Betterment, a nonprofit that assisted the elderly. It was there she learned the importance of nonprofits and their ability to help shape and ultimately change communities.<\/span><\/p>\n Upon graduating from Hofstra University with a B.A. in Political Science, Alyson relocated to the Washington, DC Metro area to work on Capitol Hill. Shortly thereafter, she was able to transfer her invaluable experience gained from her work on the Hill to the private industry with BAE Systems, a defense contracting company.<\/span><\/p>\n At BAE Systems, she worked with the company\u2019s Political Action Committee, Government Affairs, Communications, and Human Resources departments. During her employment with BAE Systems, Alyson understood, even more, the hardships people encountered in their attempts to obtain employment after incarceration. It was with that knowledge she decided to start a nonprofit to address the issue head-on.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Therefore, she began conceptualizing and planning for Perfect, Inc., a nonprofit organization that empowers women formerly incarcerated through employment training, mentorship, mental health support and employment placement with companies providing fair pay and benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n Alyson is passionate about Perfect Inc.\u2019s efforts to create a world whereby women with a history of incarceration can receive the proper support needed to become contributing citizens to society.<\/span><\/p>\n In 2018, Alyson went back to obtain her Master\u2019s in Business Administration and a second Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Merchandising.\u00a0\u00a0She is in the process of obtaining both degrees from Marymount University.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Diane Murphy<\/strong> is a professor and Director of the School of Technology and Innovation at Marymount University. She was educated and worked throughout Europe before coming to the US, where she worked as a government contractor, serial entrepreneur, and for the last 20 years as a college professor here at Marymount. She is a well-respected professor in the information technology field,\u00a0 educating students for high level positions in government and industry. She has an expansive portfolio of publications and conference proceedings in cybersecurity and has worked for several years to increase the number and diversity of females in the cybersecurity workforce, including a number of NSF research projects.\u00a0 She is known for her educational innovation developing and implementing new programs to support our ever-changing digital world. She is actively engaged with students, from introducing high school students to cybersecurity and AI in summer camps to working with doctoral cybersecurity students on their scholarly research. She was named a recipient of the 2020 Commonwealth of Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award for her tireless contribution to education.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/marymount.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Deb-Longua-Zamero-89_headshot-224x300.jpg\")
<\/h2>\nDeb Longua-Zamero ’89<\/h2>\n
Distinguished Alumni Award<\/h3>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/marymount.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Marlene-Malek_Headshot.png\")
<\/p>\nMarlene Malek ’79<\/h2>\n
Distinguished Alumni Award<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nAlyson McNair<\/h2>\n
Saint of Service Award<\/h3>\n
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<\/h2>\nDiane Murphy<\/span><\/h2>\n
Distinguished Faculty Award (Faculty Member of the Year)<\/h3>\n
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<\/h2>\nMelissa (Missy) Wagler ’07
\n1982-2021<\/h2>\nDistinguished Alumni Award<\/h3>\n