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The Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) has announced the recipients of the 2020 HAA Awards: J. Jacques Carter, M.P.H. ’83, Martin J. “Marty” Grasso Jr. ’78, Cecily Orenstein Morse ’62, Yoshiko J. “June” Nagao ’96, Julie Gage Palmer ’84, and Kenneth A. Powell, M.B.A. ’74.
Established in 1990, the HAA Awards are presented annually to recognize alumni for their outstanding service to Harvard University through leadership and engagement activities.
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[gz_photo_layout_two_col_text image=”311773″ image_sticky=”true” heading=”Martin%20J.%20%E2%80%9CMarty%E2%80%9D%20Grasso%20Jr.%20%E2%80%9978″ text=”Marty%20Grasso%20of%20Swampscott%2C%20Mass.%2C%20is%20an%20enthusiastic%20and%20committed%20volunteer%20leader%20whose%20efforts%20have%20made%20it%20easier%20for%20his%20classmates%20and%20the%20greater%20alumni%20community%20to%20stay%20connected%20to%20each%20other%20and%20to%20Harvard.%20A%20proud%20member%20of%20the%20Harvard%20College%20Class%20of%201978%2C%20Grasso%20was%20selected%20to%20represent%20his%20class%20as%20an%20appointed%20director%20on%20the%20HAA%20board%20and%20has%20either%20chaired%20or%20served%20on%20the%20planning%20committee%20for%20each%20of%20his%20quinquennial%20reunions%20from%20the%205th%20to%20the%2040th.%20In%20addition%20to%20chairing%20the%20HAA%20committee%20charged%20with%20broadening%20engagement%20among%20College%20alumni%20in%20the%2025th%20to%2040th%20reunion%20cohort%2C%20he%20led%20an%20initiative%20to%20reconceive%20how%20the%20HAA%20and%20volunteers%20can%20be%20more%20responsive%20to%20the%20needs%20of%20alumni%20across%20all%20age%20cohorts.%3C%2Fbr%3E%3C%2Fbr%3E%0AGrasso%20has%20also%20held%20several%20roles%20on%20the%20HAA%20Executive%20Committee%2C%20including%20serving%20as%20president%20in%202016%E2%80%9317.%20As%20HAA%20president%2C%20Grasso%20emphasized%20how%20volunteerism%20in%20general%2C%20and%20engagement%20with%20the%20Harvard%20community%20in%20particular%2C%20can%20improve%20the%20quality%20of%20one%E2%80%99s%20life.%20He%20continues%20to%20serve%20on%20the%20HAA%20board%20as%20a%20past%20president%20director%20and%20was%20recently%20elected%20to%20a%20three-year%20term%20on%20the%20board%20of%20the%20Harvard%20Club%20of%20Boston.%3C%2Fbr%3E%3C%2Fbr%3E%0AGrasso%20is%20cofounder%20of%20Pearl%20Street%20Asset%20Management%2C%20where%20he%20serves%20as%20managing%20director%2C%20and%20cofounder%20of%20TMA%20Precision%20Health%2C%20where%20he%20serves%20as%20chief%20of%20enterprise.%20%0A” /]
[gz_photo_layout_two_col_text image=”311774″ image_sticky=”true” heading=”Cecily%20Orenstein%20Morse%20%E2%80%9962″ text=”Cecily%20Morse%20of%20Brookline%2C%20Mass.%2C%20is%20a%20steadfast%20leader%20for%20her%20Radcliffe%20College%20class%20and%20a%20respected%20voice%20for%20a%20generation%20of%20alumnae%20and%20alumni.%20In%201997%2C%20Morse%20was%20honored%20by%20Radcliffe%20with%20an%20award%20for%20distinguished%20service%2C%20including%20several%20years%20as%20director%20of%20development%20and%20alumnae%20affairs%2C%20membership%20on%20the%20Radcliffe%20Quarterly%20editorial%20board%20and%20the%20Arts%20Advisory%20Committee%2C%20and%20many%20class%20leadership%20roles.%20The%20longtime%20president%20of%20the%20Radcliffe%20Class%20of%201962%20and%20a%20frequent%20reunion%20co-chair%2C%20she%20was%20instrumental%20in%20successfully%20bringing%20together%20Harvard%20and%20Radcliffe%20classes%20for%20joint%20reunions.%3C%2Fbr%3E%3C%2Fbr%3E%0AMorse%20fostered%20engagement%20with%20alumni%20beyond%20their%2050th%20reunion%20year%20as%20a%20member%20of%20the%20HAA%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%9Cmaintaining%20connections%E2%80%9D%20committee%20and%20the%20Crimson%20Society%20working%20group%2C%20helping%20to%20plan%20annual%20programming%20for%20alumni%20and%20alumnae%20in%20the%20years%20between%20traditional%20milestone%20reunions%20and%20leading%20a%20task%20force%20that%20advocated%20for%20a%20senior%20living%20option%20on%20Harvard%E2%80%99s%20expanded%20campus%20in%20Allston.%20She%20continues%20to%20serve%20on%20the%20HAA%20board%20as%20a%20director%20for%20Harvard%20College.%3C%2Fbr%3E%3C%2Fbr%3E%0AMorse%20is%20a%20retired%20paintings%20and%20objects%20conservator%20and%20a%20former%20visiting%20scientist%20at%20the%20MIT%20Center%20for%20Materials%20Research%20in%20Archaeology%20and%20Ethnology.%20%0A” /]
[gz_photo_layout_two_col_text image=”311775″ image_sticky=”true” heading=”Yoshiko%20J.%20%E2%80%9CJune%E2%80%9D%20Nagao%20%E2%80%9996″ text=”June%20Nagao%20of%20Tokyo%2C%20Japan%2C%20is%20a%20dedicated%20Harvard%20volunteer%20who%20has%20worked%20to%20strengthen%20the%20alumni%20community%20in%20Japan%20and%20around%20the%20world.%20Nagao%20has%20served%20on%20the%20board%20of%20the%20Harvard%20Club%20of%20Japan%20for%2010%20years%2C%20helping%20to%20deepen%20alumni%20connections%20across%20Harvard%E2%80%99s%20Schools%20and%20the%20Asia-Pacific%20region.%20As%20a%20member%20of%20the%20events%20committee%2C%20she%20helped%20produce%20diverse%20programming%20including%20an%20annual%20intern%20event%20with%20Harvard%E2%80%99s%20Reischauer%20Institute%20of%20Japanese%20Studies%20and%20a%20reception%20for%20Japan%E2%80%99s%20first%20lady%2C%20Akie%20Abe.%3C%2Fbr%3E%3C%2Fbr%3E%0ADedicated%20to%20social%20and%20environmental%20causes%2C%20Nagao%20is%20secretary%20of%20Harvard%20Alumni%20in%20IMPACT%2C%20one%20of%20the%20HAA%E2%80%99s%20newest%20Shared%20Interest%20Groups%20(SIGs)%2C%20which%20brings%20together%20alumni%20across%20sectors%20to%20work%20toward%20innovation%20solutions%20through%20investment%2C%20metrics%2C%20policy%2C%20advocacy%2C%20climate%20action%2C%20and%20technology%20for%20good.%20She%20previously%20served%20on%20the%20HAA%20board%20as%20a%20director%20for%20Clubs%20and%20SIGs%20in%20the%20Asia-Pacific%20region.%20She%20was%20also%20a%20Japan%20representative%20for%20the%20Harvard%20Asian%20American%20Alumni%20Alliance%20SIG%2C%20seeking%20to%20develop%20community%20among%20Asian%20American%20and%20Asian%20alumni%20globally.%3C%2Fbr%3E%3C%2Fbr%3E%0AAfter%20two%20decades%20in%20institutional%20finance%20and%20investments%2C%20Nagao%20cofounded%20Paulownia%20Group%2C%20an%20impact%20investment%20firm.%20She%20also%20serves%20as%20vice%20president%20of%20the%20board%20of%20GONGOVA%2C%20a%20cross-cultural%20NGO%20program%20between%20Japan%20and%20Thailand.%20%0A” /]
[gz_photo_layout_two_col_text image=”311776″ image_sticky=”true” heading=”Julie%20Gage%20Palmer%20%E2%80%9984″ text=”Julie%20Palmer%20of%20Chicago%2C%20Illinois%2C%20has%20empowered%20students%20and%20alumni%20to%20have%20a%20positive%20impact%20in%20their%20own%20communities%20as%20a%20longtime%20alumni%20interviewer%20and%20dedicated%20volunteer%20for%20the%20Harvard%20Club%20of%20Chicago.%20Palmer%20has%20been%20recruiting%20and%20evaluating%20Chicago-area%20applicants%20to%20Harvard%20College%20for%20decades%2C%20cultivating%20critical%20relationships%20with%20fellow%20alumni%2C%20students%2C%20and%20guidance%20counselors.%20In%202006%2C%20she%20joined%20the%20board%20of%20the%20Chicago%20Club%2C%20where%20she%20cofounded%20and%20now%20coordinates%20the%20Harvard%20School%20Liaison%20Program%2C%20which%20pairs%20alumni%20with%20more%20than%20100%20local%20schools.%20She%20also%20co-chairs%20the%20Club%E2%80%99s%20Schools%20and%20Scholarships%20Committee.%20In%202014%2C%20the%20Office%20of%20Admissions%20presented%20her%20with%20the%20Miller-Hunn%20Award%20to%20honor%20her%20outstanding%20service%20as%20an%20alumni%20interviewer.%20A%20former%20HAA%20elected%20director%2C%20she%20currently%20serves%20on%20the%20HAA%20board%20as%20a%20member%20of%20the%20Committee%20to%20Nominate%20Overseers%20and%20Elected%20Directors.%3C%2Fbr%3E%3C%2Fbr%3E%0APalmer%20is%20also%20cofounder%20and%20former%20president%20of%20the%20Harvard%20Alumni%20for%20Global%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Empowerment%20(GlobalWE)%20SIG%20%E2%80%94%20an%20international%2C%20nonpartisan%20organization%20dedicated%20to%20empowering%20women%20and%20raising%20awareness%20about%20access%20to%20education%2C%20political%20rights%2C%20and%20freedom%20from%20violence.%20In%20her%20current%20GlobalWE%20role%2C%20she%20coordinates%20a%20global%20essay%20contest%20giving%20voice%20to%20students%20concerned%20about%20challenges%20facing%20women%20and%20girls%20around%20the%20world.%3C%2Fbr%3E%3C%2Fbr%3E%0AA%20former%20lecturer%20in%20law%20at%20University%20of%20Chicago%20Law%20School%2C%20Palmer%20is%20the%20co-author%20of%20The%20Ethics%20of%20Human%20Gene%20Therapy%20and%20has%20written%20extensively%20on%20medical%20ethics.%0A” /]
[gz_photo_layout_two_col_text image=”311782″ image_sticky=”true” heading=”Kenneth%20A.%20Powell%2C%20M.B.A.%20%E2%80%9974″ text=”Ken%20Powell%20of%20New%20York%20City%20embodies%20the%20notion%20of%20%E2%80%9COne%20Harvard%E2%80%9D%20as%20a%20proud%20champion%20of%20both%20Harvard%20Business%20School%20(HBS)%20alumni%20and%20the%20broader%20Harvard%20alumni%20community%20for%20more%20than%2040%20years.%20Powell%20has%20been%20an%20officer%20and%20board%20member%20of%20the%20HBS%20Club%20of%20New%20York%20%E2%80%94%20including%20three%20terms%20as%20president%20%E2%80%94%20since%201975%2C%20initiating%20vastly%20expanded%20offerings.%20As%20president%20of%20the%20HBS%20alumni%20board%2C%20he%20originated%20the%20first%20HBS%20Global%20Alumni%20Conference%20in%20Paris%2C%20convening%20prominent%20leaders%20from%20across%20Europe.%20He%20is%20a%20former%20vice%20president%2C%20two-time%20nominating%20committee%20chair%2C%20and%20board%20member%20of%20the%20Harvard%20Club%20of%20New%20York%20City%2C%20where%20he%20led%20the%202005%20search%20leading%20to%20the%20Club%E2%80%99s%20first%20general%20manager%20of%20color%20and%20Club%20modernization.%3C%2Fbr%3E%3C%2Fbr%3E%0A%0AIn%20nearly%2025%20year%20as%20president%20of%20the%20HBS%20African-American%20Alumni%20Association%20(HBSAAA)%2C%20he%20endowed%20a%20professorship%2C%20provided%20leadership%20opportunities%2C%20and%20helped%20build%20a%20strong%2C%20vibrant%20community.%20Powell%20has%20inspired%20generations%20to%20pursue%20business%20careers%2C%20see%20HBS%20as%20possible%2C%20and%20expand%20aspirations%20to%20previously%20unimagined%20heights.%20For%20his%20many%20contributions%2C%20the%20HBSAAA%20and%20HBS%20African%20American%20Student%20Union%20honored%20him%20with%20its%20first%20Bert%20King%20Award%20for%20Service%20and%20named%20the%20Kenneth%20A.%20Powell%20Award%20for%20Professional%20Achievement%20in%20his%20honor.%3C%2Fbr%3E%3C%2Fbr%3E%20%0A%0AAn%20experienced%20business%20and%20social%20enterprise%20leader%2C%20Powell%20is%20an%20executive%20coach%20and%20management%20consultant.%0A” /]
