1,050 teachers in professional development programs
1,200 high school students mentored in LSC’s Partners in Science program over 35 years
13,000+ family memberships
20,000+ annual attendance at LSC After Dark events for 21+ guests
89 - foot domed screen in the 400-seat Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium
181,000 annual attendees at shows in the planetarium
437 summer campers at LSC Science Camp
9,700 students experienced Live From Surgery procedures
110+ species of animals in our collections
60 tons of sand buries replica fossils of seven prehistoric species in Dino Dig Adventure
425 feet of model railroad track carry 5 different model trains in The Great Train Set
40 Genius Award honorees have been celebrated at LSC’s annual Genius Gala
THE POWER OF LSC
Welcome to our 13th annual Genius Gala, our yearly celebration of great thinkers and doers in science and technology. Tonight we’ll bestow Genius Awards, including our first Courage In STEM Award, on four amazing women and men of science.
Our Genius Gala aims to treat scientists as the heroes they are. Our 2025 awardees are Jennifer Doudna, the Berkeley biochemist and Nobel laureate who invented the CRISPR gene-editing technology; Edgar McGregor, the Altadena meteorologist who saved hundreds of lives in the recent California fires with his hyper-local forecasts; Roya Mahboob, who defied the Taliban to teach coding and robotics to Afghan girls; and artist Leo Villareal, who has used light as a medium to create some of the largest public art installations in the world.
Tonight we’ll also recognize cardiac surgeon Margarita Camacho, who performed 750 whole heart transplants in her career at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and inspired thousands of students in LSC’s signature Live From Surgery and Meet the Surgeon programs. Our day job at Liberty Science Center is to bring the power, promise, and excitement of science to learners of all ages, and no one does that better than Dr. Camacho.
More than 750,000 children and adults visit LSC annually, and our attendance keeps growing. We have been a respected leader in informal STEM education for more than 30 years, serving 280,000 students and teachers annually and partnering with 3,257 schools and 1,735 education groups in the past six years alone. From pioneering programming such as Live From Surgery, world-class facilities like the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium (the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere), and immersive experiences like Dino Dig Adventure to our team of passionate and knowledgeable STEM educators, LSC is uniquely positioned to ignite and sustain interest in science and technology.
In our exhibition galleries, science comes alive through compelling hands-on and minds-on experiences. Guests inspired by Jennifer Doudna can learn about CRISPR gene-editing technology in our exhibit called Making Mammoths. Our premium exhibition gallery is currently hosting Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, the largest collection of objects recovered from the infamous disaster and a full-scale recreation of
first-class and third-class cabins. Visitors are given boarding passes of actual passengers when they enter the exhibition and they learn their fate when they exit. Titanic will be at LSC until September 1. Grossology, which explores the science of bodily functions, opens this summer in our young learner gallery.
We are in the process of updating and reimagining exhibits on the ecosystem of the Hudson River, climate change, and energy, and we have plans to complete our popular hall of wild animals. We are also working to activate outdoor space to better serve our surging attendance.
LSC’s most ambitious expansion project is SciTech Scity. Set to start opening in 2026, this 30-acre, $450-million innovation campus is devoted to reimagining high school science education and identifying world-changing technologies that can help address humanity’s greatest challenges. In 2024 we launched the SciTech Scity Healthcare Innovation Engine, a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership to drive healthcare innovation through digital technologies in the home. Its goal is to deliver realworld proof of concepts that digital-first approaches to healthcare can work, especially in underserved populations, creating blueprints that can be scaled to the rest of the state and the country. This month we’ll launch patient pilots with startups in cardiovascular health and mental health.
As we continue creating an extended community of future-focused citizens, Liberty Science Center is hopeful and optimistic about where humanity is headed. We strive to lay the groundwork for a brilliant tomorrow by inspiring future geniuses every day. And it’s LSC’s generous supporters and friends—like you— who make it possible. Thank you!
Onward and Upward,
The Genius Gala is our celebration honoring great thinkers and doers in science and technology. Proceeds from the Genius Gala make world-class science learning accessible to students, teachers, and families, including those in high-needs communities. The event, which has become the premier gala of the spring season, is attended by hundreds of business leaders, scientists and politicians.
In 2024, LSC presented awards to Andrea “Annie” Kritcher, the design lead of the world’s first controlled nuclear fusion reaction that released more energy than it consumed; Joseph Graves, Jr., PhD, groundbreaking evolutionary biologist and author, most recently, of A Voice in the Wilderness; and Nicholas Schiff, MD, creator of innovative treatments to reverse traumatic brain injury.
DISTINGUISHED PRESENTERS
David Blaine Magician & Endurance Artist
Buzz Aldrin Astronaut
Catherine Coleman Astronaut
Neil deGrasse Tyson Astrophysicist Helen Marouli Olympic Wrestler
Susan Sarandon Actor John Urschel Mathematician & Pro Football Player
George Harris QualComm Tricorder
Basil Harris QualComm Tricorder
Winner
Chris Hadfield Astronaut
Whoopi Goldberg Actor
Nate Silver Statistician
JEFF BEZOS
KATALIN KARIKÓ
UMA VALETI
JOHN MATHER ANDREA “ANNIE” KRITCHER
PRIYAMVADA NATARAJAN
JOSEPH GRAVES, JR.
WILLIAM SHATNER
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR CHAIRS FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO THE GALA
PLATINUM CHAIR
Paul and Phyllis Fireman
The Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation
INNOVATION CHAIRS
Bruce L. Levy
President and CEO, BMR Energy
John H. and Regina K. Scully
Gregory Tusar
Head of Institutional Product, Coinbase
Josh Weston
Honorary Chairman, ADP
CO-CHAIRS
David Barry
Founder and CEO, Urby
Sheri B. Bronstein
Chief People Officer, Bank of America
Alma DeMetropolis
Managing Director, Market Manager; J.P. Morgan Private Bank
Clarissa Goncalves
CFO, Global Product & Technology, Global Security, Strategy, and Procurement, ADP
Richard M. Hodosh
Former Medical Director, Atlantic Brain and Spine Institute
Anthony T. Skiadas, CPA EVP, CFO, Verizon Communications
Caroline Tillet
PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Kenvue
Timothy Tracy
Global Client Service Partner, Americas Private Equity Leader, EY
GENIUS GALA 2025 PLATINUM CHAIR
PAUL AND PHYLLIS FIREMAN
The Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation
Paul Fireman is a businessman and humanitarian best known for his 26-year tenure as Chairman and CEO of Reebok International, Ltd. During this time, he led the company to become one of the world’s largest athletic shoe companies.
Fireman is also known for his advocacy for human rights and social responsibility. He challenged corporate America to prioritize social responsibility and demonstrated that companies could be successful financially while also serving the public good. In 1988, Fireman established the annual Reebok Human Rights Awards recognizing activists under the age of 30 who exposed and reduced human rights atrocities.
In collaboration with his wife, Phyllis, they founded the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation in 1985, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the lives of individuals and communities in need. The foundation supports education, healthcare, and improving the lives of children and families. One of the foundation’s most successful initiatives is the creation of One Family, Inc. in 2000. This Massachusettsbased nonprofit is dedicated to ending family homelessness and breaking the cycle of poverty through advocacy, education, and innovation.
Phyllis and Paul Fireman have been married for 61 years and have three children and nine grandchildren. Their philanthropic efforts have made a significant impact on the lives of many, and they continue to inspire others to make positive changes in their communities.
GENIUS GALA 2025 INNOVATION CHAIRS
BRUCE L. LEVY President and CEO, BMR Energy
Mr. Levy has worked in the electric power and energy industry for more than 35 years and is currently the President and CEO of BMR Energy. BMR Energy, a Virgin Group company, is a developer, owner and operator of clean energy projects in the Caribbean and Latin America. BMR currently owns and operates wind and solar power projects in Jamaica, Guatemala, US Virgin Islands, Costa Rica and the Cayman Islands with additional renewable energy projects under development throughout the region.
Prior to founding BMR Energy, Levy was the CEO of International Power’s North American IPP business, responsible for over 7,000 MW of oil, gas, coal, wind and solar power generation throughout the US and Canada. Before IP, he served as CFO of GPU, Inc., an electric utility company serving over 2 million customers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Levy also previously served as President and CEO of GPU International which developed and operated power generation and electric utility systems through the US, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from City College of New York, an MBA in finance from New York University and is a licensed professional engineer. Levy has been a member of Liberty Science Center’s Board of Trustees since 1999.
JOHN H. AND REGINA K. SCULLY
John H. Scully is a founding partner of SPO Partners. Mr. Scully began his investing career after receiving his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1968 and his AB from Princeton University in 1966. From 1971 to 1991, Scully was a founding general partner of Texas Partners, a Bass family investment entity. He is the founder and chairman of Making Waves Education Foundation whose mission is to advance educational opportunities for college-bound, career-minded, historically underrepresented, and underserved youth. Scully is a former trustee and a vice chairman of the board of trustees of Stanford University as well as a former chair of its finance committee. He also served as the vice chair and is a former director of Stanford Hospital & Clinics. He is a former trustee of Princeton University where he served as chair of the finance committee. He also served on the board of the Success Academy Schools based in New York City. Since 1999, Scully has been a limited partner of the San Francisco Giants baseball team.
Regina K. Scully is Founder and CEO of Artemis Rising Foundation, an organization dedicated to transforming our culture through media, arts, and education. She has produced over 200+ documentary films focused on some of the most pressing social justice issues of our time. She is an Emmy, Academy and Peabody Award-winning producer. Ms. Scully’s films include: What Would Sophia Loren Do? (2021), Fantastic Fungi (2020), Miss Representation (2010), The Invisible War (2012), Common Ground (2023), Kiss The Ground (2020), The Biggest Little Farm (2019), Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (2018), The Hunting Ground (2015), Fed Up (2014), The Great Hack (2019), Anita: Speaking Truth To Power (2013), Newtown (2016), Eagle Huntress (2016), Dolores (2017), One Of Us (2017), This Changes Everything (2019),MayaAngelou:AndStillIRise (2016), and The Return of Tanya Tucker (2022).
Scully is the founding sponsor of the Athena Film Festival (Barnard College, NYC), which is dedicated to celebrating and elevating women’s leadership. She is a 15+ year member of Impact Partners, an organization dedicated to supporting independent documentary storytelling and the wider documentary community. Scully is also a principal funder of Gamechanger Films, a development company dedicated to groundbreaking narratives that disrupt the status quo and advance the cultural conversation. She is founder and CEO of RPR Marketing Communications, a public relations and marketing agency in NYC. Scully is co-founder of the Making Waves Academy Charter School in Richmond, CA. She is a board member of the Women’s Media Center, Harvard Women’s Leadership Board, and The Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences.
GENIUS GALA 2025 INNOVATION CHAIRS
GREGORY TUSAR
Head of Institutional Product, Coinbase
Mr. Tusar is a senior executive with more than 25 years of experience in securities trading and technology. Prior to his role at Coinbase, Tusar was the head of Client Market Making and Execution Services at KCG in New York City. There he was responsible for wholesale market making and algorithmic trading among other groups, taking a lead role in recasting the company’s strategy through refocusing on new business units, building up ETF sales and trading, and refining and expanding firm-wide recruiting.
Before joining KCG, Tusar spent 13 years at Goldman Sachs in various roles related to the firm’s algorithmic trading business. He became a managing director in 2003 and a partner in 2008. He began his career as the fourth employee at the electronic start-up company TLW Securities.
Tusar also serves as a trustee of the Raptor Trust in Stirling, NJ, and proprietor of the family owned and operated hobby store The Bearded Dragon Games. He resides in Bernardsville, NJ.
JOSH S. WESTON
Honorary Chairman, ADP
Mr. Weston served as CEO of Automatic Data Processing (ADP) for 15 years before retiring in 1998. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from City College of New York, and a Master of Arts in economics from the University of New Zealand. Weston is a Fulbright Scholar who also holds several honorary degrees.
Weston’s commitment to education and human rights is evident in his extensive and enduring board service. He currently serves on many pro bono boards, including: International Rescue Committee, WNET (PBS), NJ Performing Arts Center, NJ Food Bank, Tel Aviv Foundation, Boys Town Jerusalem, Safe Water Network, American-Israel Friendship League, KIPPNJ Schools, and FIRST Robotics. He also has served on the President’s Task Force to Improve Veterans’ Healthcare, the National Commission to Restructure the IRS, GAO Advisory Board, and DOD Tail-to-Tooth Commission.
Weston lives in New Jersey and has four children.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MANAGING TRUSTEES
David Barry, CO-CHAIR Founder and CEO, Urby
Sheri B. Bronstein, VICE CHAIR Chief People Officer, Bank of America
Kenneth Burke SVP, General Counsel and Head of Compliance, VCP, Vista Equity Partners
Jeanette Calandra
Global Technology, Media & Telco Advisory Leader, PwC
Alma DeMetropolis, VICE CHAIR Managing Director, Market Manager; J.P. Morgan Private Bank
Clarissa Goncalves CFO, Global Product & Technology, Global Security, Strategy, and Procurement, ADP
Richard M. Hodosh, MD, VICE CHAIR Former Medical Director, Atlantic Brain and Spine Institute
Stephen R. Howe, Jr., CO-CHAIR Retired Chairman, Ernst & Young LLP
Ralph Izzo Retired Chairman of the Board, CEO, President, PSEG
Bruce L. Levy, TREASURER President and CEO, BMR Energy
W. Nevins McCann, JD JD, Partner, Connell Foley
Laura Overdeck, VICE CHAIR Founder, Bedtime Math
Chirag Patel Co-CEO and President, Amneal Pharmaceuticals
Marc O. Pavese Partner and Head of Data-Driven Insights, Lord Abbett
Al Reba SVP, Cardiovascular & Immunology Commercialization, Bristol Myers Squibb
Jameson Schriber Partner, Goldman Sachs
Regina Scully
Founder and CEO, Artemis Rising Foundation
Anthony T. Skiadas EVP, CFO, Verizon Communications
Global Client Service Partner, Americas Private Equity Leader, EY
Gregory Tusar Head of Institutional Product, Coinbase
Josh S. Weston, CHAIRMAN EMERITUS Honorary Chairman, ADP
Jennifer Yettke Founder, Customer Logic LLC
Ning Yuan Honorary Chairman, CSCEC Holding Company, Inc.
ADVISORY TRUSTEES
Brian Carlin Head of Banking US, UBS
Michael Graham COO, Fairview Insurance Agency Associates
Lyndsay Harris-Kyei Senior Director of ESG Social Strategy, ServiceNow
Michele Holcomb, PhD
Former EVP, Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, Cardinal Health
Sunita Holzer
Chief Human Resources Officer, Verisk
Ganga Kannan
Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group
Rachana Kumar
Former CTO, Etsy
Jerome B. Zeldis, MD, PhD EVP for Research and Development, NexImmune Inc.
HONORARY CHAIR
EMERITUS
William A. Tansey, III, MD, FACC Cardiologist
HONORARY TRUSTEES
Hon. Steven Fulop Mayor of Jersey City
Hon. Thomas H. Kean
Founding Governor
Ralph LaRossa President and CEO, PSEG
PAUL HOFFMAN President and CEO
Paul Hoffman has led LSC since 2011. He is also the founder and CEO of SciTech Scity, LSC’s partnership with Jersey City to create a 30-acre innovation campus to launch and grow world-changing science and technology start-up companies and reimagine high-school science education.
As a writer, Hoffman’s work explores the relationship between genius, madness, obsession and creativity. He is the author of 11 books, most recently a memoir about the world of championship chess, King’s Gambit: A Son, a Father, and the World’s Most Dangerous Game. His previous book, Wings of Madness: Alberto Santos-Dumont and the Invention of Flight, was a finalist for The Los Angeles Times Book Prize and was the basis of a television documentary for Nova. Hoffman’s first biography, The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdös
and the Search for Mathematical Truth, was published in 16 languages and won the RhônePoulenc prize for best science book of the year.
Hoffman was president and editor in chief of Discover magazine; president and publisher of Encyclopaedia Britannica; and the editorial chairman of BigThink.com for which he conducted video interviews with Noam Chomsky, Richard Dawkins, Ray Kurzweil, Penn Jillette, Annie Duke, Garry Kasparov, Ed Koch, Jonathan Irving, Gay Talese, Jonathan Ames, and Nobel laureates James Watson and Orhan Pamuk.
A noted expert on the public understanding of science, Hoffman has advised NASA, the National Science Foundation, the National Academy of Engineering, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Hoffman was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College.
He was the color commentator for 17 hours of live chess on ESPN. He has played chess with Magnus Carlsen, Garry Kasparov, Judit Polgár, and Howard Stern, and he was taken into custody in Libya when he tried to play chess with the late Muammar el-Qaddafi.
The proud father of a young furniture designer, Hoffman is co-owner of two Brooklyn restaurants, San Pedro Inn and Rucola. Because of his penchant for long exploratory walks around New York City. The New York Times called him “Mayor of Strange Places.” Chicago magazine once called him “the smartest man in the world,” but Hoffman says the editors must have caught him on a particularly good day.
Tamour Kousha Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Kelleen Madden Head of Guest & Building Operations
Paul Marsh Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Liza Rawson Head of Exhibitions
Alexander Richter
Executive Director & Head of SciTech Innovation Hub
Ivory Williams Vice President, STEM Education
Liberty Science Center’s mission is to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers and excite learners of all ages about the power, promise, and pure fun of science and technology.
GENIUS GALA 13
WELCOME
HONORABLE GOV. PHILIP MURPHY
• LSC PRESIDENT AND CEO
Paul Hoffman
• FIRST GENIUS AWARD
Edgar McGregor
• COURAGE IN STEM AWARD
Roya Mahboob
• DINNER SERVICE
• PERFORMANCE: JUDE KOFIE
• SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF DR. MARGARITA CAMACHO
•
SECOND GENIUS AWARD
Leo Villareal
•
THIRD GENIUS AWARD
Jennifer Doudna
•
PHASER SALUTE TO DESSERT
Guests are invited to The Sweet Spot (PSE&G Court) for dessert, mingling, and dancing.
Program subject to change & surprises!
2O25 GENIUS AWARD HONOREE
JENNIFER A. DOUDNA
Biochemist and Nobel Prize-winning co-inventor of CRISPR technology
Jennifer Doudna, PhD, is a biochemist at the University of California, Berkeley. Her groundbreaking development of CRISPR-Cas9 — a genome engineering technology that allows researchers to edit DNA — with collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier earned the two the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and forever changed the course of human and agricultural genomics research.
Doudna is also the founder of the Innovative Genomics Institute, the Li Ka Shing chancellor’s chair in Biomedical and Health Sciences, and a member of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Gladstone Institutes, the National Academy of Sciences, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is a leader in the global public debate on the responsible use of CRISPR and has co-founded and serves on the advisory panel of several companies that use the technology in unique ways. Doudna is the co-author of A Crack in Creation, a personal account of her research and the societal and ethical implications of gene editing. Learn more at innovativegenomics.org/jennifer-doudna.
2O25 GENIUS AWARD HONOREE
EDGAR MCGREGOR
Altadena Meteorologist
Edgar McGregor is a meteorologist and environmentalist living in Pasadena, California. His knowledge of Santa Ana windstorms and his forecast of the January 7, 2025 California Firestorm brought life-saving information to thousands of his neighbors, many of whom lost homes.
McGregor regularly posted hyperlocal weather forecasts for thousands of followers and neighbors in the San Gabriel Mountains Foothill communities of Los Angeles. Beginning on December 30, 2024, he repeatedly warned about “extraordinarily high fire weather conditions” across Southern California during the January 7, 2025 Santa Ana windstorm, preparing his community for what ultimately would become one of the largest urban fire conflagrations in US history.
McGregor has conducted 2,000+ daily trash pickups at local hiking trails and shares litter-picking techniques to his tens of thousands of followers. He runs a Patreon service to bring hyperlocal written weather forecasts to his neighborhoods sent directly to their inbox every 48 hours.
2O25 COURAGE IN STEM AWARD HONOREE
ROYA MAHBOOB
Founder of the All-Girl Afghan Dreamers Robotics Team
The recipient of LSC’s inaugural Courage in STEM Award, Roya Mahboob, 38, is an Afghan tech entrepreneur who founded and coached the all-girl robotics team known as the Afghan Dreamers. Death threats from the Taliban and others did not deter her from promoting computer education and employment opportunities for young women in Afghanistan.
As the founder and CEO of Citadel Software in Herat, she is one of Afghanistan’s first female tech CEOs in a country in which only 5% of women work and 20% are literate. Named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2013, Mahboob created nine tech education centers for high school girls in Afghanistan and similar programs in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
2O25 GENIUS AWARD HONOREE
LEO VILLAREAL
Artist
Leo Villareal is a Mexican-American light artist based in New York City. His work is in the permanent collections of the National Gallery in Washington, D.C., The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Buffalo AKG Museum in Buffalo, NY, among others. Villareal also creates monumental, site-specific works including The Bay Lights (2013), a 1.8 mile long installation of 25,000 white LED lights on San Francisco’s Bay Bridge. In April 2021, he unveiled Illuminated River, which spans nine bridges along the River Thames in London, from the London to Lambeth Bridges, uniting them into a single monumental work of public art.
Recently his work has been exhibited at Pace Gallery in New York, Geneva, London, and Palo Alto; the El Paso Museum of Art, El Paso, Texas; UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing; and the Jewish Historical Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands. He is represented by Pace Gallery.
Villareal was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and grew up in El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Chihuahua. He attended Portsmouth Abbey School in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and received his BA in sculpture from Yale University in 1990 and his master’s degree in Interactive Telecommunications from New York University in 1994. After graduating from NYU, Villareal moved to San Francisco to work for three years at Paul Allen’s private research lab, Interval Research, in Palo Alto. Since 2004, Villareal has served on the board of Ballroom Marfa in Marfa, Texas, a dynamic, contemporary cultural arts space. In 2011, Villareal proudly joined the board of the Burning Man Project. He currently lives in downtown Manhattan with his wife, Yvonne Force Villareal, and their two children.
MARGARITA T. CAMACHO, MD
Cardiac Surgeon
Margarita Camacho, MD, has devoted her life to exploring the mysteries of the human heart. Dr. Camacho has performed 750 whole heart transplants at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. She specializes in cardiac transplantation and mechanical circulatory support, especially through VADs (ventricular assistive devices), and she is the first woman ever to be honored with the American Heart Association Distinguished Service Award.
Here at Liberty Science Center, Dr. Camacho is a superstar to our educators and our STEM learners. Since 2013 Dr. Camacho has inspired over 13,000 students participating in LSC’s signature Live From Surgery and Meet the Surgeon programs. Our students—many of whom aim to go on to careers in medicine and biotech—learn about risk factors for heart disease, mechanical hearts, assistive devices, and new cardiac transplant technologies and procedures from one of the best and most experienced cardiac surgeons in the world.
Prior to joining Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in 2005, Dr. Camacho served as Clinical Associate at the Cleveland Clinic where she received the Charles Bryan Award for clinical excellence. She received her medical degree from New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY, and completed fellowships in cardiothoracic surgery and pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
In 2012, she was honored by The Executive Women of New Jersey, and received the 2014 Healthcare Professional of the Year Award from the New Jersey Hospital Association. She is President of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Medical Women’s Association, Vice President-elect of the New Jersey Society of Thoracic Surgeons, past chair of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Workforce on Endstage Cardiopulmonary Disease, and past President of the Society of Women in Thoracic Surgery.
Please join us tonight as we honor Dr. Margarita T. Camacho for her tireless, exceptional, and inspiring work.
GENIUS GALA 2O25 PRESENTERS
PHILIP D. MURPHY
Governor of New Jersey
Phil Murphy was sworn in for a second term as New Jersey’s 56th governor on January 18, 2022. Since he first took office in 2018, Governor Murphy has focused on creating economic opportunity, restoring fiscal responsibility to state government while expanding critical investments, and delivering real tax fairness, including 14 tax cuts for the middle class and seniors.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Murphy guided New Jersey to become a model state for following the highest level of public health standards and data-driven response, implementing one of the most robust vaccination efforts in the nation, and fostering a strong economic recovery.
In January 2021, Murphy enacted economic incentives focused on growing new small businesses. The state has emerged as a leader in clean energy technologies, including one of the nation’s most aggressive proposals for the development of offshore wind. Murphy helped break ground at both the Paulsboro Marine Terminal and the South Jersey Wind Port, where more than 1,500 new jobs will help secure New Jersey’s place as a global leader in offshore wind component manufacturing and logistics.
Murphy helped secure the dignity of working families with a $15-per-hour minimum wage, guaranteed earned sick days, and expanded paid family leave. He has also enacted one of the country’s strongest automatic voter registration measures, restored voting rights to those on parole or probation, and created the nation’s strongest environmental justice provisions.
Murphy is a graduate of Harvard University and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Tammy Snyder Murphy, reside in Middletown and are the parents of four children: Josh, Emma, Charlie, and Sam.
STEVEN FULOP
Mayor of Jersey City
Steven Michael Fulop is the 49th Mayor of Jersey City—the most diverse city in the nation and the soon-to-be largest city in New Jersey.
Since Mayor Fulop took office in 2013, residents have seen seven consecutive years of stable taxes, over 300 new police officers hired, 1,500 units of affordable housing built, expanded recreation, nearly $10 million invested in parks and open space, and roughly 800 small businesses opened creating approximately 10,000 new jobs.
Under his leadership, Jersey City became the first city in the state and the sixth city in the country to ensure paid sick leave. Mayor Fulop pioneered new ideas for helping prisoners re-enter society; passed legislation to protect small businesses; made Jersey City one of the greenest cities in the nation. He’s undertaken public safety reform, with the JCPD now seen as a model for diversity. And Mayor Fulop has led the city to record economic development that’s benefited families of all income levels.
Mayor Fulop is a first-generation American, a lifelong New Jerseyan, a Marine, and a triathlete. He grew up in a Jewish family in Edison, New Jersey, the son of Romanian immigrants. He graduated from Binghamton University in 1999 and spent time abroad studying at Oxford University. After college, he joined Goldman Sachs. On September 11, 2001, Mayor Fulop was working in lower Manhattan when he saw the first plane strike the Twin Towers. A few weeks later, he decided to put his career at Goldman Sachs on hold and joined the United States Marine Corps.
Mayor Fulop’s Unit deployed to Iraq in January 2003. There, he served as part of the 6th Engineer Support Battalion. In 2006, he completed his service to the Marine Corps Reserve with the rank of Corporal.
DISTINGUISHED PRESENTER
Victoria Gray is a trailblazing patient advocate and the first person in the world to receive CRISPR gene-editing therapy for sickle cell disease. Diagnosed at just three months old, she endured decades of debilitating pain, hospitalizations, and physical limitations caused by the disease. In 2019, at the age of 33, she made history by joining a groundbreaking clinical trial that transformed her life— and the future of genetic medicine.
Since receiving CRISPR treatment, Victoria Gray has been symptom free for five years. Her journey from lifelong suffering to newfound freedom has made her a powerful voice in healthcare advocacy. Today, she works full-time as a patient advocate and international speaker, using her story to inspire hope, educate medical professionals, and champion compassionate, equitable care.
Gray is a devoted mother, resilient leader, and passionate changemaker who continues to light the way for sickle cell patients around the world.
VICTORIA GRAY Sickle Cell Disease Warrior
JUDE KOFIE
Jude Kofie, 13, was born and bred in Aurora, Colorado. He is currently in 8th grade. Jude was born prematurely with a lot of health complications. He required supplemental oxygen and was fed through feeding tubes until he turned 8 years old.
After the tubes came out, Jude began to teach himself how to play the piano. Within two years, at age 11, he was on stage with superstar Kelly Clarkson on The Kelly Clarkson Show in Hollywood, and then at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. Jude has played in Benton, Arkansas, with the world renowned gospel superstar CeCe Winans on her “Believe For It” tour and has made great strides in his four years of playing the piano. Jude wants to be a professional musician and producer.
Learn more about Jude’s piano journey when you view the video “My Story” on his YouTube channel, @ judekofie. You can also follow him, @judekofie, on all social media platforms.
MEET OUR GALA CO-CHAIRS
DAVID BARRY
Founder & CEO
Urby
David Barry is the Founder and CEO of Urby, an innovative real estate platform that creates environments with vitality, soul, and a distinct point of view. Urby is proving itself to be one of the premier residential platforms in the country, with over 10,000 apartments in operation and development in markets such as New York, DC, Philadelphia, Miami, Dallas, and others. Barry’s visionary approach to real estate has resulted in the successful development of a multitude of creative projects, including such notable hotels as Chiltern Firehouse, Standard East Village, Chelsea Hotel, Caldera House, and W Hoboken.
Barry received his BA at Columbia University where he was an all-Ivy wrestler, and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center. Additionally, he received the Columbia College John Jay Award in 2017 honoring alumni for their distinguished achievement in their field. Barry serves as the co-chair of the Board of Trustees for Liberty Science Center and has also been involved in many successful startups including Galaxy Digital, NYDIG, ATAI Life Sciences, Cambrian Biopharma, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Peloton, Habitas, AquaSpark, Prior Travel, and Catch Hospitality Group. He is also the co-host of Business Untitled, a business and entrepreneurial podcast that gives unparalleled insight into the minds behind global enterprises, start-ups, and ventures, featuring guests such as legendary rapper and entrepreneur Snoop Dogg, Warby Parker Co-Founder Neil Blumenthal, and private equity investor and businessman Wes Edens.
SHERI B. BRONSTEIN Chief People Officer Bank of America
Sheri B. Bronstein is the CPO for Bank of America and a member of the company’s executive management team. She leads a global team of 4,800 professionals across 26 countries who drive the company’s commitment to be a Great Place to Work. A thirty-year industry veteran, Bronstein joined Bank of America in 2000 and has held various roles supporting Global Markets, Global Investment Banking and the international regions. She led the effort to publish Bank of America’s inaugural Human Capital Management Report, setting an industry standard by providing a transparent, comprehensive view of the company’s benefits, resources, and programs.
Bronstein drives the company’s industry-leading focus on employee emotional wellness, including externally through the Mental Health Forum, which discusses challenges facing youth and best practices to support them as they transition into the workforce.
She serves on the Advisory Council of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and the Board of Visitors for her alma mater, Colby College. She combines her expertise in people management and executive leadership on the Center for Executive Succession Advisory Board within the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business.
In 2024, Bank of America was recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Places to Work For for the sixth consecutive year. Bronstein received the Ram Charan HR Innovation Award given by the SHRM Foundation Tharseō Awards. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Colby College and an MBA from Cornell University.
ALMA DEMETROPOLIS
Managing Director, Market Manager
J.P. Morgan Private Bank
Alma DeMetropolis brings more than 30 years of financial experience to advise families, business owners, executives and endowments and foundations.
As the Vice Chair of the New Jersey Market Leadership Team, DeMetropolis provides executive guidance across the firm’s lines of business within the state and is instrumental in driving community and employee engagement. She has been recognized for numerous honors by other professionals in the industry, including as one of the Best Fifty Women in Business for 2012 by NJBIZ*.
DeMetropolis began her career as a Risk Analyst at J.P. Morgan in 1992. Since then, she has held several global roles and spent seven years on foreign assignments in Latin America and Europe. DeMetropolis joined J.P. Morgan International Private Bank before segueing to her present position in 2003. She pulls from this rich background to advise on a broad range of wealth matters and manage investment portfolios.
Propelled by her dedication to philanthropic endeavors, DeMetropolis sits on the boards of several nonprofit organizations that align with her interests, including Liberty Science Center, SciTech Scity, and the Nature Conservancy NJ Advisory Council.
DeMetropolis was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, from immigrant parents and first to attend college in her family. Through hard work and determination, she attended Cornell University, earning a BS in Human Development and Family Studies with a focus on Accounting.
DeMetropolis and her two children reside in New Jersey.
CLARISSA GONCALVES
CFO, Global Product & Technology, Global Security, Strategy, and Procurement
ADP
Clarissa Goncalves is an accomplished business professional with extensive background in the technology and human capital management industries. She has broad-based international experience through foreign assignments in North America, Latin America, and Europe. She possesses a diverse set of leadership and operational skills in the areas of finance, strategy, business process transformation and continuous improvement.
In her current role, she has financial oversight of multiple groups including Product & Technology, which is responsible for the development and maintenance of ADP’s product suite along with infrastructure and operations support, and the Security organization, which provides cyber and fraud defense, workforce protection, business continuity, and risk management. Goncalves leads the investment decision-making process that optimizes capital allocation across the corporation, with focus on strategic product growth, R&D innovation,operational excellence, and productivity generation. She is a member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee of ADP.
Goncalves was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and speaks Portuguese and Spanish. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and an MBA in business management from Pace University in New York.
Goncalves is a proud mother of two children and resides with her family in New Jersey.
RICHARD M. HODOSH, MD
Former Medical Director
Atlantic Brain and Spine Institute
Dr. Hodosh earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati, where he received the William Altemeir Prize in surgery. He received postgraduate surgical training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Hodosh completed fellowships at the National Hospital for Neurological Diseases in London and a microvascular fellowship at the University of Zurich. He then served two years as a Lt. Commander in the US Navy as an investigator in the International Cooperative EC-IC Bypass Study.
Hodosh entered neurosurgical practice at Overlook and Morristown Hospital in 1980, where he has served as chairman of neurosurgery. In 1997, he became the founding medical director of Atlantic Health System’s Neuroscience Department. He has served on the Overlook Hospital Foundation board of directors.
Hodosh volunteered for more than 30 years with the American Heart Association, where he became the founding chairman of the Heritage Affiliate Stroke Advisory Board. His efforts on behalf of AHA were instrumental in New Jersey’s becoming the first state to fund primary and comprehensive stroke centers.
Mr. Howe is the retired chairman of Ernst & Young LLP, former Managing Partner of EY in the Americas, and member of EY’s Global Board. In the Americas, EY member firms operate in 31 countries, with over 80,000 people. As one of the top professional services firms, EY achieved market leadership in growth, brand, employer of choice, and diversity/inclusion under his leadership. Howe led the US and Americas Executive Boards for three terms (12 years) and represented EY in regulatory relationships.
Howe is also a member of the board of directors of Royal Caribbean Group and Lazard Inc. and the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Howe has been honored by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) as a Directorship 100 honoree, recognizing him as one of the most influential leaders in the boardroom and corporate governance community. Accounting Today named Howe to their Top 100 Most Influential People list of the thought leaders and visionaries shaping the accounting profession. He has been recognized as one of the top “100 CEO Leaders in STEM” by STEMconnector.
Howe graduated from Colgate University with a BA in Mathematical Economics and from the Stern School at New York University with an MBA in Accounting and Finance. Howe and his wife, Kate, are active supporters of a number of charities.
The Howes have four children and reside in Pleasantville, NY.
STEPHEN R. HOWE, JR.
Retired Chairman
Ernst & Young LLP
LAURA OVERDECK
Founder Bedtime Math
Laura Bilodeau Overdeck is the founder of the nonprofit Bedtime Math, and author of four bestselling Bedtime Math books (Macmillan). She is the producer of the 2025 film Rule Breakers, which tells the true story of the Afghan women’s robotics team. As a founding board member of the NJ Pandemic Relief Fund, she also helped launch the New Jersey Tutoring Corps, which continues to grow today.
Ms. Overdeck is an alumna and former trustee of Princeton University, where she earned a BA in astrophysics. She also holds an MBA from the Wharton School and an honorary doctorate from Stevens Institute of Technology. In addition to Liberty Science Center, she serves on the boards of Khan Academy and the Pingry School, and the advisory councils for Princeton’s Department of Astrophysical Sciences and New Jersey Governor’s School.
CHIRAG PATEL
Co-CEO and President Amneal Pharmaceuticals
Amneal Pharmaceuticals is a New Jersey-based global biopharmaceutical company with more than 8,000 colleagues engaged in the development, manufacturing and distribution of over 280 generic and specialty pharmaceuticals, including injectables and biosimilars. Chirag Patel co-founded Amneal with his brother Chintu Patel in 2002. He has served as co-CEO, president and director of the company since August 2019. Prior to that, Mr. Patel served as a co-chairman of the board from May 2018 to August 2019, and previously served as co-chairman and co-CEO of Amneal from 2005 until the combination with Impax Laboratories in 2018.
With his brother, Patel has also invested in several independent biopharmaceutical companies including Asana Biosciences, Kashiv Biosciences and Prolong Pharmaceuticals, each specializing in innovative science and drug delivery technologies. Earlier in his career, Mr. Patel co-founded technology companies NextGen Technologies and Veriprise Wireless.
In 2022, Patel served as chair of the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM) Board of Directors. He also continues to serve as an inaugural member of the CEO Advisory Committee for the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA). He received the Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur of the Year® Life Sciences Award in 2011.
With his wife, Priti Patel, he established the Niswarth International Foundation in 2013. The foundation brings fresh water, sanitation, nutrition and education to underprivileged children. He received his bachelor’s degrees in commerce from H.A. College of Commerce, India, and in business administration from New Jersey City University.
Al Reba is driven by a passion for bold science and groundbreaking innovation that transforms lives. With more than 25 years at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), he has dedicated his career to delivering hope and life-changing medicines to patients around the world.
In February 2025, Reba was appointed Senior Vice President of Cardiovascular & Immunology Commercialization. In this role, he oversees US commercial and global commercial strategy for key blockbuster products, including Eliquis, one of the world’s leading cardiovascular treatments that has benefited over 50 million patients, and Camzyos, a breakthrough therapy for symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. He also spearheads the commercialization of milvexian, in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson, and leads the Immunology business unit, managing a portfolio that includes Orencia and Sotyktu.
Since joining BMS in 1999, Reba has taken on roles of increasing responsibility across diverse therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular, neuroscience, metabolics, and oncology. Highlights of his career include serving as the US launch lead for Eliquis (2008–2014), General Manager of BMS Canada (2017–2021), Senior Vice President of Worldwide Cardiovascular and Established Brands (2021–2023), and most recently, Senior Vice President of US Cardiovascular and Established Brands (2023–2024). Prior to BMS, he worked with Andersen Consulting as an information technology and strategy consultant.
Reba earned his BS in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Cornell University. He holds an MBA from the University of Michigan Business School. He currently lives in Montgomery, NJ, with his wife Judy and their three children, Caitlyn, Ethan, and Jack.
Mr. Skiadas is responsible for Verizon’s finance operations. Prior to becoming CFO on May 1, 2023, he was the Senior Vice President and Controller of Verizon where he was responsible for corporatewide accounting, finance operations, compliance, financial policies, and SEC financial reporting. His responsibilities also included the review and analysis of various corporate acquisition and divestiture projects. In addition, Skiadas served as the principal accounting officer for Verizon and also provided oversight for the company’s Finance Transformation, a multi-year strategic initiative focused on transforming Verizon’s finance processes, systems, and talent.
Prior to his role as Controller, Skiadas was the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Verizon Finance Operations. He began his career with Bell Atlantic Mobile, a Verizon legacy company, in 1996. During his tenure, he has held various accounting, financial management, and executive roles of increasing responsibility, including the implementation of Sarbanes-Oxley 404 compliance and participating in the merger integration activities surrounding the formation of Verizon Wireless.
A licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of New Jersey, Skiadas is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants. He holds an MBA in Finance from Seton Hall University and a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Delaware.
ANTHONY T. SKIADAS, CPA
EVP and CFO
Verizon Communications
CAROLINE TILLETT
Chief Scientific Officer
Ms. Tillett is the Chief Scientific Officer for Kenvue. In this role, she oversees a multi-faceted Research & Development organization dedicated to consumer health science and innovation. She leads the company’s efforts to deliver science-backed products and solutions that fuel growth and improve the personal health and wellness of people globally.
Tillett is charged with setting the strategy for the company’s innovation pipeline across its Skin Health & Beauty, Self Care, and Essential Health segments,leading a global R&D team including New Product & Packaging Development, Sustainability, Medical Safety and Regulatory Affairs. She is a broad-based, global scientific leader with over 20 years of healthcare experience and a passion to deliver innovations that bring together research and consumer empathy.
She is recognized for developing strong leaders in the organization and is an executive sponsor for Learning & Development and for Kenvue’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion mission. She also has a track record for supporting STEM in the community, serving as the co-executive sponsor for Kenvue’s approach to Equity in STEM.
Prior to Kenvue, Tillett served as Global Head, R&D, for Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health. Under her leadership, the R&D team put Self Care in the hands of consumers by leaning into digital applications,focused on more inclusive innovation in Skin Health, and leaned into its Healthy Lives Mission in Essential Health by making some of the company’s most iconic products more sustainable.
Tillett holds a BSc in applied chemistry and a PhD in medicinal chemistry from Kingston University, UK.
TIMOTHY TRACY
Global Client Service Partner, Americas Private Equity Leader EY
Mr. Tim Tracy is a partner at EY, based in Metro New York, bringing over 30 years of cross-industry experience. As the EY Americas Private Equity Leader and a Global Client Service Partner for one of the firm’s largest clients, he is dedicated to supporting private equity (PE) funds and their portfolios in effectively deploying capital, refining exit strategies, and creating stakeholder value.
Throughout his distinguished career at EY, Tracy has advised many of the organization’s largest clients. His extensive experience encompasses IPOs, buy- and sell-side transactions, corporate governance, value creation, and taking companies private across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Prior to his current roles, he served as the East Region Assurance Managing Partner and the Managing Partner of the Iselin, New Jersey office.
A graduate of Rider University and a licensed CPA, Tracy is also actively involved in his community. In addition to serving on the Liberty Science Center Gala Committee, he is a founding member of Ownership Works, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing prosperity through shared ownership at work. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and golfing.
Kenvue
LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER’S GALA SPONSORS
PLATINUM CHAIR ($250,000+)
The Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation
INNOVATION CHAIRS ($150,000+)
Rhonda and Bruce Levy
John H. and Regina K. Scully
Gregory Tusar
Josh Weston and Family
CO-CHAIR ($100,000+)
ADP
Bank of America
David Barry
Bristol Myers Squibb
EY
Richard M. Hodosh, M.D.
Kate and Steve Howe
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
Kenvue
Laura Overdeck
Chirag and Priti Patel / Amneal Pharmaceuticals
Verizon
LUMINARY ($50,000)
The Carlin Family Foundation
Esposito Construction
Lord Abbett & Co. LLC
Dr. Talia Mota and David B. Heller
PSE&G
Jennifer Yettke & Alex Haro
PIONEER ($35,000)
Johnson & Johnson
NJM Insurance Group
EXPLORER ($25,000)
Ken and Elina Burke
Jeanette Calandra and Russell Burke
Connell Foley LLP
Day Pitney LLP
Alma DeMetropolis
HLW Architecture, LLC
Panepinto & Related Companies
PwC
Provident Bank
ServiceNow
Sims Metal
SJP Properties
Verisk
World Wide Technology
INNOVATOR ($17,500)
Akin
AmeriHealth
The Graham Family
Michele Holcomb
SILVERMAN
INVENTOR ($15,000)
Alpine Residential
Aramark Sports & Entertainment
Boston Consulting Group
Mark DeLillo, BlueGate Partners
Eastern Millwork, Inc.
Gilead Sciences
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Marc and Karin Pavese
PepsiCo, Inc.
CHALLENGER ($10,000)
A&O Shearman
Kim and Jonathan Kushner
Penguin An EMCOR Company
Anonymous
LODESTAR ($5,000-$9,999)
Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Company, LLC
Brookfield Properties
The Peter & Sharon Cocoziello
Foundation
Color Reflections
DKC Public Relations
Dr. Fabio Frisoli
G&S Investors
Hackensack Meridian Health
The NRP Group
PKF O’Connor Davies, LLP
Potomac-Hudson Environmental, Inc.
RWJBarnabas Health
Siemens
Carolyn and Robert Slaski
Studio54 Print
Grant Wentworth
Winston & Strawn LLP
MENTOR ($1,500-$4,999)
Double Eagle Consulting
Focus Lighting
GDI Integrated Facility Services
Rachana Kumar and Sandeep Gogga
Langan
Spencer Luckey / Luckey, LLC
Metropolis
Naka Technologies, LLC
Optimus Partners, LLC
Sharon Stamm and Jerome Zeldis
Brad Williams, VP - Bala Consulting Engineers
Xerox
Anonymous
LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER’S INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS
Liberty Science Center is grateful to the following institutional partners for their generous support. We offer a variety of benefits and opportunities to organizations who share our vision. Please contact us at corporate@lsc.org or 201.253.1473 to learn more.
$100,000 and up
ADP
Bank of America
Boston Consulting Group
Bristol Myers Squibb
CCA / Plaza Construction
EY
Horizon Foundation for New Jersey
Johnson & Johnson
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Kenvue
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
New Jersey Innovation Institute
Nokia Bell Labs
Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G)
PwC
RWJBarnabas Health
State of New Jersey
State of New Jersey Department of Education
U.S. Economic Development Administration
Verizon
Anonymous
$50,000 - $99,999
BASF Corporation
Dalio Foundation
Esposito Construction
PepsiCo, Inc.
ServiceNow
Verisk
Anonymous
$25,000 - $49,999
Glenn W. Bailey Foundation
The Bennack-Polan Foundation
Bloomberg Philanthropies
BNP Paribas
David R. Clare and Margaret C. Clare Foundation
Connell Foley LLP
Day Pitney LLP
HLW Architecture, LLC
National Science Foundation
New Jersey Cultural Trust
NJM Insurance Group
Panepinto & Related Companies
Pfizer Inc.
Provident Bank
Royal Caribbean
Sims Metal
SJP Properties
World Wide Technologies
$15,000 - $24,999
Akin
Alpine Residential
AmeriHealth
Aramark Sports & Entertainment
BlueGate Partners
Eastern Millwork
Gilead Sciences
Hyde and Watson Foundation
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
KLA Foundation
Morgan Stanley
New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism
SILVERMAN
$10,000 - $14,999
A&O Shearman
AIG
American Express Foundation
Amneal Pharmaceuticals
BD
BNY Mellon
Goldman Sachs
Merck
MetLife
MUFG Bank, Ltd.
NASA / New Jersey Space Grant Consortium
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Penguin An EMCOR Company
Prudential Financial
S&P Global
Thorlabs
$5,000 - $9,999
Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co., LLC
Brookfield Properties
Colgate-Palmolive Company
DKC Public Relations
G&S Investors
Hackensack Meridian Health
Infineum USA L.P.
Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund
The NRP Group
PKF O’Connor Davies, LLP
Potomac-Hudson Environmental, Inc.
Winston & Strawn LLP
WTW
LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER’S LUMINARY SOCIETY
Liberty Science Center is grateful to the following individuals for their generous support. Members enjoy privileges such as invitations to exclusive events and complimentary admission to LSC. To help us keep world-class science learning accessible to all, visit lsc.org/luminary or call 201.253.1327.
$100,000 and above
David Barry
The Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation
Frank J. Guarini Foundation
Richard M. Hodosh, MD
Izzo Family Foundation
Bruce and Rhonda Levy
Laura Overdeck
Jameson Schriber / Goldman Sachs Gives
John H. and Regina K. Scully
Gregory Tusar
Josh Weston and Family
$50,000-$99,999
The Carlin Family Foundation
The Graham Family
Kate and Steve Howe
Dr. Talia Mota and David B. Heller
Chirag and Priti Patel
Jennifer Yettke and Alex Haro
$25,000-$49,999
Denis Bovin
Sheri and Ted Bronstein
Ken and Elina Burke
Jeanette Calandra and Russell Burke
Alma DeMetropolis
The Kannan Family
$10,000-$24,999
Christopher and Sinead Bennett
Jamie Dimon
Michele Holcomb
Kim and Jonathan Kushner
Marc and Karin Pavese
Richard and Kayla Pechter
Sharon Stamm and Jerome Zeldis
$5,000-$9,999
Dennis and Denise Bone
Cindy and Perin Class
The Peter & Sharon Cocoziello Foundation
Judy and Stewart Colton
Dr. Fabio Frisoli
Ken Goldstein
Dr. George Karnoutsos and Ms. Raquel Lewan
The Honorable Thomas H. Kean
The Kyei Family
Eileen and Leslie Quick
The Reba Family
Carlos and Eileen Rodriguez
Anthony Skiadas and Celeste Campos
Carolyn and Bob Slaski
Simon and Caroline Tillett
Grant Wentworth
Anonymous
$2,500-$4,999
John E. Abele
Marilyn and Edward Colangelo Memorial Fund
Sunita and Knut Holzer
Reena and Shawn Joshi
Rachana Kumar and Sandeep Gogga
Lesser Family
Tracie and Brandon McCall
In memory of Lucille Rathyen
Dr. and Mrs. William A. Tansey III
Anonymous
$1,000-$2,499
Guy Abrahamson
Cathleen Ahearn
Dr. Waseem Bhatti
In Loving Memory of Alice Boreico
Ann and Stan Borowiec
Bridgewood Fieldwater Foundation
Sumeet and Donna Chabria
Paul and Elizabeth Goody
Anuj & Falguni Gupta
Dr. Jessica Marinoff and Mr. Jim Charatan
Mike and Gloria Masri and Family
Jeffrey S. Morrison
Popat Family
Mark Shapiro
Sinkiewicz Family
Tim Tracy
Anonymous (2)
EXHIBITION UPDATES
EXHIBITION UPDATES
TITANIC: THE ARTIFACT EXHIBITION
NOW - SEPT. 1, 2025
We welcome back one of the most popular exhibitions in LSC history! The RMS Titanic’s compelling human stories are told through more than 100 authentic artifacts recovered from the shipwreck site. Guests receive a replica boarding pass, assume the role of a passenger, and follow a chronological journey through life on Titanic.
GROSSOLOGY
MAY 24, - SEPT. 1, 2025
Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body is a sciencein-disguise exhibition where kids get the answers to many of the slimy, oozy, crusty, stinky questions they absolutely love to ask about the human body. The 2,500-square-foot exhibition has interactive displays, games, and challenges that explore burps, smells, runny noses, and more. Gross!
SUE: THE T. REX EXPERIENCE
OCT. 4, 2025 - MAY 25, 2026
This interactive, engaging, and hands-on exhibition features an exact replica of the world’s most complete T. rex skeleton, measuring 40 feet long and 13 feet tall at the hip. SUE is named after the paleontologist who discovered the fossil in South Dakota in 1990, Sue Hendrickson. Scientists are still learning new things about the T. rex, due in large part to SUE’s incredibly well-preserved bones.
DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD
SEPT. 20, 2025 - MAY 10, 2026
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: A Grr-ific Exhibit returns to LSC. Daniel and his friends from the award-winning PBS Kids program invite you to play instruments at the Music Shop; sort, deliver, and receive packages and letters at the Post Office; create stories at the Movable Character Mural; and write or draw a thank-you note at the “Thank You Tree.”
SPECIAL THANKS
SCITECH SCITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Lisa Banker
Global Client Relationship Partner, EY
Sumeet Chabria
CEO and Founder, ThoughtLinks Group
Alma DeMetropolis
Managing Director; Market Manager, J.P. Morgan Private Bank
Richard M. Hodosh, MD
Former Medical Director, Atlantic Brain and Spine Institute
Ganga Kannan
Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group
Suhas Krishna
VP and Head of Project Management, Digital Health, Bristol Myers Squibb
Sandy Thomson
Managing Director, CSWE TI Executive, Bank of America
Gregory Tusar
Head of Institutional Product, Coinbase
Josh S. Weston
Honorary Chairman, ADP
Norman Worthington III Chairman, Sangoma Technologies Corporation
EXECUTIVE STAFF
Paul Hoffman
President & CEO
Alexander Richter
Executive Director and Head of SciTech Innovation Hub
FOUNDING PARTNERS
New Jersey Economic Development Agency
Jersey City
Frank J. Guarini
David Barry
Verizon
EY
ADP
Bank of America
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
LSC HIGH SCHOOL SPONSORS
Laura Overdeck
Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation
Josh and Judy Weston
Joe and Millie Williams
PSE&G
Dr. Thomas Insel
Former Director of the National Institute
Alexander Richter
Executive Director and Head of SciTech Innovation Hub
SCITECH HEALTHCARE INNOVATION ENGINE Roundtable
Members
EY
Arda Ural, Americas Industry Markets Leader, Health Sciences and Wellness
Dr. Yele Aluko, Americas Chief Medical Officer; Director EY Center for Health Equity
Bristol Myers Squibb
Al Reba, SVP, Cardiovascular & Immunology Commercialization
Suhas Krishna, VP, Head of Digital Health
RWJBarnabas Health
Michael Prilutsky, EVP, President & CEO of Jersey City Medical Center
Dr. Ijeoma Akunyili, Chief Medical Officer of Jersey City Medical Center
Dana Klar, Chief of Staff, Northeast Region
New Jersey Innovation Institute
Michael Johnson, President
Jennifer D’Angelo, COO and EVP of Healthcare
Nokia Bell Labs
Thierry E. Klein, President Bell Labs Solutions Research
Peter Vetter, President of Core Research
Sheba Medical Center and ARC Innovation
Dr. Eyal Zimlichman, Chief Transportation Officer & Chief Innovation Officer
Orli Biger, Head of ARC Global
Princeton University
Craig Arnold, Vice Dean for Innovation
Dean Edelman, External Research Collaborations and Strategic Partnerships
John Coelho, Senior Advisor, Life Sciences Strategic Innovation Centers
New Jersey Department of Human Services
Sarah Adelman, Commissioner
New Jersey Department of Health
Dr. Kaitlan Baston, Commissioner
Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services
Stacey Flanagan, Director
Jersey City Council
Denise Ridley, Councilwoman
LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER HIGH SCHOOL
Developed by the Hudson County Improvement Authority
Operated by the Hudson County Schools of Technology
SCHOLARS VILLAGE
Developed and operated by Alpine Residential
EDGE WORKS
Congr ul ions
TO THE 2025 GENIUS GALA
AWARD RECIPIENTS
JENNIFER DOUDNA
EDGAR MCGREGOR
ROYA MAHBOOB
LEO VILLAREAL
You have made the world a better place through your hard work and dedication.
Bruce and Rhonda Levy
CONGRATULATIONS
TO LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER AND THE 2025 GENIUS GALA HONOREES
WE APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
JOHN H. AND REGINA K. SCULLY
Congratulations
TO LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER AND ALL OF THE GENIUS GALA 2025 HONOREES.
GREG TUSAR
Congratulations to Liberty Science Center’s
trus te e s, vo lun te e r s, and sta ff for th e i r ou t sta n di n g commitme n t to s ci e nc e e du c ation .
JOSH WE STON
ANYTHING CAN CHANGE THE WORLD OF WORK. BUT IT TAKES GREAT PEOPLE TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
We proudly support Liberty Science Center for its commitment to educating and exciting people of all ages about the power, promise and pure fun of science and technology.
Transforming patients’ lives through science®
We are in the business of breakthroughs - our diverse, promising pipeline is focused on innovative medicines that transform patients’ lives. Our scientists are addressing some of the most challenging diseases of our time. We will never give up our search for more hope, for more patients, around the world.
We are proud to support Liberty Science Center Genius Gala 13.
congratulations
LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER, ON THE 13TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GENIUS GALA
RICHARD HODOSH
WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE LSC’S ENDURING COMMITMENT TO SCIENCE AND STEM EDUCATION, AND WE CONGRATULATE THIS YEAR’S GENIUS AWARD WINNERS!
Kate and Steve Howe
Bright minds, brighter future
At JPMorganChase, we believe bold ideas — and the people behind them — have the power to change the world. That’s why we’re proud to support Liberty Science Center and its mission to inspire the next generation of innovators.
We salute the visionaries honored tonight — great thinkers and doers who are shaping the future through science, technology and the arts.
Congratulations to Liberty Science Center and this year's honorees
ENERGY MADE HUMAN
5 is a proud sponsor of Liberty Science Center’s Genius Gala
Just as DNA is the building block of life, energy is the building block of DNA, and everything it powers. From the smallest biological processes to the biggest innovations, energy drives it all.
Tonight, we celebrate individuals whose purpose-driven work lights the way forward. They energize communities, inspire progress, and spark meaningful change.
At 5, we believe better energy decisions start with better guidance. Energy is in our DNA, and our team is dedicated to helping organizations navigate electricity, natural gas, and utility cost management with clarity and confidence. It’s not just what we do — it’s how we do it. This is Energy Made Human.
energyby5.com
Congratulations to Liberty Science Center and
All of the Genius Gala 2025 Honorees
The Carlin Family Foundation
We Appreci ate Li berty Sci ence Cen ter’ s profou nd i mp act i n i nspi rin g yo ung min ds i n STEM , and con gratul ate thi s year’s Geni us Award ho norees for thei r remarkabl e con tribu tio ns
David Heller and Dr. Talia Mota
We applaud Liberty Science Center and the 2025 Genius Gala Honorees!
Just as PSE&G has been using its ingenuity, since 1903, to make New Jersey ready for whatever life brings, your STEM focus and vast contributions mean the world to our communities. Thank you!
vision
Hubble Network proudly supports Liberty Science Center for sparking the dreams of tomorrow’s space explorers
Jennifer Yettke
Alex Haro Hubble Network
CONGRATULATIONS
To the 2025 Genius Gala Award Recipients
JENNIFER DOUDNA
EDGAR MCGREGOR
ROYA MAHBOOB
LEO VILLAREAL
Your dedication is an inspiration to us all, and we are grateful for your contributions.
KEN AND ELINA BURKE
Related is proud to support Liberty Science Center and congratulates this year’s honorees.
PUT AI TO WORK FOR YOUR MISSION
ServiceNow is a proud sponsor of Liberty Science Center’s Genius Gala
We’re honored to support Liberty Science Center’s mission to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and learners about the power, promise and fun of science and technology.
At ServiceNow, our goal is to make the world a better place for everyone, starting with your organization and the communities you serve. With our AIpowered platform, nonprofits can streamline operations, save time, and boost efficiency. From simplifying employee workflows to enhancing digital experiences for volunteers, beneficiaries, and donors, ServiceNow helps organizations work smarter, faster, and more effectively–so you can focus on accelerating impact.
CONGRATULATIONS
to Liberty Science Center and the 2025 Genius Gala Honorees:
JENNIFER DOUDNA
EDGAR MCGREGOR
ROYA MAHBOOB
LEO VILLAREAL
2 0 2 5
Clara Maass Medical Center
Community Medical Center
Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center
Jersey City Medical Center
Monmouth Medical Center and The Unterberg Children’s Hospital
Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset
Trinitas Regional Medical Center
RWJBarnabas Health Behavioral Health Center
Children’s Specialized Hospital
Rutgers Cancer Institute
rwjbh.org
We proudly support Liberty Science Center
Tower YOUR EVENT, OUR VIEW
The glass pyramid atop Liberty Science Center’s 170-foot-high tower encloses one of the region’s most impressive venues for a private event. The newly renovated Robert Wood Johnson III Tower includes a dramatic state-of-the-art lighting system, floor-to-ceiling amenities upgrades, and all-new interior decor. Enjoy panoramic views of Liberty State Park, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Manhattan.
Call 201.253.1378 or email us at specialevents@lsc.org for more information. The Robert Wood Johnson III
HELP INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF GENIUSES
Your tax-deductible gift to LSC will help support science and technology education opportunities for everyone. Invest in a brighter future today!
