About Our Event
The 2026 Own Your Future Gala stands as the crowning celebration of SUNY Old Westbury’s 60th Anniversary and the fifth anniversary of Dr. Timothy E. Sams’ transformative leadership. This milestone evening honors six decades of academic excellence and institutional impact while rallying our community to invest in the next generation of trailblazers. Join distinguished leaders from across Long Island and New York City as we toast our rich history, celebrate our honorees, and champion the mission that empowers our students to succeed, lead, and truly Own Their Future.
Dress Code: In celebration of our 6oth Anniversary, formal evening attire is encouraged.
Honorees
Janet & Steven Connolly, CPA & Distinguished Alumnus
Owners, Co-Source Solutions
Patricia Hill Williams, Ed.D., Distinguished Alumna
President, Association of Council Members and College Trustees of the State University of New York
Victoria
Schneps-Yunis
President & Co-Publisher, Schneps Media
Old Westbury College Foundation, Inc.
Board of Trustees
Dr. Timothy E. Sams
President
SUNY Old Westbury
FOUNDATION OFFICERS
Ms. Nora Bassett
Board Chair
Core Management Solutions Inc.
Mr. Joseph P. Sheehan
Vice Chair
Sauce Confidential Podcast
Mr. Keith R. Engley
Treasurer
Flushing Bank
TRUSTEES
Dr. Ravishankar Bhooplapur
Gala Co-Chair
Xavier University School of Medicine
Dr. Lorraine Cadogan
Alumni Association of SUNY Old Westbury
Dr. Sylvia Carey-Butler
Whitman College
Gary Casimir, Esq.
The Cook Group
Mr. Timothy Coners
Grassi & Co. CPA’s
Mr. Steven Connolly
Co-Source Solutions, Inc.
Ms. Elizabeth Custodio
M&T Bank
Ms. Tracy L. DeAngelis-Busch
The Estee Lauder Companies, Retired
Andrea Elder-Howell, Esq
PSEG Long Island
Dr. Dorothy A. Escribano
SUNY Empire State University
Mr. Donald Gelestino
Champion Elevator Corp.
Ms. Jayda Jarvis
SGA President
Mr. Ralph L. Johnson
Exxon Mobil Corporation
Retired Executive
Dr. Faroque A. Khan
Interfaith Institute of L.I.
Mr. Joseph Conrad Lewis
Jefferies LLC
Mr. William King Moss III
Lawrence High School/NAACP-Islip
Alexander Mun, Esq.
Gala Co-Chair
Horn Wright, LLP
Mr. Walter E. Oden II
Oden Development LLC
Mr. Derek Peterson
Soter Technologies
Hon. Viviana L. Russell
ZOE Consulting Services, Inc.
Nassau County Legislator
Ms. Sandra Salmon, LUTCF
RDJ Financial Solutions
Dr. Stephanie Schneider
SUNY Old Westbury
Dr. Magdy Shady
Renaissance School of Medicine
at Stony Brook University
Mr. Anthony Sissons
Deer Park Recycling
Ms. Ana Tavares
Law School Admission Council (LSAC)
Ms. Morgan Taylor
BSE Global (NY Liberty & Long Island Nets)
Mr. Yiyao (Chandler) Zhang
Northwell Health
Ms. Angela Wambugu Cobb
Executive Director
Old Westbury College Foundation