UHAA is proud to announce its 2022 Alumni Award honorees. This year’s honorees include names that are prominent both nationally and locally, as well as on the UH campus. “We are so proud of this group of honorees for our next awards program. These individuals represent the best and brightest of our alumni base, and I know that our entire alumni population is as proud of them as we are here at UHAA. I hope everyone will mark down the date of our Alumni Awards Gala and join us as we honor them in April,” said Mike Pedé (’89), Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations.

The 2022 honorees will be recognized at the 67^th Annual Alumni Awards Gala to be held on April 30, 2022. Location details are forthcoming.

Award recipients include:

Distinguished Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumni Award is given to individuals whose professional accomplishments bring credit to the University of Houston.

Alois Blackwell (’78): Blackwell is principal and senior consultant at Athletic Shift Consulting. He is a member of the UH Hall of Honor and immediate past president of the H Association letterman organization. He also is a member of the Houston Legends. He served as director of athletics at Texas Southern University and assistant athletics director at the University of Houston. He is a former running back for the NFL Dallas Cowboys and a member of the Cowboys’ Super Bowl XIII team. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs. Blackwell was also a member of the ’76 Conference Champion Cougar football team and MVP of the champion Cotton Bowl that same year.

Karen Dufilho (’91): Dufilho is an Academy and Emmy award-winning producer, executive, and gatherer of creatives and innovators. Bringing together renowned talent from both entertainment and technology, Dufilho’s work at Pixar, Google, and most recently Epic Games ranges from traditional to experimental story-telling. Dufilho is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences where she serves on the Shorts and Feature Animation Branch Executive Committee.

Bonnie Dunbar (Ph.D. ’83): Dunbar is an American engineer, retired NASA astronaut, and member of the National Academy of Engineering. She flew on five Space Shuttle missions between 1985 and 1998, including two dockings with the Mir space station. She is a Texas A&M University Professor of Aerospace Engineering, holding the John and Bea Slattery Chair, and is Director of the Aerospace Human Systems Laboratory.

Dave Smalley (’79): Smalley is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum Catering, Concessions & Events. He leads the largest company of its kind in North America.

Steve Stephens (’80): Stephens is the Chief Executive Officer of Amegy Bank of Texas and former Chair of the University of Houston Board of Visitors. He currently serves on the University of Houston Board of Visitors and the C.T. Bauer College of Business Board.

Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals for their loyalty and efforts to further the goals and support of UHAA programs.

Steve Goodman (’83, M.S. ’85): Goodman is the president of Goodman Financial, an independent, fee-only investment management and financial advisory firm. He is a former member of the UHAA Foundation Board and the Hilton College Dean’s Advisory Board as well as the former Chairman of the Eric Hilton Distinguished Alumni Club. He presently serves on the C.T. Bauer College of Business Board.

Billie Schneider Outstanding Volunteer Award

The Billie Schneider Outstanding Volunteer Award recognizes individuals who exemplify a spirit of volunteerism and work to advance the mission of UHAA.

Leslie (‘93) and Philip (’94) Schulze: Leslie and Philip Schulze are enduring advocates for the University of Houston and its programs. Philip currently serves as the president of the Austin Alumni Association.

Rising Star For Achievement Award

The Rising Star for Achievement Award recognizes and honors young alumni who have excelled beyond the norm, early in their careers.

Mayra Moreno (’07): Moreno currently serves as anchor for KTRK-TV Eyewitness News in Houston, Texas. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a double major in Journalism and Spanish from the University of Houston.

Chair’s Award

The Chair’s Award honors non-alumni who have consistently and voluntarily given extraordinary support to the University of Houston.

Garnet Coleman: Coleman has served the people of District 147 in the Texas House since 1991. He has earned a reputation as a diligent leader in the areas of health care, economic development and education. The Garnet Coleman Award for Student Excellence has been created in honor of Texas State Representative Coleman’s support for the UH Hobby School of Public Affairs’ programs and students.

For more information about UHAA or any of its programs, please visit houstonalumni.com or call 713-743-9550.