Thirteen YSM Staff Recognized with Linda K. Lorimer Award for Distinguished Service

Thirteen staff members from Yale School of Medicine (YSM) were honored with the Linda K. Lorimer Award for Distinguished Service at a ceremony held Nov. 11. The awards were presented by Yale President Maurie McInnis, PhD.

This is the 12th year the Linda K. Lorimer Award for Distinguished Service has been given, and it celebrates staff who embody Yale’s spirit of leadership, innovation, collaboration, and excellence. This year’s honorees—who were nominated by their peers—represent 13 key initiatives that advance Yale’s mission locally and globally.

The staff members below were among the 35 honored with the award this year.

Terry Dagradi, coordinator for the YSM Program for Art in Public Spaces

With creativity and care, Dagradi has reimagined YSM’s public spaces, creating a welcoming, inclusive environment that invites connection and discovery. Her exhibits and tours open doors for the community to engage with the people and stories that bring the school’s mission to life.

Alfonsina Fraschilla, MBA, division administrator in the Department of Surgery

With exceptional leadership and vision, Fraschilla implemented operational improvements that transformed her division and enhanced patient care, financial practices, and faculty engagement. Her exemplary financial stewardship and collaborative approach have empowered innovations in care delivery, inspired creative problem-solving, and united others around a shared commitment to excellence.

Joshua Kenney, MS, software engineer in the Department of Psychiatry

Kenney developed new software that strengthened data collection, storage, and analysis for multisite clinical research within the psychiatry department. By enabling critical research to move forward—even during the pandemic—his work plays an integral role in advancing grants in psychiatry, bioinformatics, and data science for researchers at Yale and other institutions.

Martin Matthews, laboratory supervisor at Yale Cancer Center

Fueled by a steadfast commitment to scientific excellence, Matthews spearheaded improvements to the hematology research lab: leading a major revamp of the team’s biorepository, streamlining core procedures, and expanding training initiatives. His vision has resulted in lasting improvements that accelerate research, establishing a model of excellence and efficiency.

Valdino Arduini, project manager with Yale Biomedical Informatics and Computing

Sooyoun Tan, web design and communications officer in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science

Jason Alexander, security engineer-research security in Information Technology Services

Tristen Lawrence, software engineer in Information Technology Services

Adam Munro, senior high performance computing administrator at the Yale Center for Research Computing

Matthew Peterson, high performance computing system administrator at the Yale Center for Research Computing

Driven by a shared purpose, this team created the groundbreaking Hopper and SpinupPlus software platforms, enabling researchers to pursue breakthrough discoveries with sensitive data, securely and confidently. Their work has transformed how Yale approaches complex IT projects, serving as a model for large-scale collaboration across schools and departments.

Christina Agro, CRA, operations manager at the Center for Molecular Imaging Technology and Translation

Donna Espenberg, MBA, senior director of finance and administration for Integrated Business Operations

Tricia Ginnetti, associate director of research finance in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging

Tara Marro, senior finance manager in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging

Leigh Nerka, MPH, finance manager in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging

Marla Pelle, associate director of academic and administrative affairs in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging

Maribel Rayas, portfolio and grant accountant in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging

This team worked tirelessly to provide the financial and operational expertise needed to launch the new Yale Biomedical Imaging Institute, a major milestone in innovation and research at Yale. Expertly navigating complex planning and implementation challenges, they meticulously guided this transformative initiative from concept to reality.