The 47th SDSU Alumni Awards of Distinction will honor 10 distinguished San Diego State University alumni and one university employee at a ceremony scheduled for Saturday, April 20 at Coasterra.
The awards are given biennially to those who have made notable contributions to the university, the San Diego community, or California, nationally or internationally.
SDSU Alumni Awards of Distinction are a symbol of achievement presented to distinguished alumni from each of SDSU's seven academic colleges and SDSU Imperial Valley. Distinguished service awards also are given to an exceptional alumni volunteer and an outstanding university employee.
The 2024 honorees are:
College of Arts and Letters
Sarah B. Marsh-Rebelo
Poet Sarah B. Marsh-Rebelo (‘12, english & comparative literature) is a long-time supporter of the regional art community, served as board chair for the San Diego Museum of Art, and has been Honorary Life Director of the San Diego Opera for more than 30 years. As a passionate supporter of the College of Arts and Letters, she hosts an annual Rebelo Scholar Tea to celebrate scholarship recipients in SDSU’s MFA in Creative Writing Poetry program.
College of Education
Catherine and David Want
Catherine (‘71, mathematics & statistics, ‘83, teacher education) and David Want (‘71, mathematics & statistics, ‘73, teacher education), beloved math educators of the Southern California community for 65 years, are passionate advocates for student success. Although the couple graduated the same year, the two didn’t meet until 1985 at the Fulbright Teacher Exchange in the United Kingdom, where they would later return to the U.S. together as educators and spouses.
College of Engineering
Richard Brady, P.E., BCEE
Richard Brady (‘80, civil engineering), founder and CEO of Richard Brady & Associates, a leading Engineering, Construction, and Environmental firm based in San Diego, is an internationally recognized and board-certified water engineer. Serving as the past Program Manager for the City of San Diego Water Infrastructure Master Plan and Drinking Water Quality Improvement Program, his nationally acclaimed Project Alvarado Water Treatment Plan won the 2013 ASCE/AWWA Opal Award as an outstanding project in the U.S.
College of Health and Human Services
Susan Stone, Ph.D.
Susan Stone (‘80, nursing) is senior Vice President of Health System Operations, System Chief Nursing Executive at Sharp HealthCare, and former CEO of Sharp Coronado Hospital. With over 35 years of experience, she is a strong advocate for improving San Diego healthcare, supports SDSU students in the independent doctoral program in Health Communication, and was honored in 2023 by the Coronado City Council for her outstanding medical care to the community.
College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts
Randy Bernstein
Randy Bernstein (‘82, communication), founder of Premier Partnerships, is a renowned start-up, international sales, and sports marketing veteran with over 20 years of experience. Using his insight as a former student-athlete for Aztec Baseball, he has been instrumental in overseeing sales, operations, licensing, and administration in major sports companies like MLS, MISL, NBA, FIFA World Cup, and Yahoo.
College of Sciences
Jon A. Nunes, Ph.D.
Jon A. Nunes (‘89, analytical chemistry, ‘94, analytical chemistry), Vice President of Development at Roche Molecular Systems, has spent over 23 years producing medical tests and digital tools to help healthcare professionals find the right treatments and deliver the best care. Hiring over 182 alumni at the company, he is a proud double graduate from SDSU and often returns to the College of Sciences to share his expertise and experience.
Fowler College of Business
William “Bill” Brack
William “Bill” Brack (‘76, finance), an expert in financial markets and risk management, is a registered Certified Financial Planner with over 30 years of experience in his field. After managing multiple Charles Schwab & Company branch offices, he is now retired and currently serves on the Aztec Club Advisory Board, and is a Athletics Director’s Cabinet, Heritage and Tower Society member.
SDSU Imperial Valley
Hortencia Armendariz
Hortencia Armendariz (‘84, liberal studies, ‘97, educational leadership) is coordinator for the Family Resource Center in Calexico, where she created a wardrobe project to help students and community members who do not have the financial means to buy attire. A true educator at heart, she was the vice principal at Blanche Charles Elementary School and has advocated and supported over 100 students to receive basic needs.
Distinguished Alumni Service Award
Jennifer Fall Jung
Jennifer Fall Jung (‘93, finance, ‘94, MBA), an expert in the consumer goods industry, is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Duckhorn Portfolio, a leading wine company based in California. With 20 years of experience in corporate finance, she currently shares her expertise as a member of the Fowler College of Business Advisory Board and the Bay Area Alumni Chapter.
Distinguished University Service Award
Seth Mallios, Ph.D.
Seth Mallios is a professor of Anthropology, Director of SDSU's South Coastal Information Center and the University History Curator. Since 2012, he has published multiple books highlighting the history of San Diego State University and recently served as co-chair of the campus 125th Anniversary celebrations. A distinguished archaeologist and anthropologist, he has collected over $1.5 million in grants and has won numerous Society for History Archaeology Advisory Council awards.
Tickets to the 47th SDSU Alumni Awards of Distinction will be available for purchase starting in February 2024. For sponsorship information, please contact Jen Ranallo at 619-594-ALUM (2586) or jranallo@sdsu.edu.