Awards, Sep 19, 2002

The following awards have been presented for achievement in fund raising, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and other areas:

Arts management.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington) has announced the recipients of the 2002-3 Vilar Fellowships for Arts Management. The fellowships include core classes, seminars, and other activities in which fellows will work directly with senior Kennedy Center staff members.

The fellows are: Najeh Abu al Zein, director of the theater- and television-productions department and coordinator of the theater-arts training program for young people at the Noor Al Hussein Foundation (Amman, Jordan); Jeffrey Edwards, director of education at Twyla Tharp Dance (New York); Randal Fippinger, vice president of the fixed income, currency, and commodities division at Goldman, Sachs & Co. (London); Monica Hamill, marketing officer at the Royal Opera House (London); Debra Harrison, director of program planning and budgets at the Washington Opera (Washington); Howard Sid Lucas, performing-arts coordinator at the Community Education Center and development department at Philadanco (Philadelphia); Robert Mesko, founder and director of the Bratislava Dance Theater (Slovakia); Martin Pechanec, department head of musical programs at Prague Castle Administration (Czech Republic); Alvaro Rodriguez, Web designer and developer at VoxPage (Sa Cabaneta, Spain); Karen Sackman, development manager for the Makor/Steinhardt Center of the 92nd Street Y (New York); Andres Siitan, managing director of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (Tallinn, Estonia); and Norbert Tan, director of marketing at Price Law Group (Encino, Calif.).

Children. Ronald McDonald House Charities (Oak Brook, Ill.) has honored three individuals for their contributions to improving the well-being of children:

-Queen Noor of Jordan, chair of the King Hussein Foundation (Amman, Jordan) and president of the United World Colleges (London), received the 2002 Award of Excellence in recognition of her work to “improve the quality of life for mothers and their children” in the Middle East and elsewhere. The award is accompanied by $100,000 to be donated to the charity of her choice.

-Judah Folkman, a professor of pediatric surgery at Harvard Medical School (Boston), was recognized for his research in angiogenesis, which has been instrumental in the treatment of cancer and other diseases, and for his work as a surgeon and teacher. Dr. Folkman also received $100,000 to be donated to the charity of his choice.

-Dawn Degenhardt, owner of a McDonald’s franchise in Houlton, Me., received the Gerry Newman McTLC award for her commitment to the fields of adoption and humanitarian aid. Ms. Degenhardt received a $25,000 grant to be donated to the charity of her choice.

Environment. The Environmental Grantmakers Association (New York) has presented its 2002 Environmental Messenger of the Year Award to Blue Vinyl, a project of Working Films that examines the impact of the vinyl-manufacturing industry on human health and the environment.

Leadership. The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy (Hartford) has given the John H. Filer Award, which recognizes leadership in “promoting private action for the public good” in Connecticut, to Emily Tow Jackson, executive director of the Tow Foundation (Stamford, Conn.).

Public policy. The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (Washington) has presented the first annual Irving Kristol Award to Allan H. Meltzer, professor of political economy at Carnegie Mellon U. (Pittsburgh) and co-editor of Public Interest. Mr. Meltzer was recognized for his pioneering academic work in monetary policy, political theory, and economics.