NEOMED Alumni Association honors 2026 award recipients
NEOMED welcomed alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends to The NEW Center on Saturday, April 18 for the 2026 Alumni Awards Dinner and Ceremony, an evening dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary achievements and impact of NEOMED graduates and community members.
Congratulations to all the award recipients!
Emerging Leader Award
Presented to recent graduates with a significant record of accomplishment, clinical practice, patient advocacy, research, education and/or administrative leadership.
Daniel Jones, Pharm.D. (’14), co-owner and co-founder, Elite Pharmacy
Casondra Seibert, Pharm.D. (’17), board-certified geriatric pharmacist and owner of Rx Architects
Jacob Sweet, Pharm.D. (’22), co-owner and co-founder, Elite Pharmacy
Distinguished Service Award
Given annually to individuals who have made a significant impact on the University through teaching, mentoring, volunteering or working for NEOMED.
M. Frank Beck, D.D.S., dean emeritus of the Bitonte College of Dentistry at NEOMED
Mehool A. Patel, M.D. (’98), clinical professor and chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at NEOMED
Alumni Association Appreciation Award
Given intermittently to individuals who have volunteered their time to make a significant impact on the NEOMED Alumni Association and exemplifies a passion for helping alumni and students.
Rajiv Lapasia, M.D. (’00), managing partner of RBL Investments, LP
Lifetime Achievement Award
Given intermittently to individuals who, over the course of their lifetime, have provided exemplary service to their profession, NEOMED, or the NEOMED Alumni Association.
Crystal L. Mackall, M.D. (’84), Ernest and Amelia Callo Family Professor and Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, where she serves as the founding director of the Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Stanford, and co-leader of the Stanford Cancer Immunotherapy Program.
Distinguished Alumni Award
The highest honor NEOMED bestows upon its graduates, recognizing alumni who have met or transcended their fundamental roles as health care providers to become leaders in advancing research, service or education.
Amol Soin, M.D. (’02), nationally recognized biotech entrepreneur and interventional pain management physician, founder of Ohio Pain Clinic, and member of the State Medical Board of Ohio.
Tom Vo, M.D. (’96), founder and CEO of Nutex Health
Learn more about the transformational impact of these leaders by reading their bios previously featured in the PULSE.
The 2026 Alumni Awards Dinner is made possible through the generous support of our presenting sponsor, Mercy Health.
We also extend our sincere appreciation to our additional sponsors, including Clearstead; Matt Smith, M.S. (’14), Ph.D. (’17); Hal White, M.D. (’84); Kathleen S. Padgitt, M.D. (’89), and Charles T. George; Drs. James Boex and Denise Gibson; and Chelsey Kirkland, Ph.D. (’16), for their support of this year’s event.
Nominations accepted for the 2027 Alumni Awards
As the Alumni Association continues to recognize the achievements of alumni and friends of the University, nominations are now open for the 2027 Alumni Awards.
Members of the NEOMED community are encouraged to submit nominations recognizing individuals who have made a meaningful impact through their professional accomplishments, service and leadership.