These are some of the many remarkable Union College alumni whose paths reflect both achievement and purpose. From science and medicine to business, the arts, athletics and public service, their work reflects the depth and reach of a Union education and its enduring impact across the world.
Union Alumni Making an Impact
Andrea Barrett, Class of 1974
Andrea Barrett began writing fiction seriously in her thirties and published her first novel, “Lucid Stars,” in 1988. She’s particularly well known as a writer of historical fiction. Barrett, whose work reflects her lifelong interest in science and natural history, received the National Book Award for her fifth book, “Ship Fever,” a collection of stories featuring scientists, doctors and naturalists. In 2001, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship and was also named a Fellow at the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library.
John Bigelow, Class of 1835
John Bigelow was an American author, diplomat and lawyer who was involved in significant historical events, such as helping to expose the political corruption of Tammany Hall’s William “Boss” Tweed in New York City. Bigelow was also a distinguished man of letters in the 19th and early 20th centuries. He was instrumental in the creation of the New York Public Library and served as its first president. Appointed consul general to Paris by President Abraham Lincoln, Bigelow helped dissuade a number of European countries from supporting the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Baruch Blumberg, Class of 1946
A co-founder, distinguished scientist and scientific and medical advisory board member of the Hepatitis B Foundation for more than 20 years, Dr. Baruch S. Blumberg was also a medical anthropologist. He traveled the world collecting blood samples and clinical data to study the genetics of disease susceptibility. Blumberg and his team tested these blood samples for antigen-antibody matches. In 1964, they discovered a match between an antigen from an Indigenous Australian and an antibody from a person with hemophilia in New York. More research confirmed that the “Australia antigen” caused hepatitis B, discovering the virus in 1967. They subsequently developed accurate diagnostic tests, increased protection of the blood supply, and even co-created the first “anti-cancer” vaccine that prevented initial infection in 1969.
Dr. Estelle Cooke-Sampson, Class of 1974:
Dr. Estelle Cooke-Sampson, a diagnostic radiologist, is medical director of women’s imaging and on the faculty of Howard University Hospital. Cooke-Sampson was a member of the D.C. National Guard for over 30 years. Rising to the rank of colonel, she was called to active duty during Operation Desert Storm. Also a board member of Tougaloo College, Cooke-Sampson is a longtime member of the Union College Board of Trustees. She was elected trustee emerita in 2024.
Dr. Sue Goldie, Class of 1988
Renowned for her scholarship in decision science, commitment to policy translation and innovative approach to interdisciplinary education, Dr. Sue Goldie is a physician and public health scientist working to improve the health of vulnerable populations. She is the faculty director at the Center for Health Decision Science at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the founding director of the Global Health Education and Learning Incubator at Harvard University.
Gordon Gould, Class of 1941
Gordon Gould was a scientific pioneer who was at the forefront of laser development and coined its name (an acronym for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”). He fought a three-decade battle to secure patent rights for the invention he began in 1957 as a graduate student at Columbia University. Finally, in 1987, the patent office awarded Gould a patent on optically pumped laser amplifiers. In 1995, a professorship was established in his honor at Union College, the R. Gordon Gould Professorship of Physics.
Alan Horn, Class of 1964:
Alan Horn is a highly regarded entertainment industry executive who has served as co-founder and CEO of Castle Rock Entertainment, president and COO of Warner Bros. and chairman of Walt Disney Studios. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has overseen some of the most successful film and television franchises in history, including the Harry Potter series and The Dark Knight trilogy. At Disney, Horn led one of the most successful periods in studio history, overseeing films from Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Walt Disney Animation Studios. Under his leadership, Disney set numerous records at the box office, culminating in $11 billion in 2019, the only studio ever to have reached these thresholds. Also a graduate of the Harvard Business School, he delivered the Union College Commencement address in 2010.
Pakk Hui, Class of 2000:
Pakk Hui is a Los Angeles-based composer who is best known for his cinematic blend of skillfully crafted melodies and emotive soundscapes. He has contributed music to over 400 episodes of television, including the latest season of Amazon's hit show “Reacher” and CBS's long running acclaimed series “Hawaii Five-0,” as well as dozens of blockbuster films, including “Final Destination, “Furious 7” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” His most recent works include his award-winning scores to “Dear Ernie” and “Roberta’s Rules.” His debut feature film, “Sway,” was an official selection at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.
John Kelly, Class of 1976:
John Kelly, III retired from IBM in 2020 after a distinguished 40 year career. He joined the company in research and development after earning a Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Kelly held many positions during his tenure, including senior vice president and director of IBM Research. When he retired, he was executive vice president, the company’s second-ranking executive. Kelly is often described by many as the “father of Watson,” the famous computer system most known for competing against human contestants on “Jeopardy!”
James Loree, Class of 1980:
James Loree is a seasoned business executive and corporate leader. He has served as a director of Whirlpool Corporation since 2017, where he is chair of the finance committee and a member of the audit committee of the Board of Directors. Loree has served as the chief executive officer at Serta Simmons Bedding since July 1, 2024 and a member of Serta Simmons’ Board of Directors since July 25, 2023. Previously, he served as chief executive officer of Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., a position he held from 2016 to June 2022 A former Union College trustee, Loree is also a director of United Natural Foods, Inc., Hartford Hospital and is a director of the Jim and Rebecca Loree Foundation.
Diane Mehta, Class of 1988:
Diane Mehta is an award-winning poet who was born in Frankfurt, grew up in Bombay and New Jersey, studied in Boston, and now makes her home in New York City. Her books include “Happier Far: Essays,” “Tiny Extravaganzas,” “Forest with Castanets” and “How to Write Poetry.” Her work has been recognized by fellowships at Civitella Ranieri and Yaddo, the Café Royal Cultural Foundation and the Peter Heinegg Literary Award. Mehta is immersed in a lifelong collaborative reading of Dante’s “Commedia,” and she is poet in residence with the New Chamber Ballet in New York City.
Andy Miller, Class of 1990:
Andy Miller is a businessman and technology/sports entrepreneur, previously the vice president for mobile advertising at Apple where helped lead the company’s early mobile advertising efforts following Apple's acquisition of Quattro Wireless, a company he co-founded in 2006. After leaving Apple in 2011, he became a partner at Highland Capital Partners and later served as president and chief operation officer of Leap Motion. Miller has built a portfolio of ventures and investments across technology, media and sports. He is co-owner of the Sacramento Kings, chairman and co-owner of NRG Esports and co-owner of the Modesto Nuts. He is also co–founder of Remix Media and the startup StartingFive. In addition to his degree from Union, he has a J.D. from Boston College Law School.
Dr. Charles Moore, Class of 1987:
Dr. Charles Moore is a professor at Emory University and the chief of service in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Grady Health System. He is also the director of the Emory Urban Health Initiative. Moore has a longstanding and profound commitment to the training and development of learners from all backgrounds, as well as advancing health equity. His research focuses on healthcare disparities, with a particular focus on head and neck cancer incidence in medically underserved communities. He is the founder and president of the federally qualified healthcare center in Atlanta named Health Education, Assessment and Leadership (HEAL), Inc.
Commander Adam Nebenzahl, Class of 2007:
Adam Nebenzahl is a submarine warfare officer in the U.S. Navy and the commanding officer of the USS Albany (SSN-753), a Los Angeles-class fast-attach submarine. Throughout his career, Nebenzahl has held various leadership roles on three nuclear-powered attack submarines. He has also conducted three overseas deployments in support of the Global War on Terror and other missions vital to national security, as well as one deployment to the Arctic Ocean in support of Ice Exercise 2016, which advances under-ice warfare readiness and capabilities. He has also served as the lead undersea warfare analyst on the Secretary of Defense’s Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation staff.
Megan O'Connor, Class of 2012:
Megan O’Connor is co-founder and chief executive officer of Nth Cycle, a metal processing company that has developed technology to enable a clean, domestic and streamlined supply of critical minerals for the clean energy transition. She leverages years of experience working on sustainable technology in many of America’s top research labs, where she helped develop the electro-extraction processes she and her team are commercializing at Nth Cycle. Prior to founding Nth Cycle, O’Connor was an Entrepreneurial Fellow in the Innovation Crossroads program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and was a visiting researcher at Yale University’s Center for Green Chemistry & Green Engineering.
Desirée Plata, Class of 2003:
Desirée Plata is the School of Engineering Distinguished Climate and Energy Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she is also the associate dean of engineering. Her research centers on the sustainable design of industrial processes and materials through environmental chemistry, with an emphasis on clean energy technologies. She is a leader on campus and beyond in climate and sustainability initiatives. She serves as director of the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium and has helped develop programs that enhance research experience for students and postdocs. She played a pivotal role in the founding of the MIT Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Engineering Excellence. Beyond academia, Plata has co-founded two climate and energy startups, Nth Cycle and Moxair.
Phil Alden Robinson, Class of 1971:
Phil Alden Robinson is a film director and screenwriter whose work includes “Field of Dreams,” “Sneakers” and “Band of Brothers.” In 1990, Robinson was named Screenwriter of the Year by the National Association of Theatre Owners, and in 1994, received the Writers Guild of America’s Valentine Davies Award for contributions to the entertainment industry and the broader community. In 1992, he accompanied the United Nations High Commission for Refugees as an observer on relief missions to Somalia and Bosnia, an experience that led to his first of five documentaries for ABC News Nightline. Robinson is vice president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is a past member of the board of directors of the Writers Guild of America and serves on the Board of Overseers of the UCLA Hammer Museum. Robinson was Union’s Commencement speaker in 1996.
William Seward, Class of 1820:
William Henry Seward was one of the foremost politicians of 19th century America. Seward was a New York State senator, governor of New York, a United States senator and served as secretary of state in the Lincoln and Johnson administrations. He is credited with spearheading the purchase of the Alaskan Territory from Russia in 1867. Between his terms of service as governor and U.S. senator he was a high-profile attorney who pioneered the insanity defense. Seward spent his entire career guided by a few constant core beliefs; that all Americans were born equal and entitled to the same individual liberties, and that new technology and infrastructure were the key to ensuring America’s place as a world power.
Ben Schwartz, Class of 2003:
Writer, comedian and actor Ben Schwartz is perhaps best-known as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein on the NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation.” He also voices the title character in the “Sonic the Hedgehog” franchise. His television credits also include “House of Lies,” “Space Force” and “The After Party.” He has appeared in such films as “Renfield,” and “This is Where I Leave You,” and has done voiceovers for animated shows such as “Ducktales,” “Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and “Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja.” The author of four books, he has also written dozens of scripts for a wide range of networks and studios. Nominated for four Emmys, he won in 2009 as one of the songwriters for Hugh Jackman’s opener to the 81st Academy Awards. Schwartz was Union’s Commencement speaker in 2024.
Joanna Stern, Class of 2006
Joanna Stern is an Emmy Award-winning technology journalist and media entrepreneur who has spent nearly two decades covering the consumer technology industry. In 2025, after 12 years at The Wall Street Journal, she launched New Things, a media venture focused on making technology journalism engaging, accessible and human-centered. Known for her sharp reporting and distinctive humor, she has built a national reputation for helping audiences better understand emerging technologies and their impact on everyday life. Her documentary, "E-Ternal: A Tech Quest to Live Forever," received the 2021 Emmy Award for Outstanding Science, Technology or Environmental Coverage. She is also the author of "I AM NOT A ROBOT: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything," serves as chief technology analyst for NBC News, and delivered the Union College Commencement address in 2025.
Nikki Stone, Class of 1997:
Nikki Stone is a world-class performance expert who has dedicated her career to helping individuals and organizations overcome fear, uncertainty, and setbacks to emerge stronger. She is an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle skiing, having won the gold medal in aerials at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano. Her Olympic victory came after a devastating spinal injury that nearly ended her career, transforming her comeback into a widely recognized model of resilience and peak performance. Today, she works with leading businesses, teams, and organizations around the world to translate elite performance principles into real-world results.
Julie Greifer Swidler, Class of 1979:
Julie Greifer Swidler is executive vice president of business affairs and general counsel for Sony Music Entertainment, and chair of the Union College Board of Trustees. She has spent more than two decades at Sony Music, where she oversees the company’s legal, business affairs and governmental matters on a global level. Widely recognized as a leading executive in the music industry, she has been featured repeatedly on Billboard's “Women in Music and Power 100” lists. In 2016, Swidler was the first label executive (and first woman) to receive the Grammy Foundation’s ELI Service Award. That same year, Swidler was honored by Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts with its Champion of the Arts award. In 2018, Swidler was appointed to a Recording Academy task force focused on diversity and inclusion within the recording academy and the broader music industry, contributing to ongoing efforts to advance equity and modernization in the field.
Mary and Rich Templeton, Class of 1980:
Rich Templeton is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Texas Instruments, where he spent his entire career following graduation from Union College. Mary Haanen Templeton is a philanthropist and community volunteer who had a 14-year career with General Electric before relocating to Dallas, where Texas Instruments is headquartered. Rich Templeton led Texas Instruments for nearly two decades as CEO and later as chairman, guiding the company’s global semiconductor strategy and long-term leadership in analog and embedded technologies. Mary Templeton has been active in philanthropic and civic efforts supporting education and community initiatives. Together, the Templetons have been major philanthropic supporters of higher education through the Richard and Mary Templeton Foundation. Their gifts to Union College include two transformative contributions totaling $91 million, the largest in the College’s history, supporting engineering, computer science and liberal arts programs and helping to expand opportunities for women in technology.
Emma White, Class of 2019:
Emma White started racing at 9 years old and quickly developed a reputation in the Northeast as a top road and cyclocross racer. She became one of the best riders in the world, capping a brilliant junior career with dual silver medals at the 2015 UCI World Championships. White moved into the professional ranks in 2016 and eventually transitioned to racing on the track. In 2020, she and her teammates won the Women's Team Pursuit World Championships. She went on to qualify for her first Olympics Games in 2021 to compete in the Team Pursuit, where the team rode to a bronze medal. After the Olympics, White retired from professional cycling transitioning to a full-time job as a software engineer.
Kate White, Class of 1972:
Kate White is the the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 19 suspense novels, including 11 standalone psychological thrillers and eight Bailey Weggins mysteries. A former Glamour magazine Top Ten College Women Contest winner and cover girl, White had a long career in the media world, which included running five national magazines. For 14 years, she was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. White’s first mystery, “If Looks Could Kill,” was a Kelly Ripa Book Club pick, a #1 bestseller on Amazon and an instant New York Times bestseller. She has been nominated for an International Thriller Writers Award in the fiction category, and her books have been published in over 30 countries.
