Alumni Association Staff Changes

I am saddened to write this message, yet hopeful for what the future holds. My last day as the Executive Director of the Alumni Association has finally arrived. One of my life's joys has been the past three years as a part of the SUNY Downstate community. Serving the Alumni Association in differing capacities and most recently as your Executive Director, departing is bittersweet.

The alumni of the College of Medicine are indeed the heartbeat of the University, and it has been my pleasure to work with, interact, befriend, and learn from you all. Each interaction a gift, and each individual a treasure. During my time, alumni engagement has increased, office operations have streamlined, donations have increased, and medical students continue to receive their support. I hope to stay in touch in my next chapter as I pursue my graduate studies in Public Health at Johns Hopkins. Thank you for your trust, time, and the privilege of being a part of the SUNY Downstate family.

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Lisa Freedland will succeed Kristian Balgobin as the Executive Director of SUNY Downstate College of Medicine’s Alumni Association. Ms. Freedland was born and raised in NY and now lives on the upper west side of Manhattan with her family. Lisa graduated from the University of Wisconsin, majoring in Consumer Science, where she began her career in the fashion wholesale world. Lisa has spent the last 17 years building and managing multi-million dollar wholesale businesses with some of the largest retailers in the country. Lisa sees the operations of the Alumni Association to be very similar to that of building a brand at a large retailer. The goal in both being to increase revenue to better serve the students and community while ensuring programs are constantly evolving and growing with the world around it. Lisa is very much looking forward to meeting each of the members of the Alumni Association and working together to continue on the path to success. While Lisa will begin her role remotely, her virtual door is always open and welcomes phone call and email introductions!