MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — The Penn State Harrisburg Alumni Society recently honored recipients of the annual Alumni Achievement Awards and the People to Watch Awards at a ceremony on Oct. 3.
The Alumni Achievement Awards recognize graduates from each of the college’s five academic schools, who earned the accolade thanks to their outstanding professional accomplishments.
The People to Watch Awards recognize graduates from each of the college’s schools who have made a significant contribution to the betterment of society through their personal and professional endeavors.
The honorees included:
Alumni Achievement Awards
Jennifer Homendy, class of 1994, bachelor of arts in humanities, School of Humanities, has served as the 15th chair of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) since August 2021 and as the agency’s 44th board member since August 2018. In May 2024, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed the president’s renomination of Homendy to continue serving as chair through 2027 and as board member until 2029. She is the fourth woman to serve as NTSB chair since the agency was created in 1967.
Homendy recently obtained her master of transportation safety administration degree from the Institute for Global Road Safety and Security at Clemson University.
Robert Lambert, class of 2000, master of public administration, School of Public Affairs, has spent over 25 years building and driving revenue-generating operations for York County Libraries, where he currently serves as president. By engaging the library with the community and building partnerships with a wide array of nonprofit organizations and schools, he’s ignited revenue growth, and he has shifted the libraries’ perception from a “place to check out books” to an entrepreneurial organization that delivers quality services beyond expectation.
As president, Lambert provides strategic leadership and ensures that fiscal, fundraising, marketing, human resource, government relations, technology, programmatic, and operational strategies are effectively implemented across all segments of the organization.
Lambert also holds a master of library science from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor’s degree from York College of Pennsylvania.
Joseph Marinko, class of 1977, bachelor of science in electrical design engineering technology, School of Science, Engineering, and Technology, is the general manager at FUJIFILM Healthcare Americas Corporation.
In 1980, Marinko and an entrepreneurial colleague established an engineering and manufacturing company, Performance Controls, Inc. Marinko and his team design and manufacture electronic power amplifiers, a key component in a wide variety of products.
Marinko’s early product designs and his subsequent leadership of PCI’s engineering team have contributed substantially to the health, safety, and well-being of humanity through a broad portfolio of power electronics products. Products developed by Marinko and his team are used in advance tornado warning systems, accurate non-invasive medical imaging, advanced tissue-sparing cancer treatment, safer power generation and more.
In 2021, Performance Controls, Inc became a subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation.
Khalid Mumin, class of 2001, master of education in teaching and curriculum, School of Behavioral Sciences and Education, has served in various capacities as a teacher, dean of students, principal and central administrator — and he now serves as the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Beginning as a secondary English teacher in Scotland, Pennsylvania, in 1997, Mumin rose through the leadership ranks of the education system in Pennsylvania. He has been recognized nationally as a “School Board Savvy Superintendent,” and is the author of the book entitled “Problem Child: Leading Students Living in Poverty Towards Infinite Possibilities of Success.”
Mumin earned a doctor of education in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, a bachelor of arts in secondary English education from Shippensburg University, and an associate of arts in English from Northeastern Christian Junior College.
John Tierney, class of 1989, master of business administration, School of Business Administration, has had a robust career managing complex corporate financial and accounting issues for such companies as The Hershey Company; Intercon Systems, TE Connectivity and TVC.
In 2013, he founded Lift Development with his partner Matt Tunnell. Lift is a leading real estate development firm that navigates the complexities of urban real estate development, student housing and management. Tierney’s notable projects include the ownership and operation of Midtown Cinema, the premier art house movie theater in the region. He is also majority owner of Zeroday Brewing Company.
Tierney earned his bachelor of science from Rollins College in 1982.
Matthew Tunnell, class of 2000, master of business administration, School of Business Administration, is a prominent figure in the southcentral Pennsylvania region's real estate development, business investment and economic development community.
In 2013, Tunnell co-founded Lift Development, a leading real estate development company focused on southcentral Pennsylvania with fellow honoree John Tierney.
Prior to founding Lift Development, Tunnell held leadership roles at several major Pennsylvania-based real estate development organizations. From 1995 to 2002, Tunnell served in various leadership positions within the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University.
People to Watch Awards
Lynne Calamia, class of 2008 and 2015, master of arts and doctor of philosophy in American Studies, School of Humanities, is a leader in the field of public history, with more than a decade of broad, hands-on experience at museums, historic sites, and archives.
As executive director of Roebling Museum, Calamia draws on her deep academic background. Her research on historic preservation and labor history prepared her for her role at Roebling Museum, a hidden-gem industrial history site in New Jersey.
Calamia served as an appointed member of the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Board from 2018 to 2022. She is active on the American Association for State and Local History’s Small Museums Steering Committee, and on the board of the New Jersey Museum Association.
Nicholas Giglio, class of 2019, bachelor of science in civil engineering, School of Science, Engineering, and Technology, began working for Urban Engineers as a Transportation Construction Inspector, which allowed him to be a part of the construction management team on large scale PennDOT projects. Giglio obtained his engineer-in-training license after graduation and earned his professional engineer license in March of 2024.
While attending Penn State Harrisburg, he was involved with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) student chapter. He has been awarded ASCE Lehigh Valley’s 2021 Young Engineer of the Year, ASCE’s 2022 New Face of Civil Engineering, PSPE-LV’s 2023 Young Engineer of the Year and ASCE’s 2023 Outstanding Younger Member in Government Relations. Giglio was elected ASCE Lehigh Valley Section president for 2024-25.
Giglio still works with Urban Engineers as a construction engineer and continues to serve on the construction management team of long-term bridge and highway projects for PennDOT.
Kevin Matos, class of 2016, bachelor of science in marketing and bachelor of science in management, School of Business Administration, is the founder of Profit Rocket. Profit Rocket is an investor ecosystem generating millions, collectively, mostly through stock options, trading, and long-term investing. Stemming from humble beginnings in the Bronx, N.Y, Matos’ time at Penn State Harrisburg was impactful. He was a two-time Kappa Alpha Psi Brother of the Year recipient in 2015 and 2016.
A curator of many financial literacy events throughout his career, Matos has also held public workshops in New York, Pennsylvania, Atlanta and Florida. Additionally, he was a keynote speaker for multiple events at St. John’s University, Police Athletic League (NY), Salesian High School and other education facilities in New York. He accomplished this while working for a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting at-risk youth individuals in his community, and representing Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. at prominent performing events.
Corey Read, class of 2011, bachelor of science in public policy, School of Public Affairs, is the regional planner for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Region 3, headquartered in Philadelphia, a role he has held since June of 2022. He oversees the region’s strategic annual implementation plan, all-hazard plans and continuity of operations plan. He recently completed CISA’s Federal Cyber Defense Skills Academy.
Prior to joining CISA, Read served as an operational planner in response as well as a data project lead in recovery for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region 3. He also previously held roles at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and with the Department of Human Services.
In 2019, Read and his family embarked on a new journey to revitalize his family’s 87-acre farm in Northeast Pennsylvania, Shupp Hill Farms, where they focus on raising and selling registered Irish Dexter Cattle.
Read earned a master’s degree in professional studies from George Washington University in safety and security leadership in 2013. He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and is currently commissioned as an officer in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
Marcellus Taylor, class of 2012 and 2014, bachelor of science in sociology and master of education in training and development, School of Behavioral Sciences and Education, serves as director of health equity at the Partnership for Better Health. He joined the foundation in 2021 and leads a portfolio of grants and initiatives focused on advancing health equity.
Taylor has 10 years of experience in engaging diverse populations in leadership development. He completed his dissertation on the experiences of Black males in educational doctorate programs and he is the author of “Don’t Box Me In: 9 P’s of Creative Leadership.” He is a co-founder and CEO of Blossburg & Cedar, a leadership and learning consulting firm based in Harrisburg.
Taylor received his doctorate in education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.