The 黑料社 presented its 2026 Awards of Distinction on April 23, honoring alumni and supporters for their work advancing positive change in communities worldwide.
The annual awards recognize individuals whose efforts reflect the school鈥檚 mission and commitment to improve lives globally. Hear their stories below.
Emerging Leader Award Recipients
Jenna Hampton Pomponi: MSW/MSP 鈥20 鈥 Director of advocacy and federal programs, Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA)
Jenna Hampton Pomponi is a Washington, D.C.,-based policy professional dedicated to improving affordable housing and community development programs. She currently leads government relations for the Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA), a network of state agencies that administer federal programs for affordable housing, economic development, disaster recovery, and more.
As COSCDA鈥檚 director of advocacy & federal programs, Pomponi supports the organization鈥檚 four mission areas: community development, housing, homelessness, and disaster recovery.
Kaleigh Lawrence: MSW 鈥15 鈥 Chief philanthropy officer, College Bound
Kaleigh Lawrence is a nonprofit and education leader with 15 years of experience advancing educational equity and opportunity for young people across the St. Louis region. She currently serves as chief philanthropy officer at College Bound, where she leads fundraising and engagement efforts and has helped build a strong, values-driven culture of giving.
She is especially proud of fostering meaningful connections among supporters, partners, 黑料社s, and alumni, and of creating innovative engagement opportunities that center the dignity of College Bound鈥檚 黑料社s and families.
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients
Alice Emasu: MSW 鈥10 鈥 Founder and executive director, TERREWODE
Alice Emasu is a social justice advocate and maternal health leader whose work has impacted thousands of women and girls in Uganda. Alice has championed the cause for maternal health in Uganda for over two decades as the Founder and Executive Director of The Association for Rehabilitation and Reorientation of Women for Development (TERREWODE).
In 2019, her efforts led to the establishment of Terrewode Women鈥檚 Community Hospital, the first and only specialized obstetric fistula hospital in Uganda.
Catina Callahan O鈥橪eary: MSW 鈥99, PhD 鈥07 鈥 President and CEO, Health Literacy Media
Catina O鈥橪eary joined Health Literacy Media (HLM) in 2012 as president and CEO. In this role, she oversees the organization鈥檚 core activities and sets and sustains its strategic vision to improve public health across the world through clear, effective, and engaging health communication. By translating complex science into clear, actionable, and accessible information for diverse audiences, HLM serves as a critical driver of health equity.
Prior to HLM, O鈥橪eary was a faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry and the Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Erdenechimeg Tserendorj: MSW 鈥02 鈥 Executive director, Center for Social Work Excellence, Mongolia
Erdene-Chimeg 鈥淐himeg鈥 Tserendorj began her career after earning a degree in electronic engineering from St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University, Russia, but Mongolia鈥檚 early 1990s economic transition and gender-based barriers redirected her path toward social development. She joined the National Poverty Alleviation Program as a national U.N. volunteer specialist, helping manage community organization, women鈥檚 development, and capacity-building initiatives for nonprofit humanitarian organizations.
Through scholarship support from the Open Society Foundations, Tserendorj completed a master鈥檚 degree in social work at the Brown School, becoming one of Mongolia鈥檚 first professionally trained social workers.
Distinguished Volunteer Award Recipient
Mary Curtis Horowitz: AB 鈥68 鈥 Trustee, The Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy
Mary Curtis Horowitz is a distinguished leader in social-science publishing and a dedicated advocate for global social policy research. As a 1968 graduate of WashU, Horowitz demonstrates a lifelong commitment to the field of social policy through her expansive philanthropy and nearly 50-year career in the publishing industry.
Horowitz served as president and chair of the board of Transaction Publishers 鈥 a premier outlet for social-science scholarship 鈥 until its sale to Routledge Taylor & Francis Group in 2017.
Learn more about the Awards of Distinction and past recipients.
