Meet the 2023 Recipients
Morgan DeBaun, AB ’12
Morgan DeBaun is the founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., a venture-backed company that builds product solutions and media for Black consumers and the enterprises who want to reach them. Blavity Media Group creates content for Black audiences and reaches over 250 million readers a month through a growing portfolio that includes Blavity News, 21Ninety, Travel Noire, Shadow & Act, and the Blavity Culture Ad Network. The Early Career Achievement Award is awarded to a graduate of the College of Arts & Sciences at Washington University who is 45 years old or younger who has made momentous strides in their professional field.
Thomas W. Gilligan, PhD ’84
Thomas W. Gilligan is an American economist who served as the Tad and Dianne Taube Director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University from 2015 to 2020. He is currently on the Board of Directors of KB Home and Southwest Airlines Company.
Kathy Garber Kartalis, AB ’82
Kathy Garber Kartalis is the senior vice president of global product at Skechers, a position she has held since 2010. She is responsible for the design, product development, and sourcing of Skechers’ footwear and apparel, and oversees a staff of more than 580 employees in the US and Asia.
Georgie Lewis, AB ’47
Georgie Williams Lewis established the Georgie W. Lewis Career Development Professorships to support emerging faculty scholars. Her philanthropic endeavors include education, the arts, and youth services. She has served on the boards of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, among others.
Carolyn Werner Losos, AB ’54
Carolyn Werner Losos has devoted her life to serving the St. Louis community. Through her professional work, Carolyn has helped build a skilled and connected cadre of community leaders across the region. She eventually became co-chair of the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Education. This group’s work led to the State of Missouri establishing an innovative program, Parents as Teachers, that provided support for in-home, early childhood education.
