From Mentors to Entrepreneurs, Alumni Honored in Awards Ceremony

Wentworth Institute of Technology alumni have a reputation for making great strides in the world, and some of the brightest examples were honored in August at the Wentworth Alumni Association (WAA) Awards Ceremony. 

WAA President Casey Galante, Architecture ’12, and Wentworth President Mark A. Thompson both addressed recipients in the Center for Engineering, Innovation, and Sciences. Twenty-two Class of 2023 students were also honored at the ceremony. Among them was Matthew Fairneny, Computer Networking, who earned the Dr. H. Russell Beatty Award, given to the undergraduate student with the highest overall academic achievement.

Young Alumni Award
Shy-Lee Ezroni, Applied Mathematics ’16
Ezroni is a technologist, activist, and artist who is passionate about uplifting communities with leadership and technology. She is a first-generation American and college student of Middle Eastern and Latinx descent. Her work has been recognized by former New York State Senator Anna Kaplan, and she has co-founded two award-winning organizations: Code Like a Girl, a coding club teaching more than 100 young girls to use and build technology, and The WIT Project, a nonprofit fellowship program mentoring underserved college-aged women to break into tech.

Alumni Mentorship Award
Bryan Hermanny, Architectural Engineering Technology ’01
Hermanny is an associate principal at BR+A Consulting Engineers, where he has worked since graduating from Wentworth. He began his career at BR+A as a co-op student, and after graduation he was promoted to co-op supervisor in the HVAC department. In this role, he taught students how to design HVAC systems for complex life science, academic, and healthcare projects. Many of these students have gone on to become full-time employees at BR+A, and they have had a major positive impact on the firm and the Boston area HVAC industry. Hermanny is also a guest lecturer at Wentworth.

Alumni Entrepreneurship Award
Josu’e Velney, Building Construction Management ’21
Velney is the founder and CEO of Velney Development, a local veteran- and minority-owned real estate development firm. He served for five years in the United States Marine Corps, with three overseas deployments, before graduating cum laude from Wentworth. A member of Tau Alpha Pi National Honor Society, he credits his business success to the leadership skills he honed during his service and the technical skills he learned in the classroom at Wentworth.

Alumni Inclusive Excellence Award
Danyson Tavares, Architecture ’11
Tavares is a designer, educator, and project development manager at YouthBuild Boston. In addition to this work, he also teaches courses at Wentworth and Rhode Island School of Design, ranging from foundation studios to undergraduate seminars to graduate-level courses. Through his experience in working and teaching in various communities in and around Boston, he continues to explore the intersections between identity and placemaking in marginalized communities.

Women at Wentworth Award
Jillian Kishfy, Industrial Design ’14
Kishfy has not only carved a niche for herself as a multidisciplinary designer, she has emerged as a tireless advocate for under-represented groups in the design industry. Her journey, filled with innovation, mentorship, and a commitment to social impact, has made her a revered figure in the design community. As the founder of Soft Start Studios, she actively engages in mentorship and speaking engagements to empower aspiring designers and dedicates her time to mentoring women from institutions such as Wentworth and Rhode Island School of Design. By sharing her knowledge and experiences, she strives to pave the way for a more diverse and inclusive design industry.

Philip J. Brooks Alumni Leadership Award
Dana DeMatteo, Building Construction Engineering Technology ’85
DeMatteo has served on the Wentworth Alumni Association Board of Directors and was the president from 2009 to 2011. In addition to the WAA, he was also a member of the Wentworth Corporation and University Advisors. He knew Brooks well and the two attended many Wentworth events, with Black & Gold weekend, which honored graduates celebrating their 50th reunion, being a favorite.

Distinguished Employer Award
JM Electrical
JM Electrical was established more than 35 years ago by Wentworth alumnus Paul Guarracino ’72. Over the years, the company has consistently demonstrated commitment and collaboration with Wentworth, positioning itself as a stalwart advocate and ally in the university’s journey toward institutional excellence. Its strong partnership with Wentworth includes hosting students through the co-op program, many of whom go on to become employees. Beyond its role as a perennial co-op employer, JM Electrical’s influence has extended to scholarship endowments and annual support of the Wentworth Alumni Golf Tournament, and to the development of the Center for Engineering, Innovation, and Sciences (CEIS), among other key projects.

Gold Leopard Award
Keith Blackey, Electrical Engineering ’73
After receiving degrees from both Wentworth and Northeastern, Blackey served in the United States Army, achieving the rank of Specialist E62. In recent years he spent much of his time working in international Scouting organizations, most notably in Afghanistan, where he spent more than a year advising the leaders of groups of Scouts in that country. His unwavering dedication and support for the Afghan people was reflected in his daily social media postings, sharing positive news about Afghan society. His efforts to shed light on the struggles, triumphs, and aspirations of the Afghan community left an indelible mark.