Congratulations to Lavelle Leaders Award Winners!

Congratulations to Dr. Caitlin Sarubbi and Ms. Alaina Allen, recipients of the 2023 Lavelle Leaders Awards. These students have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills by identifying critical needs in their communities and coalescing the strategies, resources, and partners necessary to effect change.

The Lavelle Leaders Awards were established to recognize outstanding scholars who have demonstrated the highest level of academic achievement and whose leadership experiences and school, career, or community engagement have made a significant impact. The Awards are open to college juniors and seniors as well as graduate students who are legally blind and attend one of the 12 Lavelle Fund Tri-State New York area partnering colleges and universities. The two winning applicants stood out as exemplars of outreach, team-building, and leadership skills; their efforts and perseverance have directly impacted hundreds of individuals, and are likely to serve many more in the future. Both impressive and inspiring, they are true role models for their peers.

As a recent medical school graduate, Dr. Sarubbi’s perseverance enabled her to overcame numerous accessibility and awareness challenges to earn her M.D. degree.  In the process, she developed a reputation for providing empathetic patient support along with exceptional clinical care. Dr. Sarubbi also collaborated on a book chapter for the American Medical Association recommending potential changes to undergraduate and graduate medical education that will help to change the landscape for future medical students with visual impairment.

In addition to studying Psychology and Special Education, Ms. Allen has taken on challenging roles leading summer programs at an organization serving youth with disabilities. As an advocate for accessibility, Ms. Allen worked with her college to improve stairway accessibility for people who are blind or visually impaired and consulted with local restaurants in her community to improve the accessibility of their menus.

These examples are only the highlights of the many academic and civic accomplishments of these outstanding individuals, who embody the spirit of the Lavelle Leaders Award, demonstrating that true leaders are change-makers, continually raising the bar to challenge themselves and become leaders.

The Lavelle Fund for the Blind is a charitable grant-making foundation dedicated primarily to supporting programs that help individuals who are blind or visually impaired live independent and productive lives. The Lavelle Fund offers the Lavelle-Brother Kearney Scholarship Program and the Lavelle Leaders Awards to select students annually.