University at Albany Foundation Announces 2023 Citizen Laureates

ALBANY, N.Y. (June 27, 2023) — James K. Reed, MD, Robert W. Lazar and Roberta Bernstein, PhD, have been named 2023 Citizen Laureates by The University at Albany Foundation. The awards honor outstanding leaders in business and industry, government and academics who have helped transform the Capital Region community through service and philanthropy.

Reed and Lazar were named Community Laureates in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the Capital Region and beyond. Bernstein was named Academic Laureate, an award that honors notable achievements in academia and research.

Reed retired as president and chief executive officer of St. Peter’s Health Partners, one of the Capital Region’s largest healthcare systems, at the end of 2022. He spent more than a decade in executive leadership at St. Peter’s, part of a long and storied career which began in business and operations, transitioned to family practice after medical school, and eventually culminated in health care administration.

Lazar ’77 retired as president of the New York State Business and Development Corporation (now known as Pursuit) in 2005 after more than 35 years with the organization. An alum of UAlbany’s School of Business, he had a major role in shaping the school as it exists today through his active participation on various boards and advisory councils and as its executive-in-residence.

Reed and Lazar are active members of the Capital Region community, serving or having served on numerous boards, including the Capital Region Chamber and Center for Economic Growth, and have both been recognized for their extensive contributions by several local organizations.

Bernstein, a Collins Fellow and professor emeritus at UAlbany, served as the chair of the Department of Art and Art History for many years. Beloved by her students, Bernstein’s 28 years of distinguished teaching, scholarship and service at UAlbany have been recognized with numerous awards. Most recently, her work with artist Jasper Johns was recognized when the president of France named her Chevalier (Knight) of the National Order of the Legion of Honor, the highest distinction the French bestow for civil and military accomplishment.

“The University at Albany Foundation’s Citizen Laureate Awards Dinner is one of the premier black-tie galas in the Capital Region,” said Fardin Sanai, vice president for university advancement and executive director of The University at Albany Foundation. “I would like to give a special thanks to the Citizen Laureate Advisory Committee and the numerous individuals who supported the nominations for these extraordinary laureates. They exemplify the values of this award and have all made lasting impacts on both UAlbany and the Capital Region.”

The awardees will be honored at the annual Citizen Laureate Awards dinner on Nov. 16. The dinner will be held in the ZEN (Zero Energy Nanotechnology) atrium at the Albany Nanotech Complex.

The Foundation’s annual celebration of Citizen Laureates began in 1977 as a way to bring together the academic and business communities of the Capital Region. The gala dinner is a signature fundraising event for UAlbany student scholarships.

For more information, visit Citizen Laureate or contact UAlbany’s Office of University Events at (518) 442-5310.