On November 11, 2025, President Maurie McInnis recognized 35 Yale staff members at the Schwarzman Center with the Linda Lorimer Award for Distinguished Service, now in its twelfth year celebrating leadership, innovation, collaboration, and excellence across 13 university initiatives.

We’re thrilled that our core planning team was honored for “Elevating Innovation” through the Yale Innovation Summit: Amy Kundrat, Michelle McQueen, Lori Schrager, and Timothy Opstrup. Together, this team helped expand the Summit into the Northeast’s premier gathering for innovation and entrepreneurship—driving record attendance, forging new partnerships, and turning big ideas into real-world solutions.

With gratitude: This recognition reflects the work of a much broader planning community. Thank you to the extended team of planners across Yale and its schools, our event operations and communications partners, volunteers, faculty champions, student leaders, sponsors, and supporters. Your creativity, hustle, and heart make the Summit possible—and keep Yale’s innovation ecosystem thriving.