James J. Breheny
Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree RecipientÂ
James Breheny is a renowned American wildlife conservationist and the Director of the Bronx Zoo, one of the largest and most respected zoological institutions in the world. He also serves as Executive Vice President of Zoos and Aquariums for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), overseeing operations at all five WCS zoological parks in New York City: the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, New York Aquarium, Queens Zoo, and Prospect Park Zoo.
With over four decades of experience in wildlife management and conservation, Breheny has made a profound impact on the zoo community and the global conservation movement. His leadership has advanced WCS’s mission to protect wildlife and wild places around the world.
Breheny has overseen the development of major exhibits such as Madagascar!, Nature Trek, Budgie Landing, and the renovation of the Children’s Zoo. He has also driven educational outreach, reaching over one million students, teachers, and families annually, while advancing sustainability, expanding conservation programs, and championing improved habitats for animals.
During the Commencement ceremony, Dominican University will confer upon James Breheny an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of his transformative leadership in zoological management, his deep understanding of animal behavior, and his unwavering commitment to biodiversity. Â
Raymond H. Hill, M.E.M.
Honorary Degree RecipientÂ
Raymond Hill has accomplished excellence in business, service, and personal integrity – qualities that embody the highest ideals of Dominican University New York.
Hill is an accomplished rower who discovered his lifelong passion while a student at Cornell University. He continues to row competitively today as a master’s athlete, having won gold at the US Rowing Masters National Championships an extraordinary eleven times. After graduating from Cornell, Hill went on to distinguish himself in numerous ways. He earned a Master in Environmental Management from Duke University and built a remarkable career in health technology and business leadership.
As Chairman and CEO of CorEvitas, a biotechnology firm focused on real-world data for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, Hill led the company to a nine-fold revenue growth over eight years. His leadership culminated in the company’s acquisition by Thermo Fisher Scientific for nearly $1 billion. Today, Hill continues to shape the future of healthcare as an Operating Partner at Arsenal Capital, advising on pharmaceutical and bioscience investments. Beyond his professional achievements, Hill remains deeply committed to service and philanthropy.Â
At the Commencement ceremony, Dominican University will confer upon Raymond H. Hill the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters for his extraordinary accomplishments in business, his unwavering commitment to service, and his profound investment in the education and empowerment of young people. Â
Mardochee Julien-West M.S, RBT
Badami Outstanding Alumna Award
Dominican University New York proudly recognizes Mardochee Julien-West as a shining example of leadership, service, and lifelong learning. As an undergraduate student, Julien-West made a lasting impact on both academic and campus life. She co-led Verbal Asylum, Dominican’s poetry and open mic club where she helped cultivate a creative, inclusive space that welcomed diverse student voices and routinely filled event spaces with audiences of more than 200 people. Julien-West also excelled in the classroom, standing out as a thoughtful, collaborative English major.Â
After graduating, Julien-West pursued her Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis at Pepperdine University. This next step led her to a career as a Registered Behavior Technician, where she supported individuals facing behavioral challenges with compassion and strategy. She credits this experience with shaping her approach to coaching, particularly through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Her professional path recently brought her to the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), where she now serves as both a Qualitative Research Analyst and Success Coach, while also pursuing a Doctor of Management degree focused on community college policy and administration. Shortly after joining UMGC, she was named Success Coach of the Month, praised for her ability to foster belonging, build trust, and encourage academic achievement among students.
For her unwavering commitment to community, academic excellence, and empowering others through education, Dominican University New York is proud to present Mardochee Julien-West with the 2025 Badami Outstanding Alumna Award.
Howard Goldin and Edward J. Frank
Veritas Medal Recipients
When Vietnam veterans Howard Goldin and Edward Frank returned to Vietnam in 2005, they made peace with their former enemies and became determined to help Vietnamese children who had to contend with a lack of education in rural areas, human trafficking, the effects of Agent Orange, and unexploded land mines left by Americans. After arriving back in the United States, they co- founded a nonprofit organization called S.T.E.P or Schools to End Poverty, which is sponsored by the Spring Valley Rotary. Over the past 20 years, S.T.E.P. has built three schools in Vietnam, as well as schools in Jamaica, Honduras, and Ghana. In addition, two orphanages have been constructed in Vietnam with a third orphanage planned. The orphanages house physically-challenged children and young people who were abused, abandoned, or both.Â
S.T.E.P. has also provided children with more than 500 wheelchairs and 500 bicycles. Two tons of supplies, including a refurbished ambulance, have been sent to third world countries to assist children injured in land mine incidents and 58 brain shunts have helped children affected by Agent Orange. Locally, in Rockland County, S.T.E.P has several programs to support children and provides school supplies and backpacks to students in the East Ramapo School District.
In recognition of their extraordinary efforts to educate and protect children in Vietnam and around the world, their remarkable commitment to help fellow Vietnam veterans heal during return trips to Vietnam, and their impressive fundraising with no overhead costs, Dominican University New York is honored to award the 2025 Veritas Medal to Howard Goldin and Edward Frank.   Â