Trustees and Special Advisors 2023
TRUSTEES
Dr. Shelley D. Dionne, Chair
Dr. Dionne has served as Special Advisor to the Link Foundation since 2017, and was appointed Chair in 2020. She currently serves as Dean of the School of Management, Professor of Organizational Behavior and Leadership, Director of the Bass Center for Leadership Studies, and Associate Director of the Center for Leadership Studies at Binghamton University. She has received several honors and awards including the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the School of Management’s Corning Research Award and Excellence in Teaching Award. She has received funding from the National Science Foundation and the Army Research Institute to study leadership and collective dynamics. Dr. Dionne holds a BS degree in Nutrition from Rochester Institute of Technology, and an MBA and PhD in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from Binghamton University.
Mr. James Edmond “Ed” Morton, IV, Treasurer
Mr. Morton has served as a Special Advisor to the Link Foundation since 2018, and was appointed Trustee and Treasurer in 2021. He currently serves as Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Group Regional Executive, and Broome Tioga Market Executive with Chemung Canal Trust Company, a community bank headquartered in New York’s Southern Tier. He holds a BS degree in Applied Economics from Cornell University, is an Honors Graduate from the Cannon Financial Institute’s Trust School, and holds a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor professional designation from the American Bankers Association Institute of Certified Bankers.
Mr. James R. Van Voorst, Secretary
Mr. Van Voorst has served as a Special Advisor to the Link Foundation since 2012, and was appointed Trustee and Secretary in 2021. Mr. Van Voorst’s significant experience in finance and administration is a strong asset to the Foundation. In 2018, he retired from the State University of New York at Albany where he served as vice president for finance and administration. Prior to his position at Albany, he served as vice president for administration at Binghamton University, interim vice chancellor of finance and administration for the State University of New York from 2008-2009, controller at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, university accountant at the State University of New York at Albany, and auditor with the New York State Comptroller’s Office. Mr. Van Voorst holds a BS degree from Siena College, a MS degree from the State University of New York at Albany, and he is a Certified Public Accountant
Dr. Andrew M. Clark
Dr. Clark has served the Link Foundation since 1999 in positions that have included Trustee and Special Advisor, and he currently chairs the Link Foundation’s Fellowship Program in Ocean Engineering and Instrumentation. He began his career in the offshore oil industry prior to being awarded a Link Foundation Internship in 1979 at the Harbor Branch Foundation, an organization which was founded in 1971 by J. Seward Johnson, Sr. in collaboration with Edwin A. Link as a non-profit research organization (now known as Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University). Dr. Clark remained at Harbor Branch for over fifteen years, eventually succeeding Edwin A. Link to head Engineering Research and Development. Dr. Clark’s expertise is in ocean engineering and instrumentation and he has founded three successful companies in this field. Dr. Clark holds BS and MS degrees in Ocean Engineering from Florida Atlantic University, and a PhD in Ocean Engineering from University of Hawaii. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), holds both US and International Patents for underwater vehicle systems, and has authored or coauthored over 50 technical and scientific publications. Dr. Clark was inducted into the Sea-Space Symposium and Cosmos Club in 2003, and is a Fellow of the Explorers Club and the Marine Technology Society where he was elected President of that international organization in 1998 and currently serves as its Vice President for Research, Industry and Technology. He received the Lockheed Martin Medal for Ocean Science and Technology in 2003, the Compass – Rolex Distinguished Achievement Award in 2007, and the John Craven Mentorship Award in 2019. Dr. Clark is a Trustee of Florida Institute of Technology and Director of the Walter Munk Foundation for the Oceans. Since 2010 he has served on the US Committee to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
Mr. Lenny Genna
SPECIAL ADVISORS
Professor Frank M. Cardullo
Professor Cardullo has served as a Special Advisor to the Link Foundation since 2002 and he also serves as the chairman of the Link Foundation’s Modeling, Simulation and Training Fellowship Selection Committee.
On September 1, 2016, Professor Cardullo retired as professor of mechanical engineering at the State University of New York at Binghamton after 36 years. He will continue his role at Binghamton as Professor Emeritus. His research interest includes man-machine systems, mathematical modeling and analysis of the dynamics of both the human operator and the machine, and tele-robotic surgery. He has applied this research to the perception and stimulation of visual and motion cues and computational methods for real time systems. He has been an active consultant in this area for many aerospace companies and US Government agencies. He is the author of over 60 technical publications, and has been awarded a patent for the "Advanced G-Seat." Professor Cardullo has been invited to lecture at 13 universities and research institutes in Europe and Asia. He is a recipient of the AIAA De Florez Award for Flight Simulation and Training. Prior to joining the Binghamton University faculty in 1980, Professor Cardullo spent 14 years as an engineer in the simulation industry. He is an Associate Fellow of the AIAA, and a member and former chairman of their Modeling and Simulation Technical Committee.
Mr. David M. Gouldin, Esq.
Mr. Gouldin has served the Link Foundation since 1989 as a Trustee and Special Advisor. He served as Chairman of the Board from 1993 to 2010. He is a retired Senior Partner in the law firm of Levene Gouldin & Thompson, LLP in Binghamton, NY. Mr. Gouldin obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Princeton University and his Juris Doctor was conferred by the Cornell Law School. He has, on occasion, served as legal counsel for the Link Foundation. He is a past President of the Broome County Bar Association and the Federation of the Bar of the Sixth Judicial District, specializing in commercial litigation and professional liability. He served as a member of the Committee on Professional Standards for the Appellate Division, Third Department. For over a decade he served as one of the five members of the New York State Board of Law Examiners appointed by the Court of Appeals. Mr. Gouldin was a member of the Board of the SUNY Broome Foundation and is currently a member of the Board of the Gaffney Foundation. For approximately 25 years he served as Chancellor of the Wyoming Conference of the United Methodist Church. He has been named as a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, and the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Dr. Javad Hashemi
Dr. Hashemi has served the Link Foundation since 2016 when he was appointed as the Link Foundation’s Ocean Engineering and Instrumentation Fellowship Program Administrator. In 2017 he was also appointed as a Special Advisor to the Link Foundation Board. Dr. Hashemi is Associate Dean for Research and Professor in the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Hashemi holds a PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University. He has authored over 40 journal articles, is co-author of an undergraduate textbook in Materials Sciences and Engineering, and serves on the Editorial Board of the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine.
Mr. Douglas R. Johnson
Mr. Johnson has served the Link Foundation since 1991 in positions that have included Trustee, Treasurer, and Special Advisor. Mr. Johnson has significant experience in the banking field and is highly regarded in the Greater Binghamton Area as the “Dean” of the region’s trust officers, with nearly 49 years of experience. Prior to his retirement from Chemung Canal Trust Company in Binghamton, NY, he served as Senior Vice President and Regional Trust Executive. Mr. Johnson is a graduate of Broome Community College and the National Graduate Trust School at Northwestern University. He received the Baden Powell Council of Boy Scouts of America 2012 Distinguished Citizen’s Award. This yearly award recognizes a community member for outstanding service and volunteerism to the community.
Dr. Thomas F. Kelly
Dr. Kelly has served the Link Foundation since 1999 in positions that have included Trustee, Chair of the Board, Secretary, and Special Advisor. He currently serves as a Professor Emeritus of Strategic Management and Business Ethics at Binghamton University (State University of New York) and has held prior positions as Dean of the School of Management, and University Vice President for External Affairs at Binghamton for many years. Prior to his service at Binghamton, he served as Dean at Wilkes College. Dr. Kelly holds a BA degree summa cum laude from Wilkes College, a MA degree from Lehigh University, and a PhD from Cornell University, where he was elected to the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi.
At Binghamton University, Dr. Kelly led the School of Management to AACSB accreditation and developed its PhD program. As Vice President, he led the University through its first Comprehensive Gifts Campaign, exceeding its goal by 20%. Dr. Kelly has received numerous awards including the “Professional of the Year” Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, a national academic organization; 6 teaching excellence awards from the faculty and students of the School of Management; the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service; and the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. He has also received the Distinguished Citizen’s Award from the Baden-Powell Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Over the years, Dr. Kelly has served on the board of directors of 12 non-profit organizations and three business corporations, serving as Chair of five of these boards. Dr. Kelly’s research interests and publications relate to Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, and Social Enterprises.
Dr. Margaret Loper
Dr. Loper has served the Link Foundation since 2021 when she was appointed the Link Foundation Modeling, Simulation and Training Fellowship Program Administrator. In 2022, she was also appointed a Special Advisor to the Link Foundation. Dr. Loper began her association with the Link Foundation in 1999 when she was selected to receive a Link Foundation Advanced Simulation and Training Fellowship. She is currently the Associate Director for Operations of the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Information and Communications Laboratory (ICL). She previously served as ICL’s lab chief scientist, as well as an Associate Director for the Institute for Information Security Privacy for trust research. She has been involved in modeling and simulation for more than 30 years. She earned a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University, a MS degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Central Florida, and PhD degree in Computer Science from Georgia Tech. In 2010, Women in Technology named her the “2010 Woman of the Year in Technology,” in the medium business category.
Dr. Lee R. Lynd
Dr. Lynd has served the Link Foundation since 1999 in positions that have included Trustee and Special Advisor, and the Link Foundation Energy Fellowship Program Manager. Dr. Lynd began his association with the Link Foundation in 1984 when he was selected to receive a Link Foundation Energy Fellowship in the inaugural year of the Program. Dr. Lynd is the Paul and Joan Queneau Distinguished Professor of Engineering and Adjunct Professor of Biology at Dartmouth College, Professor Extraordinary of Microbiology at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, and CEO of Terragia Corporation, a biomass energy start-up company he co-founded. He has been a member of the Dartmouth faculty since 1987. Dr. Lynd holds a BS degree in Biology from Bates College, a MS degree in Bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin, and MS and PhD degrees in Engineering from Dartmouth College.
Dr. Lynd is an expert on the utilization of plant biomass for production of energy. His contributions span the science, technology, and policy domains, and include leading research on fundamental and biotechnological aspects of microbial cellulose utilization. He has led an active research group addressing these issues over the last two decades, authoring over 250 technical papers, over 39,000 citations, an h-iondex of 85, and 23 issued patents. A frequently invited presenter on technical and strategic aspects of biomass energy, Dr. Lynd has three times testified before the United States Senate, and has been featured in prominent fora such as Wired, Forbes, Nova, and the Nobel Conference. Dr. Lynd has received several awards including the Lemelson-MIT Sustainability Prize, the Charles D. Scott Award, the Charles A. Lindbergh Award, and a National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award.
Dr. Speros Link Margetis
Dr. Margetis has served as Special Advisor to the Link Foundation since 2015. He currently serves as Professor of Finance at the University of Tampa and holds a BS degree in Finance from the University of Florida, a MBA and PhD degree in Finance from the University of South Florida, and he is a SAP Certified Business Associate. Dr. Margetis is a member of the U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, America’s SAP Users Group (ASUG), the National Society for Experiential Education, the Academy of Economics and Finance, and the Financial Management Association.
Dr. Margetis was associated with our Founders during their lifetime as he was Edwin A. Link’s Godson.
Mr. J. Link Murray
Mr. Murray has served as Special Advisor to the Link Foundation since 2015. He is CEO of Deep Geo Repository Inc., established to dispose Used Nuclear Fuel safely, with a structure that brings environmental, social, and economic transformation to currently struggling communities in North America and overseas. His formation of Deep Geo complements the program of Liberation Capital International, Inc., a 501-c-3 humanitarian organization, that Murray and colleagues from Europe, Asia, and Africa founded in 2001, to further holistic economic, social, and environmental improvements in indigenous and isolated communities. Prior to this, Mr. Murray worked in venture capital, aquaculture, and technology, in his own businesses and within major companies including CVS Health and American Express. Murray served two appointments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Northeast Regional Aquaculture Center and has served on the Board of Directors of the New England Fisheries Development Association and the Aquaculture Coalition of New England. His education includes a BA degree in Biology from Harvard University, a MS degree in Environmental Resource Management from the University of Rhodesia/University of London, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Murray is related to our Founders as he is Edwin A. Link and Marion C. Link's grand-nephew.
Dr. Richard W. Murray
Dr. Murray is the Deputy Director/Vice President for Science & Engineering at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Murray previously served as a Special Advisor to the Link Foundation from 1993 until 2014, when he stepped down as he accepted the position of Director, Division of Ocean Sciences at the National Science Foundation in Washington, DC, a position that he held through 2018. In 2022, he rejoined the board as a Special Advisor. Dr. Murray is the grand-nephew of Edwin A. Link (and the brother of J. Link Murray, above) and he participated in many Link Foundation events prior to his formal appointment as Special Advisor. He was instrumental in the development of the Link Foundation’s Ocean Engineering and Instrumentation Fellowship Program which began in 1998. Before Dr. Murray’s appointment at the National Science Foundation, and immediately after (2018-2019), he served as Professor of Earth and Environment at Boston University (BU), a position he held since 1992. He also served Boston University as Chair of the Department of Earth Sciences from 2000-2005, and Director of the Boston University Marine Program (BUMP) from 2007-2009.
While pursuing his BA degree at Hamilton College, Dr. Murray also participated in the Sea Education Association’s (SEA’s) program in Woods Hole, MA. After receiving his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley, he was a post-doctoral scholar at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography. Dr. Murray’s research interests are in marine biogeochemistry, with an emphasis on climate change and ocean processes. He has authored or coauthored more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific research papers. His research funding has been provided by the National Science Foundation, the Ocean Drilling Program and Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, the US Geological Survey, and other agencies.
Dr. Murray has received multiple teaching awards and professional honors throughout his career including being a former JOI/USSAC Distinguished Lecturer and a Fellow of the Geological Society of America.
Dr. Brian J. Thompson
Dr. Thompson has served the Link Foundation since 1984 in positions that have included Trustee, Secretary, and Special Advisor. He was instrumental in the development of the Link Foundation’s Energy Fellowship Program, serving as the Program Administrator from 1984-1999. Dr. Thompson also was instrumental and assisted in the development of the Link Foundation’s Advanced Simulation and Training and Ocean Engineering and Instrumentation Fellowship Programs. He edited a series of 15 volumes of the Research Reports of Link Energy Fellows, which was published by the University of Rochester Press, and he subsequently published four additional edited volumes of the Research Papers of the Link Foundation Fellows covering all three Link Fellowship Programs.
Dr. Thompson serves as Provost Emeritus, Professor of Optics Emeritus and Distinguished University Professor at the University of Rochester. He joined the University of Rochester in 1968 as Director of the Institute of Optics and Professor of Optics, serving as Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences from 1975-1984, and University Provost from 1984-1994. Prior to his service at the University of Rochester, he served as a Faculty Member at Manchester University, England; tenured Faculty Member in the Physics Department at the University of Leeds, UK; Technical Operations Research in Burlington, MA; and adjunct faculty member at Northeastern University. Dr. Thompson holds a BS degree with honors and a PhD degree in Applied Physics from Manchester University.
Dr. Thompson received Rochester University’s Alumni Citation to faculty for outstanding scholarship and service to students in 1980, and was named the first William F. May Professor of Engineering in 1982. Over his career, he has written over 180 scientific and technical papers and edited two major book series: SPIE Milestone Series of Selected Papers, 182 Volumes, and Optical Engineering, 140 Volumes.
He has been active in national and international scientific organizations and their boards and served on the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council’s committees and panels; the Army Scientific Advisory Panel; the Center for Naval Analysis Advisory Panel; and the New York State Urban Development Corporation’s Technology Advisory Panel. He is a member of the Board of Overseers of the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College and has served a number of local boards in Rochester, NY, including former Chairman and Trustee of the Board of the Center for Governmental Research; Trustee of the Rochester Museum and Science Center; and former Chairman and Trustee of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. Dr. Thompson continues to serve the local boards in the Rochester, NY area as an active Life Trustee. He was a former Corporate Director for Welch Allyn and currently serves, since 1992, as a Corporate Director for Boydell and Brewer, UK.
Dr. Donna F. Wilt
Dr. Wilt has served the Link Foundation as a Special Advisor since 2006, and she served on the Link Foundation’s Modeling, Simulation and Training Fellowship Selection Committee prior to becoming the Program’s Administrator in 2012. Dr. Wilt served as the Modeling, Simulation and Training Program Administrator until her retirement in 2021. Dr. Wilt began her association with the Link Foundation in 1995 when she was selected to receive a Link Foundation Advanced Simulation and Training Fellowship. Dr. Wilt is a retired Professor from the College of Aeronautics at Florida Institute of Technology. She holds a BS degree from the University of Florida, a MS degree in Electrical Engineering and a PhD in Science Education from Florida Institute of Technology.
Dr. Wilt has a lifelong passion for aviation and engineering but as her career progressed, she was drawn to the training aspects of aviation as opposed to engineering design. Dr. Wilt’s PhD research was on the forefront of how to teach higher-order cognitive skills, such as situation awareness and decision making, to beginning pilots using low-cost flight training devices (FTD). Dr. Wilt is an Air Transport Pilot, Master Certified Flight Instructor, and Gold Seal Flight instructor focused on the beginning, or ab-initio, pilot training.
FOUNDATION ADMINISTRATOR
Ms. Vicki Griffin
Ms. Griffin serves as the Senior Staff Associate for the Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Office Manager, a position she has held since 2010. Prior to her employment at Binghamton, Ms. Griffin was the Executive Assistant to the Vice President at HealthNow, Upstate Medicare Division. She received her Associates in Applied Science Degree in Executive Secretarial in 1988 and her Associates in Applied Science Degree in Paralegal Studies in 1994 both from Broome Community College. Ms. Griffin received the Binghamton University Service Tradition Award Recognition (STAR) award in 2014, an award for which she was nominated by her peers. The STAR award was in recognition of specific acts of exemplary service and ongoing dedication to the principles of quality service at Binghamton University. In 2015 she received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service.
Ms. Griffin has served the Link Foundation as Foundation Administrator since April 2024. Her administrative background, with over 35 years of experience, is a strong asset to the Link Foundation.
Revised 6/24
Edwin A. and Marion C. Link
The Link Foundation
c/o Binghamton University Foundation
PO Box 6005
Binghamton, NY
13902-6005
ATTN: Vicki Griffin