Melissa Landau was honored with Tucson Hebrew Academy’s 2019 Teacher Excellence Award at the THA annual meeting on May 15. Two THA parents, Robyn Kessler and Martha Sampson, established the award at the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona. First presented in 2005, the award includes $1,500 for the winner to use in the following year in their classroom for educational experiences and classroom materials.
Gerald N. Goldberg, M.D., a laser surgeon, dermatologist, and founder of Pima Dermatology, received the 2019 Ellet H. Drake Memorial Award, a lifetime achievement award, at the 39th Annual Conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery. The conference was held in March in Denver. Goldberg won the society’s Leon Goldman Award in 2017. He also is a clinical professor of dermatology and pediatrics at the University of Arizona.
Anne Y. Thwaits has been named director of marketing and communications at the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block. Thwaits holds a Ph.D. in museum studies with a minor in contemporary art history, a master’s degree in media arts, and a bachelor’s degree in fine arts studies, all from the University of Arizona. Most recently, she was the director of marketing, communications and events for the management informations systems department at the UA Eller College of Management. From 2013 to 2015, she served as director of marketing, communications, and outreach for UA Presents.
Casas Alitas received the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona 2019 Meyer and Libby Marmis Humanitarian Award for its aid to migrants released into the Tucson community. The award was presented at the Jewish History Museum annual meeting on May 16. At the meeting, JHM inaugurated the Ray Davies Educator of the Year Award, presented to Ellen Saltonstall, and honored Phillip Neuman with the Dr. Barry A. Friedman Volunteer of the Year Award.
