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The Spirit of the Season

Last night when we gathered in the Hume library amidst a glowing fireplace, dimmed lights, and holiday decorations, the spirit of Christmas met the spirit of Saint David's as alumni and alumni parents joined with our faculty for a joyous evening.

We were there not only to celebrate the Season and each other's presence in our lives but also to recognize and honor Dr. Alberto Acosta, Class of 1971, as Alumnus of the Year, for his many contributions to the life of the school.

Alumni Council Chair from 2011-2013, Alberto has been an incredible force in taking our alumni to another level through his stewardship and ability to bring together people who love Saint David's.

Accepting the award, Alberto spoke of the importance of Saint David's in his life: how the school fostered a love of learning and the ability to think in an analytical and creative fashion. He also spoke of the school's values, its emphasis on the importance of doing the right thing, community service, and living with integrity, honesty, and commitment.

Alberto expressed his gratitude to Saint David's. The school, in turn, is grateful to Alberto and all of our alumni who take the message of Saint David's and live it each day of their lives.
We have much to be thankful for and to celebrate this Christmas.

Noted below are the remarks given by Sam Samuels, '84, Alumni Council President in recognition of Alberto's accomplishments:


Alberto M. Acosta, M.D. Ph.D.



Alberto Acosta graduated from Saint David’s in 1971 and was the first Saint David’s graduate to attend Regis High School.  He successfully completed and graduated from Regis in 3 years for the first time in the history of the school.  He then attended Columbia College where he double majored in Biology and Art History and was named a Shapiro Life Sciences Scholar.  Alberto completed a combined M.D. - Ph.D. program at the Cornell University Medical College.  His graduate work focused on defining the autoimmune basis of the heart damage seen in Chagas’ Disease or American Trypanosomiasis.  Chagas’ Disease is predominantly a disease of the poor and underserved in rural areas of Latin America where it is a significant public health concern affecting between 30 and 45 million individuals.  Alberto received several national awards for his research. 
 

Alberto went on to complete an Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine and subsequently a research fellowship in Immunopathology.at The New York-Presbyterian Hospital. 



In 1989, in response to the expanding HIV/AIDS epidemic, The New York-Presbyterian Hospital established the Center for Special Studies which was one of the first comprehensive HIV/AIDS treatment centers in the U.S.  Alberto was recruited to be one of the initial physicians and served as the center’s Associate Director.  He continued to volunteer at the center for several years.

    

Alberto currently serves as the Executive Director for Medical Services for Ingersoll-Rand Company, a leading diversified industrial company.  In this position, Alberto coordinates with and counsels the company’s senior human resources and environmental safety and health leaders, and is responsible for designing and administering several health benefits programs for the company’s 45,000 employees worldwide. 



In addition to his role at Ingersoll Rand, Alberto maintains a private practice in Internal Medicine, and Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, and is the Medical Director of Traveler’s Medical Service, a pre-travel health clinic, both in New York City.  He serves as a clinical consultant for several global companies.  Alberto is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Weill School of Medicine of Cornell University and an Assistant Attending Physician at The New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Alberto was elected by his peers to the Best Doctors in America list initially in 2007 and has been re-elected annually since then. 

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