Le Moyne College to Honor Trustees Christopher B. Curtis ’79 and Jeanette J. Epps, Ph.D. ’92 at 2026 Le Moyne in New York Gala
The 2026 Le Moyne in New York Gala will honor two extraordinary trustees: Christopher B. Curtis ’79, executive chairman of Mission Critical Group, and Dr. Jeanette Epps ’92, a recently retired NASA astronaut who spent 235 days aboard the International Space Station in 2024. The gala will take place on Wednesday, April 1 at The Lighthouse at Pier 61 in Chelsea Piers in New York City.
“Chris and Jeanette have been exemplary leaders on our Board of Trustees, guiding the College with wisdom, vision and unwavering commitment,” said Le Moyne President Linda LeMura. “Their dedication to advancing our mission, supporting our students – especially first-generation learners – and shaping the future of the College has made a lasting impact that we are proud to celebrate.”
Proceeds from the gala will support scholarships and programs for first-generation students, both domestic and international. These initiatives provide financial support for career advising and mentoring that enable first-gen students to thrive academically, socially and professionally.
Curtis, a Le Moyne alumnus and current chair of the Board of Trustees, is an executive partner at Emerald Lake Capital Management and executive chairman of Mission Critical Group. He has also served on multiple corporate boards, studied at Harvard Business School and the Guanghua School of Management in Beijing, and led Schneider Electric North America as president and CEO. He was chair of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association in 2014 and received its highest honor, the Bernard H. Falk Award, in 2016. He’s shown here with his wife Karin at the dedication of the Curtis Terrace.
Epps, a Syracuse native and Le Moyne alumna, earned a master’s and Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland and served as a NASA Graduate Student Researchers Fellow. She spent 16 years at NASA, including a historic mission on SpaceX Crew-8 that set a U.S. duration record. Dr. Epps was the first African American woman to participate in NASA’s Cooperative Adventure for Valuing and Exercising human behaviour and performance Skills (CAVES) training and the second African American woman to be part of a long-duration mission onboard the ISS. A member of Le Moyne’s Board of Trustees since 2018, Dr. Epps received an honorary degree and was the commencement speaker that year, and continues to inspire the campus community through lectures and mentorship.
