Three Distinguished Douglass Alums Named to 2024 AADC Society of Excellence

Congratulations to Honorees (Clockwise from top left) Jennifer C. Bender ‘93, Esquire; Pamela Brug ‘84, MD, MS, and Debra Lynch ‘79, Ph.D.

The Associate Alumnae of Douglass College (AADC) Board of Directors and Awards Committee are proud to announce three distinguished women will be inducted as 2024 honorees into the prestigious AADC Society of Excellence.

Honorees are:

• Jennifer C. Bender ’93, Esquire, VP & Deputy Chief Legal Officer, Women’s Leadership and Community Service Advocate;
• Pamela Brug ’84, MD, MS, OBGYN, Leader in Women’s Health and NJ Black Women Physicians Association and Community Service, Clinical Assistant Professor;
• Debra Lynch ’79, Ph.D., Retired Psychologist, Non-Profit and Community Leader.

The AADC Society of Excellence recognizes alumnae who have brought honor to the AADC by their distinctive achievements in professional and community endeavors, and their service to the AADC, including alumnae involvement and financial support.

The Induction Ceremony Luncheon will be hosted at the Ninth Annual Victoria Dabrowski Schmidt ’42 Workplace & Professional Development Symposium on Saturday, September 28, 2024. Special thanks to the Selection Committee, which invites all Douglass alumnae and friends to celebrate the remarkable careers, achievements, and impact in our AADC community of our honorees, and all the members inducted into the Society of Excellence.

Register online for the luncheon. http://weblink.donorperfect.com/AADC_SOE2024

Read the details about each honoree’s contributions to their professions, communities and the AADC:

About Jennifer C. Bender ‘93
Throughout a distinguished legal career, Jennifer C. Bender ‘93, Esquire, has been a role model through service to the AADC and her community. Currently, she is the Deputy Chief Legal Officer of Prudential Retirement Strategies, where she leads a team supporting Prudential’s Institutional Retirement Strategies business and reinsurance solutions.

Jennifer’s outstanding legal career began when she served as a law clerk to the first woman New Jersey Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Marie L. Garibaldi. Her interest then took her to London for more than a decade, where she became a senior attorney advising clients on public and private mergers and acquisitions, and cross-border transactions, including tender offers, bankruptcy and joint ventures.

She continued to be involved in the AADC community, including with the Class of 1993, as well as the greater Rutgers community. She was a member of the Junior League of London, Acting President for the Rutgers Club of London, and was on the advisory board of a London non-profit. Her role as a member of the Board of Trustees of Rutgers University further underscores her professional stature and influence.

Jennifer received the AADC Alumnae Recognition Award in 2020. In addition, she was one of a team of recipients of the AADC Medal in 2017, honoring her leadership during a critical time in the organization’s then nearly 100-year history.
She shared her expertise as a corporate lawyer, providing pro bono assistance with the Team on behalf of the AADC in negotiations with Rutgers parties at that time, enabling a beneficial outcome, with a strong vision for the future of our organization.

Jennifer is a consistent supporter to the AADC Annual Appeal and was a major donor to the AADC “Campaign for Douglass,” including establishing a fund to provide students with leadership opportunities during the Campaign.

She served on the AADC Board of Directors as a member (2014-2018) and as Treasurer (2018-2020). As Treasurer, Jennifer worked to ensure financial accountability to the AADC, was a Trustee of the Douglass Fund, and a member of the AADC Investment Committee.

About Pamela Brug ‘84, MD, MS

A valued, innovative member of our AADC community, Dr. Pamela Brug ‘84 has participated in AADC programs and events, including the first-ever AADC Women’s Conference, in addition to advocating for women’s health at the biennial Jewel Plummer Cobb Sisters Conference hosted by AADC Black Alumnae Network.

Dr. Brug is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist based in New Jersey, and distinguished professional with over 25 years of experience. She graduated in 1984 from Douglass College with a BA in Biology and Sociology and went on to earn her medical degree from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in ’89.

Currently, she is serving as a Medical Director at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and a faculty member at Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences.
She plays a pivotal role as an advocate and as a faculty member at Rutgers University Women’s Health Institute division of Advocacy and Community Outreach, and as the founder and president of the New Jersey Black Women Physician Association, a nonprofit dedicated to education, advocacy, and mentoring to combat health disparities and inequities.

In addition to being named to the 2024 AADC Society of Excellence, Dr. Brug has been named to this year’s Rutgers African-American Alumni Alliance (RAAA), Inc. Hall of Fame. It honors the achievements of graduates of African descent from Rutgers University. Dr. Brug will be honored at the RAAA Induction Ceremony on Saturday, October 5, 2024. Brug will be recognized for her commitment to mentoring, teaching, and community service, and her passion for addressing disparities in healthcare.

About Debra Lynch ‘79, Ph.D.

Through an influential career, Dr. Debra Lynch ’79 rose to become the Director of Psychology for the Hunterdon Developmental Center until her retirement in 2013. She currently serves as Vice President of Alumnae Relations on the AADC Board of Directors, and has volunteered on various AADC committees, including as Co-chair of the 100th Anniversary Committee and as a 25-year sponsor of the former AADC Extern Program.

She recently hosted a reception in her home, welcoming Douglass alumnae living in the New York City and New Jersey area. Previously, she served as Chair of the Reunion Committee. She celebrates each milestone Reunion with her Class of 1979 and serves as longtime Class President. She is also a traveler with the AADC Alumnae Travel program. Dr. Debra Lynch is a Charter Trustee on the Rutgers University Board of Trustees and has received many awards for her dedication and service.

She is a loyal supporter of the AADC, and together with her husband Paul Spychala RU ’79, were Pearl Sponsors for the AADC 100th Anniversary Gala, and through the Anne Spychala Family Charitable Foundation, were Platinum Sponsors for the 95th Gala. They were also major donors to the construction of the Kathleen W. Ludwig Global Village Living Learning Center at Douglass.

Among accolades, she received a 2024 New Jersey Women of Achievement Award, co-sponsored by the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs (NJSFWC) and Douglass Residential College (DRC).