Monmouth University’s biennial Alumni Awards ceremony, held in June in the Great Hall, celebrated three distinguished alumni for their professional achievements, outstanding leadership, and dedicated volunteer commitment. 

Distinguished Alumni Award

Raymond G. Klose ’77 is the president and CEO of Klose Associates Inc., a full-service, award-winning design and build production firm that provides marketing communication services as well as industrial, trade show, museum, and showroom business-to-business exhibit designs for government, higher education, and corporate clients around the world. He is also a managing partner in Meditirinia Properties. 

Earlier in his career, Klose worked in new business development for Honeywell, ADT, and Atlas. He was also a project manager for Visual Communications Consultants and served as a board member of Photobition PLC in London. 

Klose was elected to the Monmouth University Board of Trustees in July 2018. He is a member of the University’s Business Council, where he leads their mentoring efforts, and serves as a member of the Leon Hess Business School Dean’s Advisory Council. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Monmouth and is an ardent fan of Monmouth athletics. 

Outstanding Alumni Service Award

Tasha Youngblood Brown ’97, ’03M is a managing director in the consulting practice of Ernst & Young. Recognized as a distinguished honoree on NJBIZ’s prestigious list of Top Women in Business for 2022, she stands as an accomplished and purpose-driven leader boasting over 28 years of experience in the field of consulting. Her skill set encompasses a wide spectrum of competencies including risk management, finance, accounting, and information technology.

A community leader, Youngblood Brown serves as a member of the Long Branch Board of Education; as board treasurer of the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council, working with minority-owned, women-owned businesses and corporations as an advocate for supplier diversity; and on the board of the YMCA of Greater Monmouth County.

Youngblood Brown was elected to the Monmouth University Board of Trustees in July 2020 and elected vice chair in 2023. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and an MBA in accounting from Monmouth. 

Recent Alumni Award

Jenna Gaudio ’09 is a media technology executive who specializes in building, aligning, and scaling successful teams that deliver industry-leading outcomes. She serves as the copresident (and previously, chief operating officer and vice president for product management) at Vydia, a media technology company that was recently acquired by Gamma. Prior to Vydia, Gaudio played an integral role in the successful exit of early-stage ad tech startup Yashi, which was acquired by Nextstar Media Group.

Gaudio is an active leader and supporter of many community organizations, including Jersey Shore Women in Tech, Women in Music, and Executive Women in Product. She was named a Top Business Influencer by the Asbury Park Press, one of NJBIZ’s Top 50 Women in Business, a Top Tech Influencer by ROI-NJ, and a finalist for the #Next-Gen One-to-Watch Award at the Music Business Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

Gaudio earned a bachelor’s degree in communication, with honors, and remains active mentoring aspiring communication leaders.