International Programs is pleased to announce that Karri Goeldner Byrne (BA communication theory ‘92) and Gregs G. Thomopulos (DSC ‘10) are the recipients of the 2025 International Impact Award.
In addition to receiving the International Impact Award, Byrne will present this year’s Commitment to Internationalization Lecture on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 4 p.m. in the Old Capitol Museum Senate Chambers. Her lecture, “Navigating the Unpredictable: The Private Sector as Partners in Humanitarian Response,” is open to the public and will follow a brief ceremony where Byrne will receive her award.
Karri Goeldner Byrne
Byrne’s 30-year career in international development has focused on helping businesses address complex economic challenges in some of the world’s most demanding environments. As a senior leader with Mercy Corps and the International Rescue Committee, Byrne helped to design market analysis tools that became the gold standard for understanding market systems in humanitarian contexts. She continues to support this mission as a member of the Advisory Committee for the Markets in Crisis Community of Practice. She now lives in Scotland with her husband and two teenage daughters. A former member of the University of Iowa’s Old Gold Singers, she maintains her love of the arts as a member of her local community theater. In her ‘spare time’ she has also started a novel, in which Iowa City’s Old Capitol plays a starring role.
"When I was a student at the University of Iowa, I never imagined life would take me so far,” shared Byrne. “Receiving the International Impact Award feels like coming full circle. I learned at the University of Iowa that every global challenge is a human challenge. This award isn't just for me; it's for all the people I've had the privilege of working with in some of the world's most difficult places. It's a testament to what we can accomplish when we connect across cultures to solve problems. To be honored with this award is both humbling and a powerful reminder of how far a Hawkeye education can take you. It truly feels like coming home, and I am so grateful."
Byrne was nominated by Leslie Yazel, chief community officer for Atlas Obscura and former executive editor for special projects with the Wall Street Journal. Yazel highlighted Byrne's global experiences and extraordinary commitment to international development - from volunteering at a refugee camp in Croatia, to helping locals in Bosnia write plans to receive grants to create jobs post-war.
“I watched global events from my perch as an editor at The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. Karri was making sustained and deep contributions to international development,” said Yazel. “Her global reach, long-term commitment, and significant influence make her an exceptional, deserving candidate for the International Programs International Impact Award. When I’m approached by young Iowa graduates trying to find a mission-based career, I send them to Karri so they can hear her first-hand experiences of working on the front lines of need and hopefully continue what she has done to empower people and economies.”
Gregs G. Thomopulos
Thomopulos is chairman emeritus of Stanley Consultants, Inc., a global consulting engineering organization headquartered in Muscatine, Iowa, with offices nationally and internationally. He was its President/CEO for 20 years and chairman of the board for 10 years prior to his retirement in June 2017. Additionally, he is a past member of the UI College of Engineering Advisory Board, a current member of the Advisory Board of the Institute of International Business in the UI Tippie College of Business, and a current member of the Board of the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. Thomopulos lives in Iowa City, Iowa.
“As a person who was born and raised in Nigeria, receiving this award means a lot to me,” shared Thomopulos. “My entire career was devoted to improving the lives of people living in the developing world and every project we undertook overseas changed the lives of those living in those countries... The construction of rural roads, rural electricity, hospitals, schools, and other infrastructure, no matter how small, makes a huge impact on the lives of people in these countries. In my 51 years of employment with Stanley Consultants, I had the opportunity to travel to 37 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, where we designed many projects and where I witnessed firsthand the impacts these projects had on people. To see the joy on the faces of people, especially children, when a village is electrified for the first time or when a water supply project is first turned on, is an experience that one cannot adequately describe. Receiving this award is an acknowledgement of my little contributions to improving the lives of people.”
Thomopulos was nominated by UI Center for Advancement Executive Director of Advancement Adam Blind, who highlighted his 51-year career working at Stanley Consultants, making contributions to the engineering field, including bringing electricity to the Philippines, safe water to Egypt, and post-Gulf War reconstruction to Kuwait and Iraq.
“Gregs Thomopulos is a dedicated friend and supporter who has leveraged his career experience and connections to greatly benefit the University of Iowa, the College of Engineering, and its students,” wrote Blind.
The International Impact Award, established by UI International Programs in 2010, recognizes distinguished alumni and other individuals with significant ties to Iowa who have made sustained and deep contributions internationally or in the U.S. to promote global understanding.
Learn more about past awardees
International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement. IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.