Gloria Vanderham COM, JMS ’00, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Bliss Bio Health, LLC, has been nominated for and selected as a member of the 2025 cohort of the Loyal Sons and Daughters of Rutgers, the Rutgers Alumni Association’s highest honor.

According to the RAA, the Loyal Sons and Daughters of Rutgers Award “recipients are individuals who have made a meaningful and long-standing contribution to the betterment of Rutgers by performing extraordinary volunteer service or by making a significant impact on university life and culture.”

This year’s honorees will receive their awards at a luncheon in Neilson Dining Hall on April 5, from 6-10 p.m.

At Bliss Bio Health, LLC, Vanderham leads the boutique communications and marketing accelerator in its mission to “transform healthcare communications and marketing by leveraging AI-enabled, data-driven insights to create impactful campaigns that bridge the gap from 'Atom to Access.'" 

Prior to founding Bliss Bio Health in 2023, Vanderham held various communications roles for Novartis Oncology for over 12 years, from 2009 to 2021. In 2020, she was named Regional Head of Communications for Europe for Novartis, a position she held until 2023. Vanderham has also worked at Fleishman-Hillard and Johnson and Johnson. In 2024, Vanderham joined Springboard Enterprises, where she advises women’s health founders and companies and, in January 2025, she became a Board Member for the HLTH Foundation.

“Gloria’s strategic contributions have been integral to connecting, shaping, and advising alumni philanthropy and engagement strategies for external campaigns, such as Scarlet Forever, We aRe yoU, and Rutgers Giving Day. Gloria is also a vital ambassador for the upcoming Rutgers ‘Takes on the Garden State’ campaign. Gloria was selected to serve on the 22nd Presidential Search Committee."

Describing Vanderham’s many contributions and dedication to Rutgers, the RAA wrote on the award website, “Gloria Vanderham has demonstrated devotion to Rutgers University since her time as a student On the Banks. During her tenure, she actively participated in a variety of campus organizations, serving as a member of the Kirkpatrick Chapel choir, Delta Gamma Fraternity, and a preceptor to first-year and sophomore students. She also held several prominent leadership positions within the Rutgers Panhellenic and Northeast Panhellenic Councils. In her junior year, Gloria was tasked with leading marketing and communications efforts for the revived Rutgers University Dance Marathon—an annual fundraising event that began in New Brunswick in 1971 but was later discontinued in the late 1980s. Under her leadership, the spring 1999 edition of the RU Dance Marathon proved to be a resounding success. Gloria was one of two students chosen to represent the School of Communication & Information at the 2000 Rutgers University commencement.

“Since then, Gloria has consistently given back to her alma mater, acting as a mentor, sharing insights about her career path with students, and serving in various alumni leadership roles. These roles include co-chairing the Class of 2000 15th Reunion Committee and holding various positions within the Rutgers University Alumni Association, such as Secretary, Vice Chair, and Chair, and chairing multiple committees. Gloria is an ex-officio member of the Rutgers Foundation Board. Gloria played an instrumental role in engaging alumni across a wide range of Rutgers communities, fostering a culture of engagement and inclusivity. A highly recognizable Rutgers University Alumni ambassador, Gloria actively promotes the university’s mission and achievements at numerous University and Foundation events, as well as through online forums and her personal social media channels.

“Gloria’s strategic contributions have been integral to connecting, shaping, and advising alumni philanthropy and engagement strategies for external campaigns, such as Scarlet Forever, We aRe yoU, and Rutgers Giving Day. Gloria is also a vital ambassador for the upcoming Rutgers ‘Takes on the Garden State’ campaign. Gloria was selected to serve on the 22nd Presidential Search Committee. Gloria’s dedication and achievements were recently recognized with the prestigious School of Communication & Information Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award. Gloria’s Scarlet roots run deep, as numerous family members—including her older brother, husband, younger brother, sister-in-law, and even her mother— also hold credentials from Rutgers University. Her commitment to alma mater is further strengthened as her son continues the family tradition, currently attending Rutgers University’s School of Arts and Sciences as a first-year student.”

The Loyal Sons and Daughters of Rutgers was created in 1958 to honor RAA officers for exemplary leadership service. According to the RAA website, the specific criteria to be met is that the service “be substantial, sustained, and have significant impact for the University.” Nominations are made by past recipients, and selections are decided by the RAA Loyal Sons & Daughters committee and Board of Directors.

To view the list of this year’s honorees, see the awards website.

Learn more about the Communication and Journalism and Media Studies Departments on the Rutgers School of Communication and Information website.