Congratulations to Dina Zuckerberg ’91 on receiving this year's Elizabeth Statuta Baker ’70 Public Service Award.

 

Goucher College is proud to present Dina Zuckerberg, Class of 1991, with the 2026 Elizabeth Statuta Baker ’70 Public Service Award. As director of family programs at the nonprofit myFace, Dina provides support and resources for people with craniofacial differences and their families.

Born with a cleft lip, hearing loss, and no vision in one eye, Dina underwent six surgeries as a child, along with years of orthodontics and speech therapy. While those experiences were challenging, she rarely spoke about another part of her story—the teasing, bullying, and exclusion. She often felt alone in her experiences, and today, she is passionate about helping children and adults be heard and understood.

Dina has found powerful ways to share her story and help others share theirs. She organizes support groups and leads a peer-to-peer group for adults with facial differences. Through webinars, panel discussions, and in-person and virtual events, Dina works to meet the evolving needs of those with facial differences as well as their families. She also hosts a podcast called “myFace, myStory,” which is a mix of interviews and roundtable conversations. The podcast has reached more than 50,000 people so far—with recent episodes featuring discussions on dating, media representation, and the transition from childhood into adulthood.

Dina also presents at school assemblies, both in person and on Zoom, for the myFace Wonder Project. The program is inspired by the bestselling novel Wonder, which follows a young boy with a craniofacial difference navigating school life. In the assemblies, Dina encourages students to move from being bystanders to becoming upstanders—to see when something is wrong and do something to make it right.

Following the release of the film adaptation of Wonder in 2017, the program expanded significantly. Dina has now reached more than 100,000 students. She shares her own story during these presentations, often showing students her hearing aid. A young girl once approached Dina after the assembly, excited to share that she also wore a hearing aid—something she had never seen in someone else before. For Dina, moments like these reinforce the power of connection and representation.

Choosing kindness, being curious, and building connections are values that guide Dina’s work. She helps ensure that fewer people feel alone and that more people do what’s right. For her dedication to people with facial differences, her commitment to helping others be heard, and her work to stop bullying and exclusion, the members of the Alumnae & Alumni of Goucher College recognize Dina Zuckerberg with this award for excellence in public service.