Oct 17, 2007 -- Ruth L. Gottesman, EdD, will be honored as the new chair of the board of overseers of Albert Einstein College of Medicine at a gala dinner at the American Museum of Natural History on Thursday, October 18. She is the first woman and first faculty member to be elected to the position in the school’s 52-year history. Dr. Gottesman, professor emerita of pediatrics at Einstein, took over from Ira M. Millstein, now chairperson emeritus, who will serve as gala chair. Dr. Gottesman joined the Einstein board in 2002, after a distinguished 33-year academic career at the medical school that began in 1968 when she joined Einstein’s Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC) to develop a program for children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. In 1999, she became founding director of the Fisher Landau Center for the Treatment of Learning Disabilities, a new division of CERC established to provide interdisciplinary services to individuals of all ages with learning disabilities. The dinner will be chaired by Elliot K. Wolk, vice chair of Einstein’s board. Linda Altman, a board member, and husband Earle, are journal chairs. Joining them at the event will be Esther and Richard M. Joel, Yeshiva University President; Nancy and Morris W. Offit, Founder of OffitBank; Pat and John Rosenwald; Lynn and Sy Syms, vice chair of YU’s board; Laurie M. and Wilma S. Tisch; and Sheryl and Daniel R. Tishman, an Einstein board member. Proceeds from the gala will benefit the Einstein Stem Cell Research Institute, which fights cancer, Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, liver, and other metabolic diseases.