President’s Awards
The President’s Awards represent the highest honor a UT employee can receive. Building on the many outstanding recognition programs at each campus and institute, this program celebrates exceptional faculty and staff from across the state. The awards spotlight success, elevate achievements and inspire a culture of excellence throughout the UT System.
About the President’s Awards
The UT President’s Awards program recognizes outstanding contributions of staff and faculty centered around the UT System’s Be One UT values. Honorees are selected each year from a systemwide pool of candidates nominated by campus and institute leaders. Commemorative and monetary awards are presented during an annual ceremony, and faculty and staff winners help select honorees in future years.
There are 14 statewide award winners, two from each category. Awards are presented to individuals who exhibit the behaviors associated with each goal.
2026 Honorees and Nominees
Bold and Impactful Honorees
Steve Elliott
University of Tennessee at Martin
Steve Elliott, a professor of mathematics at UT Martin, chairs the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and directs the STEM Center for Teaching and Learning. Elliott’s work expands access to high-quality STEM education in rural West Tennessee, by strengthening the STEM teacher pipeline for high-need districts.
Since 2017, Elliott has helped grow UTM’s STEM Center into a regional hub for K–12 outreach, educator support and teacher preparation. He has led and supported grant-funded efforts — including a $1.2 million National Science Foundation (NSF) Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program grant to recruit, license and mentor STEM teachers for rural schools, — and participation in the multistate NSF Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation project creating new STEM pathways. He also secured UT System support for a Science Pedagogy Support System serving middle school educators in West Tennessee.
A U.S. Military Academy at West Point graduate and retired field artillery officer, Elliott brings a service-driven approach to leadership. He continues to engage schools and communities through programs, contests and STEM events that connect students and teachers with hands-on learning.
David Moore
University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service
David Moore, a police management consultant with the Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) in the University of Tennessee’s Institute for Public Service, is a former police chief who developed a defensible, data-informed approach to determining appropriate law enforcement staffing levels.
Through research and applied analysis, Moore created a practical staffing methodology that helps law enforcement and municipal leaders make evidence-based personnel and budgeting decisions, strengthening public safety and fiscal accountability.
His work has produced measurable results, including a staffing study for the Jackson Police Department. He turned his methodology into a user-friendly tool that enables agencies across Tennessee to conduct their own analyses and extends MTAS’s reach statewide.
Embrace Differences Honorees
Alicia Maya-Donaldson
University of Tennessee at Martin
Alicia Maya-Donaldson is director of the Bachelor of Science in Social Work program at UT Martin, where she leads the program and serves as an academic adviser to more than 100 students. Known for her student-centered approach, Maya-Donaldson helps learners from a wide range of backgrounds navigate academic and personal challenges while building clear paths toward graduations and professional successes.
Her commitment to inclusion extends beyond advising and into the culture she helps shape within the program. She mentors junior faculty, supports new colleagues through onboarding and ongoing one-on-one guidance, and models inclusive, respectful engagement in the classroom and across professional settings.
Maya-Donaldson has taught a broad range of social work courses in traditional, online and distance-learning formats and has provided long-standing leadership in field instruction and program assessment.
Chris Stokes
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Chris Stokes is an assistant director at UT Chattanooga’s Center for Student Leadership, Engagement and Community. For more than two decades, he has helped students from all backgrounds feel seen, valued and connected.
Through roles in multicultural affairs, TRiO programs and fraternity and sorority life, Stokes builds relationships and provides mentorship to bring students together across differences. He helped develop and lead initiatives, including the GUIDE Mentorship Program, the Multicultural Ambassador Program, the Multicultural Presidents Council and campuswide heritage programming that supports dialogue, belonging and leadership development.
A trusted collaborator, Stokes partners with campus and community stakeholders to expand student opportunities and strengthen campus climate, including his work to advance UTC’s Divine Nine Heritage Park. He also facilitates workshops and campus conversations on cultural responsiveness, leadership and belonging.
Optimistic and Visionary Honorees
Erkan Kaplanoglu
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Erkan Kaplanoglu is department head and professor of engineering management and technology at UT Chattanooga, where he is recognized as an innovative researcher and dedicated mentor. Kaplanoglu’s work has strengthened UTC’s research profile while building partnerships across healthcare, industry and education.
Kaplanoglu’s research focuses on biomechatronics, rehabilitation robotics, wearable systems and artificial intelligence applications in healthcare. Through UTC’s Biomechatronics and Assistive Technology Lab, he has led projects supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the state of Tennessee and industry partners, positioning UTC as a contributor in emerging areas of rehabilitation technology and advanced manufacturing.
Kaplanoglu is known for connecting research to real-world impact. He designed a supported mobility device for a 1-year-old child in Chattanooga with cerebral palsy, and he initiated an international collaboration with the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality in Turkey to help expand access to advanced prosthetic care for individuals affected by war and recent earthquakes.
Edwin Jeffres
University of Tennessee Health Sciences
Edwin Jeffres is assistant vice chancellor for facilities administration for the University of Tennessee Health Sciences, providing executive leadership for facilities operations, capital planning and infrastructure strategy. Known for a steady, solutions-focused approach, Jeffres has helped guide UTHS through significant growth while maintaining strong day-to-day operations.
Jeffres has led major projects, including the $12 million demolition of the former Holiday Inn on Madison Avenue, the Nash Building buildout, campus fencing and elevator upgrades, along with early planning and site preparation for the $350 million College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building approved by the Tennessee General Assembly in April 2026.
During the past two years, his team has achieved millions in cost savings through contract reviews, strategic staffing and operational efficiencies while maintaining service quality. He also is recognized for integrating Information Technology Services into capital planning early so technology and physical infrastructure are designed together.
Nimble and Innovative Honorees
Tina Dudney
University of Tennessee Health Sciences
Tina Dudney is an associate professor of medicine and assistant dean for graduate medical and dental education at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences’ College of Medicine, Knoxville and serves as the designated institutional official for graduate medical education.
A pulmonary and critical care physician and longtime faculty leader, Dudney is recognized for launching training programs that strengthen clinical communication, empathy and leadership while expanding access to high-quality residency education in East Tennessee.
Since 2023, she has developed interdisciplinary initiatives with UT Knoxville, including an intensive medical Spanish course and a medical humanities program. She also created narrative medicine and team-based learning efforts within the internal medicine clerkship.
Ashley Bynum
University of Tennessee at Martin
Ashley Bynum is senior associate athletics director for internal operations at UT Martin, where she leads athletics compliance and oversees academic programming and progress for approximately 450 student-athletes across 18 sports. A licensed attorney, Bynum pairs regulatory expertise with a student-centered approach that helps remove barriers and strengthen student-athlete success.
As college athletics entered a new era shaped by name, image and likeness legislation, she helped UT Martin navigate rapid change by building policies, procedures and educational resources to support compliant, in-house revenue-sharing opportunities. Her work included developing contract processes, securing appropriate approvals and creating guidance that enabled coaches, administrators and campus partners to operate confidently in a shifting landscape.
Bynum’s leadership extends beyond compliance. She secured NCAA Accelerated Success Program grants totaling $220,000 to support UT Martin student-athletes, including the university’s first student-athlete academic center, and expanded mental health and career-readiness programming. She also serves on university committees focused on retention and strategic planning, chairs UT Martin Athletics strategic planning efforts, and contributes nationally through service, including the NCAA Committee on Legislative Relief and leadership roles with the National Collegiate Equestrian Association.
Excel in All We Do Honorees
Toni Wang
University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Toni Wang is an institute professor in the Department of Food Science at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. Wang is an internationally recognized scholar whose research in lipid chemistry, food materials science and sustainable bioproduct development addresses global challenges related to food systems, biomedical applications and renewable resources.
She has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and secured nearly $13 million in external funding, with additional patents and intellectual property disclosures that reflect the translational impact of her work. Her research includes sustainable alternatives to petroleum, plant-derived industrial products and insect-based biorefining technologies.
Wang has published 218 peer-reviewed research articles and 14 book chapters and has mentored 48 graduate students, 13 postdoctoral researchers and 12 visiting scientists.
Kelly Mihalik
University of Tennessee System
Kelly Mihalik is a special projects investigator and public safety manager at the UT System’s Office of Audit and Compliance, with experience in campus law enforcement and Title IX/Clery Act compliance. Mihalik is recognized for strengthening systemwide public safety practices through steady leadership, clear communication and continuous improvement.
After a 2019 Tennessee Comptroller performance audit called for stronger board oversight of student safety and campus security, Mihalik helped lead UT’s corrective actions, working across campuses to close reporting and compliance gaps and standardize safety and crime-reporting practices.
In her current role, she advises campus public safety leaders, supports state-required reporting, and partners with campus police chiefs to brief the UT Board of Trustees Audit and Compliance Committee, turning crime-reporting data into actionable information for governance and transparency. She also coordinates public safety for board meetings, collaborating with university teams and local law enforcement to enhance protocols while maintaining a welcoming environment.
United and Connected Honorees
Adnan Rasool
University of Tennessee at Martin
Adnan Rasool is an associate professor of political science and global studies at UT Martin and the inaugural director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. Rasool also is a founding fellow of UT Martin’s Center for Rural Innovation, where his work connects the university with partners across northwest Tennessee to advance student opportunities, workforce development and regional growth.
Rasool is recognized for building collaborative partnerships that create shared impact. Through a UT System Grand Challenges grant, he placed more than 20 students in internships across rural West Tennessee, working with municipalities, chambers of commerce and nonprofits to strengthen career pathways and community capacity. His work also helped support the creation of the K. Houston and Debbie Gordon Center for Rural Innovation, now a hub for community development and economic growth in the region.
At UT Martin, Rasool expanded connection and engagement through faculty development as the founding director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. In the center’s first year, he engaged more than 150 faculty members across all five colleges through workshops, a faculty fellows program and microgrants, while also launching new peer evaluation and classroom observation tools. He also has led efforts to strengthen institutional accessibility and advising support through the university’s Americans with Disabilities Act Title II digital accessibility compliance framework.
Jennifer Sicking
University of Tennessee System
Jennifer Sicking is director of publications in the UT System Division of Communications and Marketing, where she serves as managing editor of Our Tennessee alumni magazine. In this role, Sicking connects people and stories across the UT System, working collaboratively with communicators, writers, photographers, designers and campus partners to showcase the university’s statewide impact and shared mission.
In 2025, Sicking planned and produced four issues of Our Tennessee, reaching approximately 200,000 alumni, faculty and staff and expanding print distribution to nearly 70,000 recipients per issue. She has also increased engagement through digital storytelling, including documentary-style videos, social media promotion and email campaigns that consistently draw strong readership.
An award-winning writer and communications professional with more than 25 years of experience in journalism and higher education, Sicking has earned recognition from the Tennessee College Public Relations Association and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. She is also known for mentoring interns and emerging professionals and for leading with creativity, encouragement and a commitment to collaboration across the system.
Transparent and Trusted Honorees
John Haas
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
John Haas is an associate professor in the School of Communication Studies in UT Knoxville’s College of Communication and Information. Haas is recognized as a trusted campus leader whose career reflects integrity, openness and accountability in teaching, mentorship and academic service.
During nearly four decades at UT Knoxville, Haas has earned a reputation for listening carefully, communicating transparently and leading with fairness and respect. Students frequently describe him as approachable and supportive. He has been repeatedly recognized for mentorship, advising and teaching excellence, including honors such as outstanding mentor, outstanding advisor and outstanding professor.
His work has strengthened the communication studies community through sustained alumni engagement and experiential learning support, including the John Haas Student Experiential Learning Endowment, established through a $1 million gift from alumnus Peyton Manning. Haas is also the author of the textbook “Business and Professional Communication for the Information Age” and has been published in leading journals while securing research support from federal agencies and foundations.
Annie Fishel
University of Tennessee System
Annie Fishel is executive director of policy and advocacy in the UT System Division of Government Relations, Advocacy and Economic Development, where she helps lead legislative strategy and keeps university leaders and campus partners informed by monitoring and analyzing the more than 1,500 bills filed each year in the Tennessee General Assembly.
Known for a collaborative, transparent approach, Fishel shares relevant legislation and amendments with the UT System Office of General Counsel, campus subject matter experts and coalition partners, and works with finance and campus leaders to assess potential fiscal impacts.
Fishel also oversees the UT Advocacy Network with the UT Alumni Association. Under her leadership, it has grown to more than 10,000 alumni, employees, students and supporters statewide, meeting a UT System strategic plan goal. She provides regular updates to stakeholders, including the Alumni Association’s Board of Governors, and her work supports major investments and policy advances across the university system.