Alumni Updates – Spring 2019

1970s

Dr. M. Diane Gleason (POL SCI ’70) is the 2018 recipient of the Booker Worthen Literary Prize from the Central Arkansas Library System.

Rick Simmons (MATH ’71) was chosen as an associate fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

Dr. David B. Wheat (BIOL ’74) is serving as 2018-19 president of the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians. He owns and operates Clinton Family Care in Clinton, Miss.

Diane Cain Walters (ELED ’75, M.Ed. PE ’79 & M.Ed. ELED ’92) received the Arkansas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (ArkAHPERD) Lifetime Achievement Award.

David Franks (MUED ’79) was awarded a music composition individual artist fellowship by the Arkansas Arts Council.

Steve Womack (SPH ’79) was elected to his fifth consecutive term in the U.S. House of Representatives from the Third Congressional District of Arkansas.

1980s

Dr. Leanne L. Lefler (NURS ’82) was named to the health care industry council of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. She is an associate professor in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing.

Derrick Nelson (SPH ’82) received a 2018 outstanding black alumnus award from the African American Chapter of the Arkansas Tech Alumni Association.

Sherry Raney White (HPE ’82) is a member of the class of 2019 for the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of her All-America basketball career at Arkansas Tech and a coaching career that has included five high school state basketball championships in Arkansas.

Kevin Craig (JOUR ’85) was elected to the New Hampshire State House of Representatives.

Kevin Hern (ENGR ’86) was elected to his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives from the First Congressional District of Oklahoma.

1990s

Scott Alls (FW ’91) was named Oklahoma director of wildlife services for the U.S. Department of Agriculture animal and plant health inspection service.

Scott Frederick (ACCT ’91), controller at Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs, was promoted to the organization’s senior management team.

Pete Kelly (HPE ’93 & M.Ed. 96) was named 2018 Arkansas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (ArkAHPERD) higher education teacher of the year. He is an instructor of physical education at Arkansas Tech has been a full-time member of the ATU faculty since 2011.

Ron Magby (FW ’93) is the Hot Springs market president for Southern Bancorp.

Ernest King (HPE ’99) was named head football coach at his alma mater, Westover High School in Fayetteville, N.C.

2000s

Harry Alvis (BIOL ’00 & M.Ed. EDLD ’17) was hired as assistant superintendent for the Rivercrest School District.

B.J. Bayer (MECH ENGR ’01) was named plant manager at Wolf Creek Generation Station, a nuclear power plant located near Burlington, Kan.

Sharleen DaBreo (EAM ’01) earned the title Member of the Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of her emergency management leadership in the British Virgin Islands.

Brittny Brough Daubenheyer (GS ’03 & M.L.A. COMM ’06) was named executive director of the National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education.

Eliah Drinkwitz ’04 and his family at Appalachian State University.

Eliah Drinkwitz (EDU ’04) was hired as head football coach at Appalachian State University.

Andrea Lea (EAM ’04) was elected to a second consecutive four-year term as Arkansas state auditor.

Sarah Burnett (MGMT/MKTG ’07) was appointed director of the Arkansas Tech STEM Education Collaborative on the Russellville campus.

Aubrey Cammack Holt (JOUR ’07), director of campus life at Arkansas Tech, was selected to participate in a 2018-19 regional cohort of the SERVE Academy conducted by NASPA, Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education.

Aaron Jones (SPH ’07 & M.S. CSP ’09) was promoted to proposal specialist at Charter Spectrum in St. Louis, Mo.

Tray Scott (SOC ’08 & M.S. CSP ’10) received a 2018 outstanding black alumnus award from the African American Chapter of the Arkansas Tech Alumni Association.

2010s

Dr. Benjamin Conley (PHY ’10) is chief scientist at the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center near Bloomington, Ind.

Lisa Miller (M.Ed. MTLL ’10) was hired as principal at Fort Smith Southside High School effective July 1, 2018.

Rebecca Warren (ANS ’10) was promoted to director of workforce and career services at the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville.

Holli Weiss (M.S. CSP ’10), assistant dean for student wellness at Arkansas Tech University, earned the 2018 NASPA IV-West new professional rising star award.

Robert Puckett (EAM ’12) was hired as an Arkansas state trooper and assigned to Highway Patrol Division Troop B in White County.

Vanessa Falwell (NURS ’13) is the family provider at the Tuckerman Medical Clinic.

Debby Hunt (M.S. HIM ’14) was elected president elect of the Arkansas Health Information Management Association. She is program director and a faculty member in health information technology at National Park College in Hot Springs.

Tony Jones (M.Ed. EDLD ’14 & Ed.S. ’17) was appointed director of Belle Point Academy in Fort Smith.

Jackson Dorman (HPE ’16) was hired as an Arkansas state trooper and assigned to Highway Patrol Division Troop G in Nevada County.

Dylan Edgell (ACCT and MGMT/MKTG ’16) spent summer 2018 assisting residents of Ollantatytambo, Peru, with economic development initiatives as his international public service student project in the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

Cameron Hankins (SOC ’16) was hired as an Arkansas state trooper and assigned to Highway Patrol Division Troop A in Pulaski County.

Michael Langley (BPS ’16) was named plant manager for SunGro Horticulture in Pine Bluff. He and his wife, Carri Langley (M.S. HI ’15) completed the Leadership Pine Bluff course offered by the Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce.

Fabiana Monte (MGMT/MKTG ’16 & M.S. CSP ’18) joined the Baylor University staff as student-athlete development coordinator.

Tara Tuttle (MLED ’16) is teaching fifth grade in the Elkins School District.

Joe Donnell (COM SCI EDU ’18) was recognized by Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Commissioner Johnny Key of the Arkansas Department of Education as being among the first five graduates of computer science education post-secondary programs of study approved by the Arkansas Department of Education.

Courtney Gilkey (NURS ’18) accepted a cardiovascular intensive care nurse position at Sparks Regional Medical Center in Fort Smith.

Ty Reasnor (MECH ENGR ’18) was named 2018 D2CCA central region scholar-athlete of the year in recognition of his academic and athletic performance while a member of the Arkansas Tech football program.